How to eat for summer and recipes to keep you cool

I don’t know where you live but here in Texas it’s blazing hot! Sure it’s easy to just turn on the air con but what is even better for cooling you off during the summer is to eat foods that are naturally cooling. It just so happens that the produce that flourishes in the summer are water-dense and help cool you off. Nature is really cool like that! Here are great tips on how to eat for summer including recipes from our HappyCow community.

Eat Seasonal, Local Foods When Possible

Not only do summer foods naturally cool you off, they aren’t shipped thousands of miles to get to your plate making them fresh and more delicious. If you start eating local, seasonal produce (organic even better) you will totally be able to tell a difference in your body. Check out your local farmer’s market or sign up with a CSA to get a box of produce delivered to your door.

Summer Foods:
Fruits: Melons, apricot, guava, strawberry and other berries, persimmon, avocado, tomato, bell peppers
Vegetables: Brussels sprouts, asparagus, yellow squash & zucchini, sprouts, herbs, eggplant, mushrooms, cauliflower, bitter greens like kale, collards, arugula, mustard
Grains: Corn, amaranth, quinoa, millet, soba noodles, gluten-free pasta
Beans and Pulses: Red lentils and other split peas, chickpeas, mung beans

Try these recipes:
Tabbouleh
Polenta Cakes with Stir fried Veggies
Summer Fruity Quinoa
Eggplant Sun-dried Tomato Spread

Skip the oven

Use your oven for storage over the summer. Not only does baking warm up your house, baked foods warm up your body. Opt for lighter cooking methods like steaming and water saute or skip cooking all together and make raw foods. Our bodies naturally gravitate toward raw foods in the heat of the summer. Make raw chilled soups and huge salads to naturally cool your body off.

Try these recipes:
Cold Carrot Salad
Raw Tomato Pasta
Pineapple Cucumber Gazpacho
Curried Tempeh Salad Green Wraps
Raw Collard Wrap
Chocolate Banana Cream Pie

Stay Hydrated!

This is sort of a no-brainer, but in the summer months you need to remember to stay hydrated. It’s also a good idea to lay off the alcohol, sodas, and other sugary drinks. You can make your own fruit spritzers by mixing sparkling water and fruit juice (or blend with fresh fruit), or make “spa water” by putting fresh cucumber, lemon, lime or mint in your filtered water.

Try these recipes:
Watermelon Fizzies
Ginger Mint Iced Tea
Agave-Sweetened Lemonade

How do you stay cool during the summer? Share with us in the comments!

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