Tasty Lunch Recipe Ideas for This Summer

Tasty Lunch Recipe Ideas for This Summer

The days are longer, the temperatures are rising and we all suddenly wish to be outside and free, as summer is the time to be careless. Despite being the most loved season for the warmer weather, beach adventures and holidays, summer also brings the best seasonal foods. And for those who enjoy spending time in the kitchen, experimenting with all the great flavors and colors of the fresh summer produce, it’s about time we bring some new ideas for your lunch recipes home menu.

Spending time with your family and friends at outdoor gatherings seems so precious these days that you want to celebrate it properly. For these special occasions, we would like to help you with preparing something healthy, tasty, and fresh. Here are several of the best summer lunch recipes to keep you and your loved ones refreshed, hydrated and full through the long and hot summer days.

1. Mediterranean Sweet Potato

Whatever the recipe brings, when the name says “Mediterranean” you know it will taste like summer vacation. Almost everyone loves Mediterranean cuisine as it consists of mostly fresh ingredients and light meals. But when it comes to the perfect summer Mediterranean recipe it’s about time you try the flavorsome Mediterranean sweet potato. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients

  • 4 medium-size sweet potatoes

  • 500 grams rinsed chickpeas

  • 2 tsp olive oil

  • Seasons of choice, recommended: coriander, rosemary, paprika

  • Salt and black paper

  • 30gr tahini

  • Freshly squeezed lemon juice

  • Minced garlic

  • Fresh cherry tomatoes and fresh parsley

Preparation

Potatoes

  1. Rinse well the potatoes and cut them in half.

  2. Place them on a parchment-lined baking pot.

  3. Sprinkle olive oil and seasoning per preference

  4. Cook the potatoes for around 45 minutes at 220°C

Chickpeas

  1. Take a non-sticking baking pan and add the chickpeas inside

  2. Drizzle olive oil and spices

  3. Put the pan in the oven with the potatoes

  4. Take it ouт after 15 min or until the chickpeas are brownish

Garlic sauce

  1. Add the tahini, ¼ cup chickpeas, freshly squeezed lemon juice, water and the minced garlic in a bowl

  2. Whisk everything together until you get an even texture

  3. Adjust salt, paper and seasoning to taste and if needed add more water

Topping

  1. Add the sliced tomatoes and parsley in a bowl and pour the freshly squeezed lemon over

  2. Mix the ingredients together

The final preparation

  1. Once the potatoes are done put them on a serving plate and smash the inside a bit to make room for topping

  2. Top with roasted chickpeas, garlic sauce and the beautiful and tasty tomato-parsley garnish

Enjoy the best Mediterranean flavor!

2. Healthy Apple Pecan Chicken Salad

We all love how fresh and crunchy salad tastes in our mouth on a warm sunny day. Summer is the time to take all the vegetables you have in the kitchen, rinse and chop in a bowl. But well, when it comes to lunch a salad might not be enough to keep you full and you should combine it with a freshly cooked chicken. Although chicken salad is a famous recipe, here we offer a variation that will bring a light meal and a way healthier alternative to any known chicken salad recipe by including crunchy apples and tasty pecan. Here it is:

Ingredients

Salad

  • 500 grams skinless chicken breasts

  • 150 grams chopped apple (2 middle-sized apples)

  • 50 grams chopped pecans

  • 40 grams of dried and chopped cranberries – optional

Dressing

  • ½ cup of greek yogurt

  • 1 tbsp mayonnaise

  • 1 tsp honey

  • 1tbsp apple vinegar

  • ½ tsp onion powder

  • Salt and black paper

Preparation

The meat

  • The chicken can be cooked by any preference. You can cook the meat in the water at a low temperature until it softens. Once the water is gone sprinkle some olive oil and roast it for several minutes. Another option is to put it on a baking sheet with seasoning and olive oil and roast it in the oven at 250°C. After it’s cooked leave the meat to completely cool down and then chop it into small pieces. To make sure that you’ll be using good-quality and 100% safe meat, just read these tips.

The dressing

  • While you wait for the meat to cool down, take a medium-sized mixing bowl and mix together the greek yogurt, mayonnaise, apple wine vinegar, honey and onion powder. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Rosemary can also be added per preference. Once the mixture is well-stirred the dressing is ready.

The salad 

  1. Take a larger bowl or serving plate.

  2. Add the chicken in the bowl/ plate and pour the dressing over. Steer well. Add the pecans and cranberry last and steer again until you get an even mixture.

  3. Serve the salad with a slice of bread. If you want to avoid carbs in your diet, you can serve the salad over lettuce leaves.

 

3. Smoked Salmon and Noodle Salad

Summer is certainly the time to savor some delicious and healthy salmon. For those that enjoy the fish recipes, here we have an unordinary recipe that will bring a twist to your usual salmon routine. Hope you’ll like it!

Ingredients

  • 100 grams of thinly sliced salmon cut to small pieces

  • 30 grams of noodles

  • One small size cucumber sliced in thin slices

  • 2 cups of fresh, rinsed baby spinach

  • 2 tbsp olive oil

  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger

  • minced garlic

  • 1/4 cup red miso paste

  • 1 tablespoon honey

  • 1 tablespoon vinegar

  • 1 tsp soy sauce

  • 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds

  • Salt and back paper

Preparation

  1. Bring salted water to boil

  2. Add the noodles and cook for several minutes until ready

  3. Once the noodles are cooked remove the pot from the heat and add the spinach. Stir well.

  4. Drain the excess water from the bowl

  5. Take a separate pot and drizzle olive oil over

  6. Put it at medium heat until it shimmers

  7. Add ginger and garlic and cook for a minute

  8. Add soya sauce, miso paste, vinegar,  honey and whisk to form a paste

  9. Once done, scrape the mixture in a large bowl

  10. In the same bowl add the noodles with spinach, salmon and cucumber and stir well to combine everything together

  11. Sprinkle with sesame seeds after serving

Enjoy!

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