Healthy Summer Crowd Pleaser Recipes
I have found myself creating my favourite and most coveted summer party foods more often now that the end of summer is beginning to approach us. Personally, I enjoy challenging myself to create healthy and appealing dishes which complement the traditional barbeque spread consisting of burgers and hotdogs. The following recipes are light, refreshing and easy on the eyes. They are absolutely the perfect dishes to experiment with at your next barbeque or summer party. I highly recommend you to try some of them out as you seize the last remaining bit of the summer!
Shrimp Ceviche (with cooked shrimp)
Ingredients:
1 pound of shrimp
½ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
¼ cup finely chopped red onion
2 jalapeno peppers, deseeded, finely chopped
1 red finger chili, deseeded, finely chopped
¾ cup diced mango
¾ cup diced, deseeded cucumber
¼ cup chopped cilantro
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cut shrimp into ½ inch pieces. Boil shrimp until just cooked. Allow shrimp to cool. In a large mixing bowl, combine shrimp, lime juice, onion, mango, cucumber, jalapeno, red chili, cilantro, salt and pepper. Chill the mixture before serving. Serve ceviche with a thinly sliced and toasted baguette, or nachos which are great for scooping out the mixture!
Caprese Salad Skewers
Ingredients:
Small bunch of fresh organic basil
Cherry tomatoes
Miniature fresh bocconcini cheese
Balsamic vinaigrette
Salt and pepper
Instructions:
Take a toothpick and skewer a basil leaf in between a miniature bocconcini and a cherry tomato. Sprinkle balsamic vinaigrette on your finished skewers. Top off with salt and pepper.
Summer Fresh Bruschetta
Ingredients:
2-3 diced vine tomatoes
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
Chopped fresh basil
1 clove of minced garlic
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
Baguette thinly sliced and toasted
Instructions:
Add your diced tomatoes, olive oil, chopped basil, minced garlic, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper in a medium sized bowl. Slice a French baguette and toast the thin slices immediately before serving.
Watermelon Pizza
Ingredients:
Watermelon
Fresh mint
Feta cheese
Balsamic dressing
Kalamata olives, pitted + Spanish onion, thinly sliced
Instructions:
Cut a 1 inch slice from the center of your watermelon. Lay your slice flat and cut into 8 wedges. Drizzle balsamic dressing onto each wedge. Sprinkle watermelon slices with chopped mint leaves, crumbled feta cheese, sliced Kalamata olives and Spanish onion.
I hope you enjoy these recipes as much as I have. Cheers to a sunny and delicious rest of your summer here in Toronto, or wherever you are!
Author: Claire Ford, BA (Hons)
Clinical Receptionist | Social Media Rep | Toronto Health & Fitness Advocate