What ingredients do I use for a balanced summer diet?

Summer is here... and with it the holidays, reunions, trips, parties... The energy of this season is very active and drives us to interact with others, to interact with the outside world, to move...

With so much activity, it is sometimes difficult to maintain a healthy eating routine, but it is much simpler than it seems.

Here are some ideas that will make your summer meals easier so that you can make the most of your holidays.

Breakfast:

Fruit

Summer is the best season to enjoy fresh fruit. If you like fruit and it suits you, you can start the day with a good plate, always selecting those that are local and in season. There is so much to choose from: apricots, peaches, nectarines, plums, melons, watermelons...

Choose organic fruit and eat it with the skin on whenever possible. Take advantage of the moment to eat fresh berries: blueberries, raspberries, blackberries... These fruits contain many antioxidants that will help to counteract the effects of sun exposure.

The option of eating fresh fruit is especially practical if you are on the move, camping or caravanning. You will avoid having to cook and you will feel that you have much more energy than with the classic croissants or industrial pastries.

Cereal creams

If you prefer to stick to your breakfast cereal, remember that you can cook your breakfast spread for several days, as long as you keep it in the fridge.

You can also prepare it on the spot using the star cereal of the summer, polenta. Instant polenta, made from whole grain corn, is quick and easy to use.

Cook it in 8 to 10 parts vegetable drink for a few minutes until it comes to the boil and starts to thicken. I usually use rice drink, as it makes the cream sweeter. You will see that the preparation is very quick and the result is delicious.

Have several glass jars ready with gomasio, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds, previously roasted, to season the creams and add a crunchy touch.

These seeds are also delicious as a snack on the beach or in the mountains. You can mix them in a sachet with sultanas or chopped dates and some dried fruits such as almonds or walnuts.

Meals:

1st course:

Having a soup as a starter is still an excellent idea to start your meals even in summer. But if it's too hot, and you want something more refreshing, here are 2 suggestions:

Prepare a good cold cream with seasonal vegetables or fruit: To make this type of cream, proceed in the usual way, poach the onion very well and then add the vegetable or fruit of your choice and let it cook with just enough water to cover it. Mash and store in the fridge for several days. Courgette, cucumber, melon or watermelon - the latter is delicious prepared as a gazpacho - are super refreshing and nutritious.

2.- Unleash your creativity with a good salad:

And if creams are not your thing, choose to start your meals with a nice salad. It's one of the best options when eating out.

Summer is the time to increase your raw food intake, but again, watch how you feel and don't force yourself - if your digestive system is weak, you may want to stick to blanched salads, which are also great.

Make sure you always have several types of lettuce at home, as well as lots of leafy greens: rocket, watercress... and combine them with other ingredients to create variety: cucumber, radish, celery, carrot, corn, spring onion...

For a crunchy touch, use the toasted seeds again. Make a generous amount of vinaigrette and store in a large glass jar for several days' use.

Remember that combining several flavours in your dressing will help you feel more balanced, nourished and satisfied. Here are some suggestions:

Shiro miso + rice vinegar + mustard + EVOO

Umeboshi vinegar + rice syrup + EVOO

Shoyu + apple concentrate + EVOO

2nd course:

For the second course, simplify.

In summer we need much more vegetables than other denser foods. We receive more solar energy and need less "physical" energy.

Alternating cereal and legume consumption is a way to simplify your meals and make them lighter.

The combination of cereal or legume with vegetables is very digestive and will reduce preparations.

We have already talked on other occasions about amortising cooking. Summer is the best time to benefit from this proposal:

Cook a good quantity of cereal: basmati rice, quinoa, wild rice... and store it in the fridge once cold. Use it for stir-fries or salads that you can prepare in advance and store in the fridge.

Cook a good quantity of legumes: chickpeas, lentils, white beans... and keep them in the fridge as well.

Chickpeas are the best legume to reuse once cooked, as they retain their texture very well. In a salad it is delicious combined with cucumber, avocado, spring onion and a touch of red pepper. This type of salad can be prepared from one day to the next and can even be stored with its dressing.

Hummus or legume pâté is another recipe for using cooked legumes. Mash with a little tahini, a pinch of umeboshi or lemon puree , and a touch of paprika, oregano, or other aromatic herbs, accompany with carrot and cucumber sticks and you will have a super refreshing and nutritious dish.

Try and change the combinations, I'm sure they will all be delicious.

Dinners:

Once again it simplifies.

In general we tend to overeat. We actually need much less than we usually consume, especially in the evening.

Our digestive strength starts to decline in the evening, so a light dinner is an excellent option.

Vegetables:

If you are having dinner, vegetables should be on your plate. This time, preferably cooked in light cooking methods such as blanching or steaming.

If you cook the vegetables in this way, and leave them al dente, they will keep well for a couple of days in the fridge, so you only have to combine them in a bowl and dress them in the dressing you had prepared in your glass jar.

Tofu, tempeh....:

One of the advantages of this type of product is that it is quick to prepare.

Lightly grill them and they will be ready in a few minutes.

You can macerate a good amount of diced tofu with spring onion, paprika and spices of your choice and keep it in the fridge, to sauté when you need it. It keeps well for several days and also gains flavour.

As you can see, eating well in summer is simple and won't take you long...

Give it a try, and let us know... Happy summer!

Article written by Isabel Moreno, Macrobiotic consultant and creator of Macrosano