4 Simple & Healthy Summer Recipes

During the hottest days of summer, we tend to crave food that’s light and fresh, and that doesn’t weigh us down. When you’re always on the go with summer activities, you may be quick to work up an appetite, especially for light, nourishing foods.

Hot summer weather can sometimes leave us feeling dehydrated, making drinking water even more critical. Enjoying water-dense, refreshing fruits and vegetables is a great way to hydrate yourself. Plus, you’ll not only benefit from their water content, but also from vitamins, minerals and plenty of fiber.  

Without further ado, let’s dig into some of our favorite summer recipes. You’ll find even more recipes just like these in the recipe book of your 8fit app. Don’t forget to drink up and stay cool this summer! 

Healthy summer recipes

Summer rolls with tofu

The name says it all – summer rolls are truly the perfect summer food. They're light, full of flavor and healthy, complete with an abundance of vitamins and minerals to boot. Perfect to enjoy while on a lakeside picnic or while at the office, this vegan option is as fun to make as it is to eat. Feel free to customize the vegetables inside the rolls to your liking, and get creative with your own combinations.

The tofu in these healthy summer rolls is an excellent source of protein, with 8 grams in a 3.5 ounce (100 grams) serving. The same size also contains 31% of the recommended daily allowance of manganese and 20% of your recommended intake of calcium. Together with healthy veggies and low-calorie rice paper rolls, you've got a meal that's nutritionally dense yet calorically low.

Summer Rolls with Tofu

10 min400 kcal

Ingredients

• 3 oz smoked tofu/tofu prepared with nigari (firm)
• ⅓ avocado
• 1 tsp peanut butter (plain, without added sugar)
• ½ lime
• ¼ tsp chili flakes
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce, without sugar
• 1 carrot
• ½ cups mixed leaf salad
• 2 rice paper sheets
• 2 tsp fresh cilantro / fresh coriander leaf (chopped)

Method

1. Cut the tofu into strips.
2. Halve the avocado, remove the pit and scoop it out. In a bowl, mash avocado with peanut butter, freshly squeezed lime juice, chili flakes and soy sauce.
3. Wash carrot and salad. Grate the carrot.
4. Put rice paper (each paper separately) onto a big plate with warm water. Let it soak a bit. Put rice paper onto a different plate. Place salad in the middle of the paper, followed by the grated carrots, tofu and cilantro. Top with avocado peanut dip.
5. Fold opposing sides of rice paper on top of each other, followed by the remaining two. Drizzle with a little water, so the rice paper doesn't become dry.
6. Serve immediately or store in a container to take with you.

Gazpacho with watermelon, egg and bread

We like to think this summer recipe is gazpacho with a twist. Gazpacho is the ultimate summertime food – having this cold Spanish soup is the perfect way to cool off after spending a day soaking up the sun. All you need to do is throw all of the required ingredients into a blender until it’s drinkable or gets to a consistency that you prefer. 

Our gazpacho also features a secret ingredient – watermelon! But don’t knock it ‘til you try it. The addition of this water-dense fruit gives the dish a subtle but refreshing flavor that works seamlessly with the cucumber, garlic and onion. Watermelon is considered a low-sugar fruit, and, with a water content of 92%, you can see where it gets its name. It also features an abundance of antioxidants including vitamin C, lycopene, cucurbitacin E, a plant compound featuring anti-inflammatory properties. 

Gazpacho with Watermelon

400 kcal

Ingredients

• 1 whole egg
• ½ bell pepper (any color)
• ¼ cucumber
• ⅕ onion (medium sized)
• 1 cup watermelon (diced)
• 1 tomato
• ½ garlic clove
• 2 ¼ tsp olive oil (extra virgin)
• 1 tsp vinegar
• Pinch of salt
• Pinch of black pepper
• 1 whole grain bread slice (100% whole grain)

Method

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil over high heat.
2. Reduce the heat to low.
3. Add your egg(s) and cook 8 to 10 minutes.
4. Drain and cool in cold water.
5. Remove seeds from peppers and cut into chunks.
6. Peel the cucumber and cut into chunks.
7. Peel the onion and cut into chunks.
8. Cut watermelon into chunks and remove seeds.
9. Cut tomatoes into chunks.
10. Put all vegetables and the watermelon into a blender.
11. Add garlic, olive oil and vinegar.
12. Blend all ingredients well at full speed.
13. Add salt and pepper to taste.
14. Serve the gazpacho with boiled egg and bread.

Summer salad recipes

Salads are the ultimate summer food. Not only do they keep you feeling light on your feet, but they're also water-dense for hot days!

Tuna and rocket salad with lemon

This summer salad recipe is a cinch to whip up and is the perfect solution for when you want a light, healthy meal, but don’t want to spend much time making it. Light yet filling, this meal may well become one of your staple meals. It also makes an excellent lunch to bring to work – just mix up the dressing separately from the salad and store it in the fridge until use.      

Aim to get quality tuna that’s canned in water instead of oil, and try to get sustainably caught fish if you can. Tuna is full of protein – with around 50 calories per ounce – and omega-3 fatty acids that may lower your risk of heart disease, promote eye health and contribute to your body’s overall wellbeing. 

Tuna and Rocket Salad

5 min400 kcal

Ingredients

• 4 oz tuna (canned in water)
• 1 cup rocket (arugula)
• 1/3 lemon
• 2 Tbsp sesame seeds
• 2 tsp coriander (dry)
• Pinch of salt
• Pinch of pepper
• 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar or Modena vinegar
• 2 ¼ tsp olive oil (extra virgin)

Method

1. Drain the tuna and combine rocket salad.
2. Season well with the lemon juice, sesame seeds, coriander, salt, pepper, vinegar and olive oil.
3. Serve and enjoy!

Galia melon, basil and mozzarella salad 

If you haven’t tried cheese alongside melon before, what are you waiting for? This is one of our favorite flavor combinations, and it’s one of those dishes that you have to experience to understand. The walnuts add a bit of crunch, creating a texture that’s one of a kind.  

Speaking of walnuts, they also happen to be one of the healthiest nuts around. They’re an excellent source of healthy fats – and like tuna, they provide omega-3 fatty acids. Walnuts offer a significant amount of vitamins, minerals and nutrients that are nourishing and essential for a healthy body and mind. Together with water-dense melon, fresh mozzarella cheese and iron-rich basil, this is one summer salad recipe that could become your go-to for hot days.

Galia melon, basil and mozzarella salad

5 min400 kcal

Ingredients

• 1 cup galia melon (or honeydew)
• 2 ¾ oz mozzarella cheese
• 5 walnuts
• 1 Tbsp fresh basil (chopped)

Method

1. Halve the melon and remove its seeds.
2. Cut the melon into bite-size pieces, removing all of the skin.
3. Cut mozzarella into bite-sized pieces.
4. Mix everything (melon, mozzarella, walnuts and chopped basil) in a bowl, enjoy!

Want more easy summer recipes? 

If you’re short on ideas for healthy summer recipes, be sure to consult your 8fit recipe book, found within the app. There you’ll find incredible smoothies, refreshing beverages and summer salad recipes that will leave you feeling ready to take on the season.