Bring Me Up: Wellness: Healthy summer foods

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Healthy summer foods

No longer looming in my deep, dark thoughts...it is now the time to wear a swim suit in public. I can't get around it anymore. I love to swim and my little boy is enjoying the water as well.

Eeek.

So what I'm trying to do is eat healthier. Less ice cream and chocolate bars, which is hard for me since I essentially eat like a hummingbird.

Here are dietitian's picks for some of the best foods to help with weight loss during the summer.

So here is 1-4 of the 6 best summer foods according to WebMD.com:

Best Summer Weight Loss Food No. 1: Chilled Soups
Moores loves all kind of produce but says cold soups are among her favorite low-calorie dishes. Chilled soups like gazpacho or cucumber-dill that contain lots of chunky vegetables are a great way to start a meal.

"Research shows that a low-calorie, broth-based soup at the beginning of the meal will fill you so you eat less at the meal," says Moores, a St. Paul-based nutrition consultant.

Best Summer Weight Loss Food No. 2: Watermelon
Who doesn't love diving into a crisp, juicy slice of watermelon when it's hot outside?

"Half of the watermelon comes from water. It's a wonderful way to satisfy thirst and a yen for something sweet," says Moores.

Best Summer Weight Loss Food No. 3: Grilled Veggies
For registered dietitian Dawn Jackson, a plate of grilled vegetables is a summertime must-have. She recommends keeping a plate of grilled onions, bell peppers, zucchini, carrots, eggplant, asparagus, and garlic in your fridge. You can use them to make dishes like:

Grilled vegetable and goat cheese salads
Grilled vegetable pitas
Grilled vegetable, ricotta, and fresh herb pasta and frittatas
Best Summer Weight Loss Food No. 4: Salads
Salads make for quick, healthy meals -- with no recipes required.

"Just give the produce a quick rinse; slice, dice, toss fruits, vegetables, low-fat cheese, a handful of toasted nuts with some salad greens and a light raspberry or ginger vinaigrette, along with a whole-grain roll, and you have a meal in minutes," says Moores.

Or try bean or whole-grain salads, such as wheatberry and tabouli.

Moore suggests flavoring your salads with herbs from the garden so you can go light on the dressing. And when adding meats or fish to your salad, she says, "think of them as an accessory to the greens, vegetables, and grains."