Summer is often a time when we’re tempted to overindulge. Between drinks with friends, seaside restaurants, and convivial family gatherings… your figure could pay the price! But eating light and seasonal doesn’t have to mean extra pounds. Here are 5 summer recipe ideas that are wonderfully light — and absolutely delicious!
Recipe idea no1: Hawaiian Poke Bowl
A first recipe that won’t tip the scales, but will definitely satisfy your hunger — and take your taste buds on a journey! To make it (2 Poke Bowls), you’ll need:
- One frozen salmon fillet (skinless)
- Two handfuls of edamame (fresh soy beans)
- A small pack of wakame seaweed salad
- One small mango
- Sesame seeds
- Soy sauce (sweet or salty, whichever you prefer!)
- Rice vinegar
- Sesame oil
- Pickled ginger
- Fresh coriander
Preparation:
- Defrost your salmon the night before, slowly in the fridge. Then, using a sharp knife, cut the salmon fillet into cubes. Divide the cubes between two bowls, filling one quarter of each.
- Shell the edamame and divide the beans evenly between the two bowls, filling the second quarter of each.
- Dice the mango into small cubes and, as with the first two ingredients, place them in each bowl, filling the third quarter.
- Finally, fill the remaining quarter with wakame seaweed salad.
- In a small bowl, combine 1 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tbsp soy sauce and 1 tbsp sesame oil. Mix to make an Asian-style dressing.
- Drizzle a little dressing over your Poke Bowl.
- Finally, roughly chop the coriander and sprinkle it over each bowl. Add a few sesame seeds. Finish by placing a few petals of pickled ginger in the centre of each bowl. Ready to serve!
Recipe idea no2: Slimming spinach and strawberry salad
A second recipe that’s just as fresh and light! A sweet-and-savoury combination that’s sure to delight! To make it, you’ll need:
- A punnet of strawberries
- A few handfuls of baby spinach leaves
- Feta cheese
- A few walnuts (or walnut halves)
- Balsamic vinegar
- Olive oil
To prepare it, nothing could be simpler:
- Wash and hull the strawberries. Slice them thinly and set aside.
- Sort and wash the baby spinach leaves. Pat dry and set aside.
- Crack a few walnuts and remove the halves. Set aside.
- Cut a few cubes of feta.
- In a small bowl, mix the balsamic vinegar and olive oil to make a dressing.
- Finally, assemble your plate: add some spinach, sliced strawberries, a few walnut halves and some feta cubes. Drizzle with a little dressing and enjoy!
Recipe idea no3: Light prawn Bo-Bun
This summer recipe is a little more involved than the previous ones, as it requires preparing several components before assembling. That said, it’s absolutely wonderful — and incredibly light!
- For two large bowls: allow 300 to 400 g of rice vermicelli and 300 g of large raw prawns.
- For the prawn marinade: 1 tbsp nuoc mam sauce, 1 tbsp oyster sauce, ½ clove of garlic, ½ pinch of pepper, 1 tbsp sesame oil, 1 tsp grated lemongrass.
- For the garnish: a few coriander leaves, a handful of unsalted peanuts, lettuce leaves (lettuce, batavia, little gem).
- For the toppings: ¼ cucumber, 2 carrots, 2 handfuls of fresh bean sprouts.
- For the sauce: 2 tbsp sugar, 3 tbsp nuoc mam, 2 tbsp lime juice, a little chilli, ½ clove of garlic, 2 shallots, a little hot water.
Preparation:
- The prawns: slice each prawn lengthways and rinse under cold water. Drain. Prepare the marinade: finely chop the garlic and lemongrass, then combine with the sauces, pepper and oil. Marinate the prawns in the mixture for 20 to 30 minutes.
- The rice vermicelli: boil for a few minutes — as indicated on the packet. Once cooked, rinse and drain, then set aside somewhere at room temperature.
- The toppings: boil the fresh bean sprouts for one minute, then rinse under cold water, drain and set aside. Cut the carrots into sticks, boil for two minutes, then rinse under cold water, drain and set aside. Peel and deseed the cucumber, cut into sticks and set aside. Wash the lettuce, spin dry and shred finely, then set aside. Wash the coriander, pat dry and roughly chop. Roughly crush the peanuts as well.
- The sauce: finely chop the garlic and mix with the chilli. Add the sugar, lime juice and a little hot water. Stir well until the sugar dissolves. Pour in the nuoc mam sauce. Heat the sauce for one to two minutes.
- Cooking the prawns: heat the oil in a pan and, once hot, add the shallots cut into thin slices. When golden, add the prawns and their marinade. Cook until golden.
- Assembly: in two bowls, start with the rice vermicelli. Then add a little of each topping — lettuce, bean sprouts, carrot, cucumber. Pour over the prawns and their warm marinade. Season with your sauce. Finally, finish each bowl with roughly crushed peanuts and chopped coriander.
The preparation is a little time-consuming, but not at all complicated — and well worth the effort. Promise!
Recipe idea no4: Aubergine Parmigiana
Here’s a summer recipe idea with all the charm of Italy! And it’s not nearly as indulgent as it looks… Enjoy it as an antipasto, as a starter.
For 2 people, you’ll need:
- One large aubergine
- 2 tomatoes
- 2 onions
- One small courgette
- One clove of garlic
- A pinch of sugar
- Basil
- A piece of Parmesan
- Salt and pepper
The preparation is very straightforward:
- Slice the aubergine into thin rounds and place them on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Brush both sides with olive oil. Season with salt and bake for 7 minutes.
- Meanwhile, gently fry the diced onions, garlic and sugar in a little oil. Add the diced courgette and cook for a few minutes. Peel and deseed the tomatoes, cut into pieces and add to the pan with the other vegetables. Season with salt and pepper, add the basil. Remove from the heat once this little ratatouille is ready.
- In a dish, arrange a few aubergine rounds. Top with a little ratatouille, then cover with more aubergine rounds (like little sandwiches!). Finally, grate Parmesan over each aubergine ‘sandwich’.
- Place under the grill for a few minutes until the Parmesan is golden and bubbling.
- Serve and savour these wonderful summer flavours!
Recipe idea no5: Fresh open sandwiches for after the beach
Looking for a light, refreshing recipe you can put together in minutes? Here it is. Quick, simple, satisfying and delicious — in a word, a recipe that’s perfect for your figure!
For 4 open sandwiches, you’ll need:
- 4 slices of smoked trout
- 1 cucumber
- Fresh cream cheese such as cottage cheese or Philadelphia
- Fresh herbs (to your taste: chives, parsley…)
- Some melon
- 4 slices of sourdough or rye bread
- Olive oil, pepper
To make the recipe:
- Lightly toast your bread slices in the toaster.
- Meanwhile, use a peeler to cut long, thin ribbons of cucumber. Do the same with the melon.
- Spread cream cheese over your toasted slices. Lay the smoked trout on top. Add the cucumber and melon ribbons to each slice. Drizzle with a light thread of olive oil and season with pepper. Finally, sprinkle with finely chopped fresh herbs.
- Enjoy the freshness and simplicity of these delicious summer open sandwiches!