4 Of The Best Summer Foods
Posted on 10 June 2009
Now summer is here you’ll probably have noticed your craving different types of foods. Gone are the days of wanting a comforting soup or thick stew like meal, Instead we crave fresh invigorating food which are packed with nutrients. Here are some of my favourites that have been filling my fridge/pantry recently.
1- Summer Vegetables
The fresh produce out and about now is amazing the choice of salads are mouth wateringly good. Keep your eye out for the following:
- Rocket/Arugula – Great with some Balsamic vinegar and parmasan shavings
- Cucumber – A refreshing addition to any salad or great to cut into slices and use for dipping
- Avocados – Probably the best food going to accompany some good meat or chicken
- Mushrooms – In summer more variations crop up. Great to add to meat dishes especially when grilled
One thing you will find with vegtables that come into season in the summer is that they are all very water based and hugely refreshing in contrast to the more startchy and filling winter vegtables.
2- Grass Fed Beef
Although its not stricly a summer food its something I have been greatly enjoying recently. Now I know there is a load of stuff going round about how red meat is cancer causing etc etc…..Now I agree with this to an extent; Poor quality beef from ill and steroid filled cows is indeed bad for your health, this I have no doubts. On the other hand if you pay a tad exta and buy quality from organic grass fed cows then your eating some of the most healthy food known to man.
The US Department of Agriculture has approved the feeding of sawdust, plastic chips, industrial waste, sewage, cement dust, and dead animal parts to commercially raised animals. These are toxins, and the body stores toxins in fat.
This causes the animal to pack on tremendous amounts of fat because all animal bodies, including humans, use fat to wall toxins off away from the nervous system and the vital organs. When they sell these animals, they don’t do body fat checks on them and say that some are too fat.
So what they’re essentially doing is selling us huge amounts of toxic fat. Red meat isn’t bad for you, but commercially raised and poisoned meat is.
I think the above just about sums up what I have been talking about. Enjoy your grass fed/organic steak whenever you want and rest assured its one of the best sources of nutrition you can find.
3- Hot Peppers
Now I know these are just another vegtable but they are especially useful in summer. Some say hot food cools you down in the summer by making you sweat, others say spicy stuff fires off your bodies internal cooling mechanism……. Who knows? To me there is no coincidence that people who live in hot countries like India and Thailand have a knack for spicy foods, after all you don’t see nordic dishes that are too spicy to handle.
I like to keep a bottle of dried chilli flakes in my pantry for sprinkling on a variety of dishes. I find they work best with tomato based dishes or they are great sprinkled on vegetables before roasting especially things like parsnips and sweet potato. Here are some benefits from spicy food:
- Improved Circulation – Thanks to the increase in blood flow caused by the spice which gets your heart pumping.
- Improved Sleep – Some research has shown that spicy foods can help you nod off at night and even wake up more easily.
- Better Digestion – Although some people claim they can’t handle spicy foods due to the heart burn it causes this is actually not true. Spicy food actually improves secretion of stomach acid allowing for better digestion and breakdown of food.
If you can its always best to stick to fresh hot peppers which can be added to most any dish you like. Plus the best thing is their is no limit to how much yu can add, just go by your taste buds and how much you like spicy food.
4- Dips
These are two of the best foods to use in the summer thanks to their versatility and ability to be made at home fresh.
SOG – Paleo Friendly Hummus
MDA- Paleo Salsa
Both these awesome recipes are so easy to make. Use them to dip some fresh summer vegetables like cucumbers, carrots or celery and your in for a great snack or starter before a meal. The Paleo Hummus is especially good when used with some roast chicken.
Summer Eating
I find that in summer my consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables increases dramatically in comparison with the winter months. I am not sure if this is natural cravings coming through or just the fact that there is so much good stuff available now. I have been feasting on fresh strawberries, blueberries, apricots and peaches and starting meals by eating an assortment of fresh raw vegetables. This has meant my meat intake has somewhat decreased as the volumes of fiber in my diet has gone up whether or not this is beneficial I am unsure but I think it tends to make me lean out more just in time for summer. Its amazing what our bodies do naturally without prompting to adapt to the weather/seasons. If anyone else has experienced similar cravings I would be keen to hear……
Comment by Joanne of Open Mind Required
11 June 2009
I am getting antsy for some fruit. I live in Pennsylvania, and most of the fruit comes from far away, meaning it was probably picked very green to withstand shipping. What I wouldn’t give for some luscious strawberries, peaches or a ripe watermelon.
I hope you don’t mind that I disagree about the peppers.
Most people seem to love the physiological effect of peppers, and consider it healthful. But I consider increased heartbeat and perspiration a sign of stress on the body. I think the peppers are toxins to the body, and it responds by increasing metabolism to excrete the toxins, which results in overheating, thus the perspiration.
Foods are to nourish us, not act as goads or “medicines,” which is all the rage in a pharmaceutically-dependent society like ours.
I learned only last year from a friend that countries that use these spices heavily are typically in hot regions, and they came to use them in the past because their meat went bad quicker. The spices mask the smell and taste of putrefying meat.
@ Joanne: Thanks for checking in Joanne. I like your views on hot/spicy food as I had never heard them before so I am welcome to hear both sides to the story. I am sure they hold their benefits but if your not used to them or do not cope well with spicy food then its probably best to steer clear. Personally I love the stuff….
Comment by Terry
11 June 2009
I agree on the beef and other meats too. The US industrialized chicken is inedible.
I notice the fat in real meat is better too.
Fake hormonally induced fat makes the animal much fatter to get it to market sooner. It’s still in the meat and people are eating it. What’s it doing to them?
Like your info on the peppers too. I love them hot but I live in a hot climate.
Comment by sherzy
11 June 2009
Great post. I am interested in the source of the information about commercially raised beef – where did you find that information?
@ Sherzy: It was actually a post from Paul Check from t-nation which I highly recommend reading it over here: http://tinyurl.com/nxovqq some awesome info on everything from training to nutrition and lifestyle…..
Comment by Kat Eden
12 June 2009
I used to chow down on sugary sorbets all throughout Summer, but it’s funny how your tastes change when you learn what something is really doing to your body!
These days one of my all-time favorite Summer foods is chilled raw-milk yogurt with fresh berries .. a great snack or post-dinner treat and definitely still within the realms of a true ‘back to basics’ eating plan!
Comment by Son of Grok
12 June 2009
Chris,
Thank you for including the hummus post! I am hooked… dipping a carrot or some cucumber in it middle of the day is really making my summer a delicious eating adventure!
I must admit that another sommer treat I enjoy is a little more fruit that normal. It is hard to beat a cold slice of watermelon on a hot summer day.
The SoG
Comment by lilianB
13 June 2009
I love this post. Cucumber is my summer vegetable of choice. It is extremely refreshing and hydrating. Most people slice it up but I eat it as if I’m eating a pickle…yummy. I also love hummus. I’m a fan of hummus on on WASA crackers – extremely healthy and an extremely satisfying, low-calorie snack for anyone watching their weight. As for the “Grass-Fed Beef” – this is definitely a new one for me. I’m not a huge beef fan because I believe we should avoid beef as much as possible, but this is a great tip for the beef-lovers around the world. well done.