A Week of Feel-Good Summer Suppers

This week’s meal plan spotlights healthy, warm weather recipes with seasonal ingredients to make you feel good.

By
Katie Morford, MS, RD
Katie Morford
Katie Morford, MS, RD
Katie is a culinary dietitian with a master's degree in clinical nutrition. She has 25 years of experience as a recipe developer, writer, and teacher.
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Published June 04, 2021
Katie Morford
"What's for Dinner" with chicken skewers pictured below.

Simply Recipes

The seasonal ingredients available this time of year make it easy to prep meals that are both nutritious and satisfying.

Tomatoes, peppers, and zucchini start showing up on farm stands and supermarkets, not to mention beautiful summer berries. You won’t be short on vitamin C, that’s for sure! This week’s meal plan takes full advantage of the bounty for healthy dinners all week long!

This menu is full of interesting flavors punctuated with colorful produce. For example, you’ll find peppers, carrots, and greens tossed into a Thai-style salad and freshly grated zucchini worked into spicy turkey burgers.

Also, check out the gorgeous grilled salmon crowned with a cucumber mango salad. Make the smokey shakshuka for a weeknight supper or weekend brunch with warm pita on hand to scoop up all the goodness. And for dessert? How about vanilla roasted strawberries spooned over Greek yogurt. YUM! 

Eating well never tasted so good! 

  • Greek Lemon Chicken with Tzatziki Sauce

    Greek Lemon Chicken Skewers
    Elise Bauer

    Boneless skinless breasts are the leanest choice when it comes to chicken, so it’s important to cook them just right so they don’t dry out. These pretty skewers do the job well, with a yogurt marinade that helps keep the chicken moist and flavorful. Yogurt shows up in the tzatziki sauce on the side, too. Serve it with this Panzanella Salad.  

  • Grilled Salmon with Cucumber Mango Salsa

    Grilled Salmon Fillet with Mango Salsa - grilled salmon portions on a plate with fresh salsa
    Nick Evans

    Did you know that wild salmon has a season? It runs roughly May through September. Here’s a delicious way to enjoy this enormously nutritious fish: grilled and topped with a refreshing mango cucumber salsa. Need a side? Serve it with this tabbouleh using early season tomatoes.

  • Thai Noodle Salad with Peanut Dressing

    How to Make a Thai Noodle Salad
    Jessica Gavin

    This salad has it all: Color, crunch, and creaminess. It’s a combination of bell peppers, greens, shredded carrots, and cilantro tossed with noodles and a Thai-style peanut dressing. It’s also a heap of healthiness thanks to the rainbow of vegetables and a dressing that’s rich in protein, folate, and healthy fats.

  • Shakshuka with Feta, Olive, and Peppers

    The Best Shakshuka in a skillet.
    Sally Vargas

    A super savory dish whereby you crack eggs into simmering tomato sauce with peppers and onions that are sprinkled with smoked paprika and cumin. Finish with briny olives and feta and serve with warm whole-grain pita. It’s ideal for a weekday supper or weekend brunch. 

    Continue to 5 of 6 below.

  • Spicy Turkey Zucchini Burgers

    Spicy Turkey and Zucchini Burger
    Elise Bauer

    This recipe is adapted from yet another winner by Israeli chef Yotam Ottolengi. Nearly two cups of grated zucchini go into these flavorful burgers. It makes the patties extra tender and adds a dose of vegetables to your daily tally. You’ll want to double dip the tangy sauce on the side, it’s so good. Make a salad such as this lovely Fattoush to round out the meal. 

  • Weekend Baking: Vanilla Roasted Strawberries

    Easy roasted strawberry topping spooned over a bowl of vanilla ice cream. The bowl is set on a plate with a spoon to the right. A second bowl and baking dish of strawberry topping for ice cream is behind.
    Alison Bickel

    A bit of sugar and vanilla is all you need for this simple dessert. Roasting berries turns them warm and soft, with pools of syrupy strawberry juice. They’re delicious spooned over plain Greek yogurt, Panna Cotta or vanilla ice cream. The best part? Strawberries are an excellent source of vitamin C, fiber, and antioxidants.