summer eating

recipes that are refreshing and leave you feeling great!

Keeping the body healthy from the inside has tremendous benefits that may help you survive any negative aspects of the summer season. The primary component that strengthens your shield to combat heat is food. Yes! All the food you intake during the summer season will have effects, accordingly. Maintaining a light and balanced diet and avoiding heavy meals during hot weather will pay off!

“FEW THINGS GO TOGETHER LIKE THE WEEKEND BRUNCH & "BRUNCH BOARD WITH A TWIST." WHETHER THAT MEANS GATHERING WITH FAMILY, FRIENDS OR A COMBINATION OF BOTH, IT’S THE PERFECT TIME TO SLOW DOWN AND BRING YOUR LOVED ONES TOGETHER FOR A LIGHTHEARTED MEAL. CATERING TO A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT PALATES REQUIRES A DIVERSE MENU OF DISHES RANGING FROM FRESH FRUIT AND BAKED GOODS TO PROTEINS AND MORE. A KEY INGREDIENT TO BRING ANY SPREAD TOGETHER: ENVY APPLES, WHICH ARE A NATURAL CROSS BETWEEN BRAEBURN AND ROYAL GALA APPLES. ALSO, TRY THE "GRILLED SWEETPOTATO & BLUEBERRY SALAD!" AS ONE OF THE MOST VERSATILE VEGETABLES THAT’S EASY TO ADD TO A VARIETY OF RECIPES FOR FLAVOR AND NUTRITION ENHANCEMENT, SWEETPOTATOES CAN BE A KEY INGREDIENT IN SIMPLE OR ELEVATED, SWEET OR SAVORY DISHES ALIKE. WHETHER THEY’RE COOKED ON THE STOVE, BAKED, MICROWAVED, SLOW-COOKED OR GRILLED TO A PERFECT DONENESS WITH A CRISPY CHAR, THEY CAN BE AN IDEAL ADDITION TO BETTER-FOR-YOU SUMMER MEALS.

Brunch Board with a Twist

Pair with other brunch favorites in shareable dishes. The naturally white flesh of Envy Applies doesn’t brown as quickly as other apples, making them easy to savor while enjoying time with loved ones.

2 Envy Apples, sliced boiled eggs, halved cooked bacon bananas, sliced berries miniature pancakes edible flowers, for garnish

2 - 3 Envy Apples, for garnish

On a breakfast platter, artfully arrange sliced apples, halved boiled eggs, bacon, bananas, berries and pancakes. Garnish with edible flowers and whole apples.

Find sweet brunch recipe inspiration at EnvyApple.com

Grilled Sweetpotato & Blueberry Salad

This Grilled Sweetpotato and Blueberry Salad offers all the tastes of the season with spring salad mix, fresh blueberries, walnuts and bleu cheese. Topped with homemade lemon honey vinaigrette, it’s a light yet filling meal fit for warm days, thanks in part to the superfood that takes it to new heights

ingredients Lemon Honey Vinaigrette

3 medium sweetpotatoes, peeled and sliced

2 Tbsp olive oil salt, to taste pepper, to taste

4 cups spring salad mix

1 cup fresh blueberries

1/3 cup chopped walnuts

1/4 cup bleu cheese crumbles

Find lemon wedges, for garnish

TO MAKE LEMON HONEY VINAIGRETTE: In bowl, mix olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard and honey. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

PREHEAT GRILL TO MEDIUM HEAT. Drizzle sweetpotatoes with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Grill sliced sweetpotatoes on each side about 5 minutes, or until sweetpotatoes are tender and slightly charred. Remove from grill and let cool.

(optional)

6 Tbsp olive oil

1/4 cup lemon juice

2 Tbsp Dijon mustard

2 -1/2 Tbsp honey salt, to taste pepper, to taste

TO ARRANGE SALAD, spread spring salad mix onto large platter and top with grilled sweetpotatoes, blueberries, walnuts and bleu cheese crumbles.

TOP WITH LEMON HONEY VINAIGRETTE

GARNISH WITH LEMON WEDGES, IF DESIRED

lemon-iscous

ever notice how we crave lemoninfused foods during hot weather?

There are many reasons our bodies crave lemons and lemon-infused foods, including scientific reasons such as lack of Vitamin C and lack of stomach acids, but the no-brainer is that lemon is refreshing! When it's hot, we want refreshment! We naturally get hotter during the summer and we get thirstier, and our bodies quite literally tell us what we need so we must listen!

TRY THE SWEET & TANGY SUMMER CLASSIC "LEMON BARS " WHILE LEMON IS A TRADITIONAL SUMMER FLAVOR, YOU CAN ADD A LITTLE EXTRA TO YOUR GATHERINGS – FROM PICNICS AND BRUNCHES – WITH THIS CLASSIC DESSERT. QUICK AND EASY TO MAKE, THESE LEMON BARS FEATURE A SOFT CRUST AND A TANGY, SWEET FILLING TOPPED WITH POWDERED SUGAR.

THE UNFORGETTABLE "LEMON CHEESECAKE WITH FRESH FRUIT" HAS THE SMOOTH, CREAMY TEXTURE OF CHEESECAKE MIXED WITH A HINT OF TART LEMON JUICE. TOPPED WITH RASPBERRIES, MINT AND ORANGES, THE BURST OF FRESH FRUIT ENHANCES THE CHEESECAKE FLAVOR. IT’S THE PERFECT SWEET TREAT FOR SUMMER FOR PEOPLE OF ALL AGES WITH ITS BRIGHT COLORS AND VARYING FLAVORS.

Lemon Bars

Find more recipes perfect for summer at Culinary.net

IN LARGE BOWL whisk 2 cups flour, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, cornstarch and salt.

Using pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles crumbs. Press mixture into bottom of baking pan. Bake 18-20 minutes.

Lemon Cheesecake with Fresh Fruit

On a hot day, there is almost nothing better than trying something new that sounds refereshingly delicious. Throw your apron on, prepare your kitchen and have some fun!

Nonstick cooking spray

2 cups, plus 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour, divided

1/2 cup powdered sugar, plus additional, for topping

2 Tbsp cornstarch

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup butter

4 eggs, lightly beaten

1 -1/2 cups granulated sugar

1 tsp lemon zest

3/4 cup lemon juice

1/4 cup light cream, half-and-half or milk

HEAT OVEN TO 350 DEGREES ingredients

Line 9-by-13-inch baking pan with foil; allow overhang. Grease foil with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.

MAKE FILLING: In medium bowl, whisk eggs, sugar, remaining flour, lemon zest, lemon juice and light cream.

Pour filling over hot crust. Bake 15-20 minutes. Cool completely on wire rack. Grasp foil overhang and lift from pan. Cut into bars. Sprinkle powdered sugar over bars before serving.

Fresh fruit is finally in season. When the sun is out and kids are hitting the pool, it’s also time to indulge in some sweet fruit flavors. Watermelon, berries, bananas and more can all be found near perfect ripeness at grocery stores or farmer’s markets during the warm summer months.

1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup butter, melted

2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened

1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk

3 eggs

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

Find more recipes perfect for summer at Culinary.net

IN MEDIUM BOWL combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter. Press firmly into 9-inch springform pan.

IN LARGE BOWL beat cream cheese until fluffy. Gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk until smooth. Add eggs, fresh lemon juice and vanilla extract; mix until combined.

POUR INTO PAN. Bake 50-55 minutes, or until center springs back when lightly pressed.

Chill in refrigerator until completely cooled. Arrange orange slices around border of cake and place raspberries in middle.

TOP WITH MINT LEAVES

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 orange, peeled and separated

8 raspberries mint leaves, for garnish

Delicious & VERY easy to make!