Lipstick Powder N Paint

By Lauren Ferranti-Ballem

It’s summertime and the eating is easy. Banish that boring BBQed burger and fill your face with these healthy seasonal foods instead.

When temperatures soar, the last thing you want to do is slave over a hot stove and sit down to a heavy meal. It’s perhaps no coincidence that lighter meals seem smartest when bathing suit season rolls around. Salads, chilled soups and cold, refreshing bevies are best consumed al fresco (while slathered in sunscreen, naturally). Read on for some delicious meal ideas that will keep you svelte and satisfied all summer long.

Watermelon
The quintessential summer food – and for good reason – there’s nothing guilty about the pleasures watermelon brings. Besides the sheer joyful nostalgia of crunching into a slice, hands and face all messy with juice, there are very important benefits: its pinky-red hue hints at a rich store of antioxidants that can keep your heart healthy and skin radiant. Most obviously, it’s loaded with water, which will keep you hydrated on sweaty days and make you feel full enough to steer clear of other less fruitful foods. Lastly, the combination and crisp, cold and juicy will satisfy your sweet tooth before you even spit out a seed.

Grilled fish
Fish isn’t exactly seasonal, but because one of the greatest deterrents to cooking it is the smell that fills the house, grilled fish is one of the easiest, most nutritious summer foods to make. We should all be eating more of it for the incredible benefits it affords: oily fish, including salmon, mackerel and trout, are rich in vitamins A and D and Omega 3s, which can help boost mood, improve skin problems, and keep the heart and brain healthy and strong. In less then 10 minutes, with a little salt and pepper and a squirt of fresh lemon, it’s perfection on a plate.

Grilled veggies – and fruit
Raid your local farmers’ market for just-picked peppers, zucchini and cherry tomatoes, toss them in a bit of olive oil and skewer them with pre-soaked bamboo sticks for the easiest vegetable side dish ever. Add mushrooms, chunks of onion, or simply throw corn on the cob on the grill whole (just be sure to remove the extremely flammable corn silk). And don’t forget dessert: pineapple, mango and banana are sublime on the grill. The heat intensifies their sweetness, making them the perfect topping for a scoop of vanilla ice cream – hey, a girl’s got to have a little fun.

Greens (dandelion, spinach, leaf lettuce, kale)
Don’t leave the market without a respectable haul of fresh greens – kale, spinach, dandelion, beet tops and leaf lettuce are filled with vitamins, fibre and tons of flavour. You’re guaranteed to feel good after eating them. Just be sure to wash well – a farmers’ tip: soak leaves in a sink or bowlful of cold water for at least 10 minutes. The dirt will sink to the bottom while crisp clean greens will float to the top.

Homemade iced tea
Instead of pouring a calorie-packed pint or sugary cocktail, whip up a refreshing – and calorie torching – batch of brewed tea. Green tea has been known to help speed up metabolism, helping to burn calories and suppress cravings. Steep two to three green tea bags (I like mine with mint also), in a hot pot of water, add honey to taste, and let it cool. Transfer to a glass pitcher, and add lemon slices, fresh mint leaves, or even a handful of berries. Chill, then sip and enjoy.