Healthy Summer Recipes

Simplify weeknight dinnertime by transforming leftover slow-cooked chicken (see associated recipe, below) into an easy, cheesy casserole.

Our version of this enchilada-style chilaquiles casserole is packed with nutritious beans and vegetables. Canned prepared enchilada sauce has great flavor and keeps the prep time quick. It can vary in heat level so find one that suits your taste. If you want to eliminate the heat altogether, try a green enchilada sauce (which is often milder than red) or substitute two 8-ounce cans of plain tomato sauce.

This oatmeal-meets-muffin-tin cake recipe is perfect for having a healthy breakfast available on busy weekdays. Make a batch on the weekend and keep them in your freezer. For a grab-and-go breakfast, reheat the oatmeal cakes in the microwave for about 40 seconds.

Creamy tzatziki and crisp sliced cucumber add a refreshing twist to this easy burger recipe loaded with feta and spinach. No tzatziki? No problem! Make your own at home by combining plain strained yogurt with a squeeze of lemon, dill and finely chopped cucumber.

This cucumber kimchi recipe gets its flavor from garlic, fish sauce and a hint of Korean chile powder. Make this side dish ahead of time to let the flavors absorb into the cucumbers.

Use whichever veggies you have on hand to fill up this veggie wrap. The avocado and hummus help hold the wrap together--and provide heart-healthy fat and fiber.

This chipotle-flavored burrito bowl comes together almost as quickly as at the restaurant, plus, you don't have to wait in line. Loading it with vegetables and using quinoa in place of rice adds nutrition for a healthier dinner.

Serve this simple side dish with grilled turkey burgers. Other fresh herbs, like thyme or oregano, work well too.

Steaming (but not for too long!) is a foolproof way to get perfect, crisp-tender green beans, every time. This easy recipe is a great starting point for other flavors or preparations, like adding cooked green beans to a salad.

This recipe takes oatmeal cookies up a notch with its cinnamony, buttery, delicious take on a much-loved classic dessert.

This no-cook bean salad is a delicious way to use summer's best cherry or grape tomatoes and juicy cucumbers for a light dinner or lunch. Fresh basil elevates an easy vinaigrette recipe that dresses up this simple salad into something extraordinary.

This healthy casserole is essentially a crustless quiche, brimming with fresh summer vegetables. Bake it up for an elegant summer brunch or a casual backyard barbecue.

There's no reason to only eat cucumbers raw—they are wonderful sautéed then pureed with avocado for a silky cucumber soup that's good warm or cold.

Here's a Shirley Temple for grownups! We found that typical Dirty Shirleys are cloyingly sweet. Our version uses half the amount of grenadine as other versions and a lower-in-sugar ginger beer instead of ginger ale or lemon-lime soda for a refreshing drink.

Switch up your morning oatmeal routine with this so-easy chia pudding recipe. It's made just like overnight oats--combine chia and your milk of choice, let soak overnight, then top with juicy blueberries and crunchy almonds and dig in!

Cut some carbs and use spiralized zucchini in place of noodles in this zesty pesto pasta dish recipe. Top with Cajun-seasoned shrimp to complete this quick and easy dinner.

You can assemble this healthy chicken casserole before you leave for a party and pop it in the oven at the host's house. Or bake it at home and bring it along--it's delicious at room temperature too.

One batch of dough does double duty as both the crust and streusel topping to make one of the easiest desserts around.

This hearty shrimp and fish stew is inspired by cioppino, an Italian-American dish that originated in San Francisco. Serve with crusty bread to soak up every last bit of the savory broth.

This healthy summer dinner subs zoodles for pasta to help use up your zucchini bounty--as well as slash calories and carbs. Once the spiralized zucchini has time to soak up the herby pesto sauce, this chicken and pesto pasta makes particularly good leftovers.

This creamy, veggie-packed chicken dinner comes together easily in your slow-cooker-and makes enough for another night's casserole (see associated recipe)!

This quick and easy seafood casserole gets bright flavor from fresh dill and feta cheese.

In this healthy casserole recipe--sometimes called tamale pie--the cornbread gets crusty at the edges, thanks to a cast-iron skillet. For the best texture, use yellow cornmeal with a medium grind. Serve with lime wedges for a little extra tang.

Bursting with nutrient-rich produce, this California-inspired salad is a delicious and satisfying way to get your vitamins. We love the unique combination of blueberries, edamame, and goat cheese.