Memorial Day is just around the corner, which means it’s officially summer grilling season. Family BBQs and park picnics with friends should be all about sharing delicious food that makes you feel great. But so many traditional cookout foods do just the opposite – predictable tummy aches, gas, and bloating after a cookout, anyone?
If you’re ready to embrace the summer cooking season and you’re also committed to a healthy lifestyle, check out this list of crowd-pleasing summer recipes. These dishes are unique, delicious, and they also happen to be healthy, too. Now that’s something that can make everyone feel great.
Walnut Lentil Veggie Burgers
If you and your crew are trying to cut back on meat this year (or you happen to enjoy a well-cooked veggie burger, because who doesn’t?), add this one to your menu. These veggie burgers get a savory, umami boost from mushrooms and a satisfying texture from lentils and walnuts.
Because the recipe calls for pressure-cooked lentils, their lectin content is greatly reduced. In addition, these burgers are packed with protein, fiber, potassium, and omega-3s that will fuel your body with nutrients and make you feel great. These veggie burgers just may become one of your go-to recipes.
Tangy Vegan Buffalo “Wings”
If you love buffalo wings, but could do without the stomach ache they give you, this one’s for you. In this dish, cauliflower gets coated with spices and cassava flour and roasted at a high temperature for ultimate crispiness. The roasted cauliflower is then brushed with a homemade buffalo sauce that is tangy, sweet, spicy, and incredibly addictive.
This is one of those recipes that tastes like restaurant-quality food but is also incredibly easy to make at home.
Lectin Free “Potato” Salad
This “potato” salad has all of the tangy flavor of a classic potato salad with one simple substitution. This recipe calls for cauliflower instead of potatoes – a simple switch that loads this dish up with nutrients like vitamin A, thiamine, riboflavin, and more.
Crunchy steamed cauliflower is paired with plenty of fresh herbs, celery, mayo or yogurt, and lemon for a crisp, fresh dish that pairs well with savory main dishes. Bring this to your family potluck, or serve it alongside a savory main course, and people will be lining up to ask you for the recipe.
Lime Pesto Grilled Shrimp Skewers
There’s just something that feels festive about grilled shrimp skewers, right? Grilled shrimp is delicious on its own, but this recipe elevates it with a homemade pesto glaze that tastes divine. The pesto calls on classic ingredients: basil, pine nuts, garlic, extra virgin olive oil, Parmigiano Reggiano, and then adds a modern twist with a squeeze of lime and a crunch of macadamia nuts.
Tomato-Free BBQ Sauce
BBQ sauce and summer cookouts go hand-in-hand. And while you could slather on store-bought sauce that contains lectins, added sugars, and who knows how many preservatives… you could also whip up a batch yourself in only a few minutes.
This recipe uses pantry items to make a sauce that is infinitely better than the bottled stuff. Salty and sweet coconut aminos mix with a sharp hit of fresh garlic, tangy dijon, earthy turmeric, and smoky-sweet pomegranate molasses for a truly balanced, delicious result. You just may find yourself slathering it on everything this Memorial Day.
Skinny Chili
If you follow a lectin-free diet, you may think that your days of eating chili are behind you. After all, what is chili if not a pot full of beans, peppers, tomatoes, grains, and, sometimes, corn? Which for the record, would be a “pass, pass, pass, pass, and an also pass” for those on a lectin-free diet.
Of course, nothing can replace the feeling of feeling good in your own skin again when you find a diet that works for you. But you know, sometimes people have cravings. If you’re looking for a low-lectin chili recipe, this one’s for you. It uses a delicious blend of vegetables, grass-fed beef, and fresh spices for a satisfying meal that’s sure to hit the spot.
Happy Memorial Day!
When Memorial Day rolls around and you’re looking for cooking inspo, come back to this list. There are a ton of fresh, flavorful suggestions that will make a colorful, well-rounded food table. Prepare some of these dishes, and share them with your loved ones knowing you’ve done something to make everyone feel good this year.
