Laurann O'Reilly: Five light and easy summer dish ideas in this week's Nationalist

It’s summertime and the living is easy, or at least we want it to be.

The slightly warmer summer days naturally call for lighter and summary meals and healthy dishes.

This week, nutritionist Laurann O’Reilly and owner of nutrition by Laurann, guides us through her top light, easy and healthy summer dish ideas that everyone can enjoy.

Homemade tomato salsa

Homemade Tomato Salsa (Serves 4)
(Love & Lemons)

Ingredients

¼ White onion, rinsed, dried, and coarsely chopped
1 Garlic clove, chopped
450g Roma or other small tomatoes, cut into large chunks
1 Jalapeño, chopped (seeds removed, optional)
¼ Cup Coriander
Juice and zest of 1 lime
½ Teaspoon sea salt
¼ Teaspoon cumin
Pinch of sugar

Instructions

In a food processor, combine the onion and garlic and pulse until chopped.
Add the tomatoes, jalapeno, , coriander, lime juice, lime zest, salt, cumin, and sugar. Pulse until combined but still chunky.
The consistency of this salsa varies depending on the water content of the tomatoes. If it’s too watery, strain to remove some of the liquid.
Serve with corn tortilla chips, crackers (as a snack) or on a bed of rice (for a light meal)
Note: If you would rather a milder version leave out the jalapeño

Spicy Stuffed Peppers

Spicy Stuffed Peppers (Serves 4)
(Love & Lemons)

Ingredients

4 Red bell peppers
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
1½ Cups White cheddar cheese
Avocado slices or guacamole, for serving
Lime wedges, for serving
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Filling
1 Tablespoon Extra-virgin olive oil
2 Garlic cloves, grated
2 Jalapeños, diced, more for topping, if desired
2 Scallions, chopped
1 Teaspoon Lime zest
1½ Tablespoons Lime juice
1 Teaspoon Cumin
1 Teaspoon Coriander
1 Teaspoon Cayenne pepper
1 Teaspoon Sea salt
½ Cup Finely chopped coriander
3 Cups Cooked white jasmine rice
1½ Cups Cooked black beans, drained and rinsed
1½ Cups Sweetcorn kernels

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 200°Celcius and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Slice the peppers in half lengthwise, remove the seeds and membranes, and place on the baking sheet, cut side up.
Drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper and bake 10 minutes, then set them aside.
To make the Filling: In a large bowl, mix together the olive oil, garlic, jalapeños, scallions, lime zest, lime juice, cumin, coriander, cayenne pepper, salt, and coriander, then fold in the rice, black beans, and sweetcorn.
Scoop the filling into the pepper halves and top them with the cheese
Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted
Serve with the avocado slices, lime wedges, and extra jalapenos, if desired.
Note: Milder version leave out jalapeño and cayenne pepper

Lemon Garlic Grilled Prawns

Lemon Garlic Grilled Prawns (Serves 4)
(The Cosy Cook)

Ingredients

For The Prawns
450g Prawns, uncooked (shells removed)
1 Teaspoon Salt
½ Teaspoon Pepper
For The Marinade
1/3 Cup olive oil
2 Tablespoon Lemon juice
1 Tablespoon Garlic, minced
½ Teaspoon Red pepper flakes
1 Tablespoon Parsley, fresh & finely diced

Instructions

Soak your skewers in water (for about 1.5 hours) prior to grilling.
Place the prawns in a colander and rinse under cold water. Pat dry with paper towels and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
In a medium bowl, combine the remaining marinade ingredients. Carefully pour it into a thick Zip-Lock freezer bag, then add the prawns
Marinade the prawns for 20-30 minutes (don’t marinade longer than 30 minutes, as the acid from the lemon will begin to break down the shrimp after this time, which can leave them mushy)
Heat the grill to high. Once heated, carefully place the skewers on the grill rack and cook them for about 3 minutes, then flip, and cook for another 3-4 minutes. Leave the cover open as they cook.
When done, the exterior will be a pinkish colour and the outside edges should be white and opaque (overcooking will cause the prawns to become tough, so try not to get distracted)
Remove from the grill and serve with rice, pasta, or a healthy salad.

Healthy Homemade Greek Frozen Yogurt (5 Cups)
Walder Wellness

Ingredients

1 Cup Plain Greek yogurt
4 Cups Frozen strawberries (or other frozen fruit/berries)
3-4 Tablespoons Pure Maple Syrup depending on desired sweetness)
1 Teaspoon Vanilla extract

Instructions

Add the plain Greek yogurt, frozen strawberries (or other frozen fruit/berries), maple syrup, and vanilla extract to your blender/food processor.
Pulse and blend until a thick texture is formed. This can take a couple minutes, and you may need to push the mixture down or stir occasionally.
Adjust sweetness (maple syrup) to taste.
Serve and enjoy right away for a more ‘soft serve’ like texture. Alternatively, transfer to a loaf pan or freezable container and pop it in the freezer for about 30 minutes if you want it a little more firm!

Mediterranean Quinoa Salad with Chickpeas

Mediterranean Quinoa Salad with Chickpeas (Serves 4)
(The Green Loot)

Ingredients

1 ½ Cups Quinoa (cooked)
1 Can Chickpeas
1 Cup Cherry tomatoes (quartered)
10 Olives (any colour)
1 ½ Cups Fresh basil leaves
½ Small Red onion
1 Tablespoon Fresh lemon juice
1 Tablespoon Olive oil
1 Tablespoon Balsamic vinegar
2 Tablespoon Red wine vinegar
1 ½ Teaspoon salt
½ Teaspoon Black pepper

Instructions

Cook the quinoa according to package instructions
Open the can of chickpeas and rinse them
Chop all the cherry tomatoes, olives, onions, fresh basil leaves and any other optional ingredients you’d like to use.
Put everything in a bowl, then combine with the fresh lemon juice, olive oil, vinegars, salt and pepper.
Serve your quinoa salad with any main dish, fresh bread or tortilla wraps.