100 Fresh and Healthy Summer Recipes & Ideas | Healthy Summer Recipes: Chicken, Salmon, Desserts and More : Food Network

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American Macaroni Salad

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Sweet and Tangy Chicken Burgers

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Gazpacho

Grilling gives shrimp a smoky flavor that pairs well with sweet and tart homemade mango salsa.

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Grilled Shrimp with Mango, Lime and Radish Salsa

Watermelon and strawberries are two of summer’s defining fruits, so why not enjoy them in beverage form? Bobby’s refreshing sangria will add an elegant touch to any summer party.

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Watermelon-Strawberry Sangria

Showcase summer’s best corn with Ina’s off-the-cob recipe. Cook the kernels with onion and bell pepper and then toss with a mix of fresh green herbs.

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Confetti Corn

Bobby Flay turns to one of summer’s signature fruits to make this tasty dessert. After a quick turn on the grill, each peach half is topped with cinnamon-sugar butter. 

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Grilled Peaches with Cinnamon Sugar Butter

Infuse grilled chicken with one of the best summertime fruits — peaches — by basting it with an easy-to-make peach glaze before grilling.

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Grilled Chicken Breasts with Spicy Peach Glaze

The decadent-tasting “good” fat in salmon complements the sweet-spicy Buffalo glaze. The skin gets caramelized and crisp on the grill; it’s delicious, but can be discarded to save fat and calories.

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Sweet and Spicy Grilled Salmon

Low in calories and fat and loaded with flavor, this salad gets better as it sits. It also doubles as a crunchy, fresh topper for a sandwich or burger.

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Carrot, Date and Feta Salad

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BBQ Spaghetti Squash Sliders

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Grilled Strip Steak and Caesar Salad

Rachael uses classic shrimp cocktail ingredients like chili sauce and horseradish to prepare just the right sauce for grilled shrimp that’s been sprinkled with smoked paprika.    

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Grilled Shrimp with Chili Cocktail Sauce

Healthy eating is about moderation: Two strips of bacon are all you need for a little indulgence that goes a long way in flavor.

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Lightened-Up Creamy Broccoli Salad

Giada combines whole tomatoes, fresh basil leaves, garlic and olive oil in her food processor to create a seasonal summer topping for this classic Italian appetizer. For a creamy element, top each baguette slice with a round of fresh mozzarella before toasting.

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Tomato, Mozzarella and Basil Bruschetta

Ellie’s summery twist on salsa includes mango and cucumber. Make homemade tortilla chips in minutes to scoop up the chunky goodness.

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Mango Salsa

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Garlic-Mustard Grilled Beef Skewers

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Healthy Summer Pasta Salad

Rachael Ray rubs grilled corn with a spicy jalapeno, lime, garlic and paprika butter to make a foolproof Mexican-style side dish.

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Jalapeno-Lime Corn on The Cob

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Light Strawberry Shortcake

These quarter-pounders are lightened up with 90-percent lean beef and a mere half ounce of cheddar, and they’re served on wholesome whole-wheat English muffins.

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Juicy Grilled Cheeseburgers

Toasted sesame seeds add crunch to these shrimp skewers; ginger and soy sauce give them an Asian flair.

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Grilled Shrimp Skewers with Soy Sauce, Fresh Ginger and Toasted Sesame Seeds

Stuff fresh cherry tomatoes with feta cheese and spices for a super easy, perfect-for-any-party appetizer.

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Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes

A small amount of mayo goes a long way in adding creaminess to this lighter take on potato salad. The health factor is further amped up with the addition of fresh vegetables — carrots, cucumbers, radishes and tomatoes.

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Spring Garden Potato Salad

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Spicy Cashew Noodles with Summer Vegetables

This salad is best at the height of summer. The crunch of the almonds complements the creaminess of the ricotta cheese and the juiciness of the fruit.

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Tomato Peach Salad with Ricotta

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Grilled Steak and Papaya Salad

Keep the grill going after dinner and throw on some pineapple slices — with a little vanilla ice cream and rum sauce, it’s a quintessential summer dish.

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Grilled Pineapple with Vanilla Ice Cream And Rum Sauce

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Lobster Roll

For vegetables with an unbelievably explosive flavor, Guy marinates them in balsamic vinegar and then brushes them with a balsamic glaze while grilling.

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Balsamic Grilled Vegetables

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Steak Summer Rolls

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Cubed Watermelon, Cucumber and Feta Salad

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Tangy Chicken and Black Bean Collard Wraps

Grilling these mango slices brings out and caramelizes their natural sugars, leaving them tender and sweet. Aarón Sánchez uses cayenne, lime and jalapeno to keep this side dish savory.

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Grilled Mango With Jalapenos

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Eggplant and Asparagus Napoleons

This sweet treat is a great make-ahead item for summer parties, and it couldn’t be easier to prepare — just puree and freeze watermelon.

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Watermelon Slushies

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Healthy Chipotle Beer-and-Butter Shrimp Foil Pack

Ina makes an easy tomato, caper and fennel sauce to serve with grilled swordfish.

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Swordfish with Tomatoes and Capers

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Vegan Lentil Burgers

Tyler’s snow cones — sweet, light and healthy — will no doubt be your new go-to dessert this summer.

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Mango Strawberry Snow Cones

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Quick Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Simple but vibrant succotash accompanies this spicy chicken stuffed with pepper Jack cheese and fresh arugula.

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Pepper-Jack Chicken With Succotash

Tyler’s fresh take on burgers is sushi-grade tuna seasoned with soy sauce, fresh lime juice, cilantro and ginger. To serve, top the patty with sliced avocado and peppery sprouts dressed in an easy carrot-ginger sauce and sandwich in a whole grain bun.

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Tuna Burgers with Carrot-Ginger Sauce

Gazpacho is traditionally made with raw tomatoes, but in this version from Food Network Magazine, the tomatoes are charred on the grill, which infuses the soup with a smoky flavor.

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Charred Tomato Gazpacho

Quinoa takes on a whole new flavor when infused with orange zest and dressed with more fresh citrus juice; it makes the perfect accompaniment to grilled scallops.

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Grilled Scallops with Orange-Scented Quinoa

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Smoked Salmon Spread

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Veggie Burgers with Pomegranate Ketchup

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Healthy Chopped Slaw

Ellie blends orange liqueur, tequila and lime with frozen mango pieces for a fresh margarita with tropical flair.

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Frozen Mango Margarita

Barbecue planks add a unique flavor to food, combining the earthiness of wood and smokiness of the grill. When buying them, be sure to choose untreated wood or planks marked specifically for cooking.

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Cedar Plank Salmon

Bobby uses a simple honey and balsamic glaze to flavor grilled chicken breasts, and then keeps things extra seasonal and colorful with a green pea and mint sauce. 

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Grilled Honey Glazed Chicken with Green Pea and Mint Sauce

Ellie puts a twist on basic potato salad by tossing boiled red potatoes in an in-season basil pesto sauce. Throw in some chopped red and yellow peppers for a color boost and added crunch.

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Pesto Potato Salad

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Watermelon Gazpacho

Cool down on a hot summer day with these frozen banana pops. The dark chocolate and salted peanuts add a sweet-and-savory crunch.

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Chocolate Covered Banana Pops

Indulging in individual portions means you can enjoy this classic summer dessert — with a scoop of frozen yogurt too — for fewer calories.

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Individual Peach Cobblers

For your next cookout, barbecue tofu that even the meat lovers will want more of.

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Barbequed Tofu

The components of this recipe are easy: Make an ancho chile- and honey-spiced glaze for marinating fresh salmon fillets, and top the grilled fish with a simple chopped tomato relish.

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Grilled Salmon with Sherry Vinegar-Honey Glaze and Spicy Tomato Relish

Croutons and grilled chicken turn this chilled vegetable soup into one satisfyingly refreshing main course.

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Gazpacho With Lime Chicken

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Shrimp Summer Rolls with Curried Coconut Dipping Sauce

Bobby’s grilled vegetable salad, made with the chewy Italian grain farro and lots of smoky eggplant and tomatoes, is hearty enough to be a vegetarian main dish.

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Farro Salad with Grilled Eggplant, Tomatoes and Onion

Simple and straightforward, this dish is all about letting good food and clean flavors shine. Just top grilled chicken with a ripe tomato salad full of fresh herbs.

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Chicken Paillards With Herb-Tomato Salad

Panzanella is a salad made with bread and fresh vegetables — it makes a wonderful summer side dish, but is also a good way to use up leftover bread.

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Grilled Panzanella

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Grilled Pork Tenderloin a la Rodriguez with Guava Glaze and Orange-Habanero Mojo

Rachael’s grilled vegetables can be made on an outdoor grill or, if the weather isn’t right, indoors using a grill pan.

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Great Grilled Vegetables Platter

Alex’s grill-marked mushrooms will satisfy vegetarians and meat lovers alike as a hearty side or main dish.

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Grilled Portobello Mushrooms with Balsamic

“Kefta” is a Middle Eastern meatloaf traditionally served by street vendors. This version, featured in Food Network Magazine, is flavored with cumin, mint and dill — give this new spin a try.

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Beef Kefta With Melon Slaw

Brush salmon with a simple dressing while it cooks on the grill for moist, ultra-flavorful fish every time.

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Salmon with Olive Vinaigrette

Ellie’s grilled salad showcases summer vegetables at their best with feta, mint and a red wine vinegar dressing.

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Grilled Vegetable Salad with Feta and Mint

Putting polenta on the grill brings out its smoky corn flavor, while a topper of olives, capers, onions and tomatoes adds freshness to the dish.

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Grilled Polenta Crackers with Roasted Pepper Salsa

The heat from the chipotle enlivens both lean pork and lean slaw. Bright, but hearty and filling, this quick main dish is great for the grill.

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Grilled Chipotle Pork Tacos with Red Slaw

Latin flavors are added to a traditional panzanella. Lots of fresh vegetables and whole-grain bread make this healthier. For extra heat, keep the seeds in the chile pepper.

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Charred Corn Panzanella

You’ll find farro with the whole grains in your grocery store or health food market (near the quinoa) but if you can’t find it you can use barley in this simple, packed-with-summer-flavors salad.

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Farro and Corn Salad

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Grilled Pork and Ratatouille

To save time, marinate the steak overnight — the ginger, curry and lime flavors will soak right in. Then simply slice the Thai-flavored meat once it’s cooked and serve over lettuce.

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Grilled Thai Beef Salad

Ellie keeps this colorful fruit compote simple yet flavorful by using just four ingredients: blueberries, lemon juice, water and sugar. 

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Blueberry Compote

This banana pudding is basically the classic, just with fewer calories and fat. The sour cream stirred into the cooked pudding gives it a rich creaminess.

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Lightened Up Banana Pudding

Swap in fish for chicken wings to make this Buffalo-style salmon. It’s glazed with a sweet-and-spicy maple syrup and hot sauce mixture and served with an elegant blue cheese and arugula salad.

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Buffalo-Style Salmon

It’s steak night, vegetarian style! Top grilled portobello mushrooms with sweet onion jam flavored with thyme, honey and red wine. Strain some yogurt and mix with horseradish for a slimmed-down burger sauce.

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Grilled Portobello Burger with Onion Jam

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Grilled Buffalo Chicken Thighs with Blue Cheese Slaw

For a lighter spin on tacos, this version uses crisp green lettuce in place of the usual shells. Grilled flank steak, a chile salsa and sliced avocado make up the tasty filling. 

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Light Tacos

Bobby serves this easy-to-make grilled dessert after brunch, but it would be a great way to end a summer dinner as well.

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Grilled Plums with Spiced Walnut Yogurt Sauce

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Warm Salmon and Potato Salad with Creamy Dill Dressing

A simple sprinkle of salt, pepper and cumin is all you need to flavor lean chicken breast.

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Cumin Grilled Chicken Breasts

Sweet meets salty in this grilled caponata. The eggplant and tomato salad is speckled with golden raisins, olives and capers.

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Grilled Caponata

Hand-smash cucumbers to release their juices and toss with sliced fennel, dates and walnuts for a crisp summer salad to accompany grill-marked salmon.

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Grilled Salmon with Smashed Cucumber-Date Salad

Ellie’s party-perfect sangria is a citrusy mix of white wine, orange liqueur and brandy plus orange juice and sliced fruit. A splash of club soda provides a touch of fizz.

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White Sangria

A seared slice of haloumi cheese makes the perfect salty counterpoint to a sweet slice of watermelon in this summer dish.

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Watermelon and Haloumi

Apple butter adds extra moistness and natural sweetness to this bread. Surprisingly, only 1/3 cup of heart-friendly oil is used in this quick bread recipe that’s heavy on zucchini — and tastiness.

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Zucchini Bread

Pineapple chunks at the bottom of the pan will carmelize in their own juice while the mini cakes bake. Flip the cakes over and reveal the adorable individual desserts. 

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Mini Upside-Down Cakes

You use homemade balsamic vinaigrette two ways in this dish: a few tablespoons to marinate the pork chops and the rest to dress the arugula and grape salad.

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Grilled Pork with Arugula-and-Grape Salad

Keep things simple with this 5-ingredient dessert: Caramelized, roasted pineapple slices get a scoop of ginger ice and a sprig of fresh thyme.

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Roasted Pineapple with Thyme-Ginger Ice

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Shrimp Scampi Risotto-Stuffed Tomatoes

Skewer chunks of chicken sausage with sweet red peppers, onions and tomatoes for a quick and healthy meal.

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Sausage-and-Pepper Skewers

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Fruit Pizza with Summer Berries

Mix smashed garlic cloves with olive oil, parsley and thyme and use as a marinade for the portobello mushrooms, bitter radicchio and chicken. Serve with peppery arugula.

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Garlicky Grilled Chicken, Portobello, and Radicchio Salad

Lean chicken thighs stay extra moist on the grill thanks to a tangy lemon-, lime- and orange-spiked marinade.

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Grilled Citrus Marinated Chicken Thighs

Prepare these individual desserts ahead of time and serve in hollowed lemons with a basil leaf for crowd-wowing presentation. 

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Basil-Lemon Ice

Use an outdoor grill or a grill pan to make tender, perfectly charred slices of eggplant, and serve with an easy-to-make, creamy sauce.

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Grilled Eggplant With Yogurt and Mint

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Vegan Creamy Ranch Macaroni Salad

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Shaved Vegetable Salad