I don’t believe in cutting back on happiness just to fit into a certain size pants. But, I do believe in enjoying food in moderation and in healthy proportions. As someone who loves heavy flavors, it’s always nice to cleanse the palette and give my stomach lining a break when summer rolls around. For a very long time, I would only eat dishes that were salty or spicy and gorge on sour candy like it was an Olympic race. When college started and my days of varsity track ended, I knew I needed to find a new way to enjoy my favor mouthwatering flavors that would decrease likelihood for the Freshman Fifteen. A few years ago, I created one of my favorite summertime recipes. Not only is it easy to make, but it’s as tasty as it is nutritious and filling.
Ingredients:
- Bread of your choice
- Hummus (flavored or classic)
- Butter lettuce (you can use any type of lettuce you like)
- Smoked salmon (Costco has one of three different seasonings)
- Mixed nuts (peanuts, cashews, almonds, walnuts, pecans)
- Fruit (apples, pears, oranges, cherries, peaches, strawberries, anything!)
- A light snack (I chose Boom Chicka Pop kettlecorn popcorn)
- Milk (for the protein, #gainz)
Directions:
- Take a slice of bread and spread your hummus evenly across it.
- Place a large lettuce leaf (or many little ones) on top of the hummus.
- Place 2-3 slices of smoked salmon on the lettuce.
- Toss some fruit and mixed nuts onto the plate.
- Pour yourself some milk, because “Milk is delicious!” (Oh Chad…#TheBachelorette)
- Put a small serving of your snack in a bowl.
aaaand voilà!
In the photo above, I used chipotle hummus which adds a great spicy flare to the dish. Sometimes, I swap out the popcorn for a small serving of vanilla Greek yogurt. Other times, I swap out the little fruits and snack for a large peach or apple. There are so many different varieties you can get when you play around with different types of fruit. As long as you have your main course, some sort of fruit, and protein, you’re good to go.
Bon appétit, mes chéries!
-E.
Based in New York City, Erica Huang is the creator and voice behind Bouge & Rouge. This blog is a playground of her thoughts where she invites you to join her on her journey through her 20s. Erica shares her lifestyle, fashion and beauty tips, adventures, and personal thoughts with the goal of inspiring others to always persevere and be unapologetically yourself.