When I think of summer I’m reminded of all things happy, colorful, vibrant and full of life—like long al fresco lunches with friends, barbecues in the backyard, lazing poolside with a cocktail in hand and stretching out on the beach with the sand in my toes and hopefully a sandwich beside me. You know, the best summer food and drinks!

Healthy Summer Recipes and Dinner Ideas

But mostly I think of healthy summer recipes and meals that won’t weigh you down when it’s a million degrees outside. Speaking of, there are plenty of different recipes you can enjoy this season that are light in calories but not in flavor. For the grilled food fans, indulge in grilled garlic butter mushrooms, grilled chicken and pineapple skewers, or even grilled lime salmon with mango salsa. For noodle fans, you can have cucumber and cashew noodle salad, pan-seared halibut with zucchini noodles or a summer roll rice noodle bowl. If you’re big on summer salads, enjoy watermelon, feta and mint salad or lime shrimp and avocado salad. Love Mexican food? How about paleo fish tacos, heart-healthy salmon tacos or seared shrimp tacos? The options are honestly plentiful! Here are 42 easy (and healthy!) summer recipes perfect for the season. Browse through them, make sure you pin your favorites and let’s get cooking!

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