Light Summer Snacking

With summer being right around the corner and school coming to an end, I've been making an effort to choose healthier food options. I find it odd when so many people hold the ideal of healthy and organic foods being less flavorful, less appetizing and less filling. What these 'healthy' and 'organic' foods are lacking, however, are the high amounts of calories, (bad) fats and chemicals contained in the majority of foods found on grocery store shelves and in restaurants serving your typical American cuisine.

A couple of my favorite foodie blogs filled with delicious recipes (many of which are vegetarian and gluten free) are mynewroots and greenkitchenstories.  Finding  healthy and delicious meal options are much more accessible these days, and the photos below the cut are some of the dishes I've been preparing for myself.

___________________________________________________________________________________

a few favorite cookbooks and blogs that promote healthy eating:

-greenkitchenstories, written by david and luise promotes vegan and gluten free cooking.

-clean food by terry walters is a cookbook categorized by season and highly regards locally grown produce.

-tastespotting's search option comes in handy when looking for a specific recipe, and the imagery doesn't hurt either.

-if you're interested in my personal choices, I tend post what I'm eating on my instagram, or check out my food + drink pinboard for more inspiration.

(photo source)

Artichoke leaves dipped in a wasabi mayo.

Fruit salad with baby spinach + romaine lettuce, sliced apples, dried cherries, and blue cheese crumbles.

To drink: sangria with cut up fresh fruits.

I added fresh jalapenos + gorgonzola cheese to my mushroom veggie burger.

Toasted fruit and nut wheat loaf topped with ricotta cheese + smoked salmon.

An english muffin topped with avocado + honey creme, and a side of clementines.

Chickpea + avocado salad with fresh, minced garlic, lemon juice, and s+p to taste.

Portobello mushroom burgers with cheddar cheese, avocado, and a red pepper chutney.