Healthy Labor Day Cookout Recipes that Will Please a Crowd

Wondering what to take to the neighborhood barbecue this weekend? We've rounded up a variety of healthy and delicious recipes that everyone will love.

Spicy Turkey Burgers

Black Bean Salad

Mediterranean Chicken Thighs

Macaroni Salad

Awesome Marinated Kabobs

Colorful Italian Pasta Salad

Bread Salad: A No-Cook, 10-Minute Meal

Panzanella is an Italian salad that can be found on trendy bistro menus in the hot summer months. I'll share a secret with you: This salad was invented when times were tough, as a way to use up stale bread.

Essentially, you make a salad--traditionally with plenty of fresh tomatoes--toss it with a vinaigrette, then add cubed stale or toasted bread just before serving. You can toast up a day-old baguette or fresh bread, depending on what you have in the kitchen. The bread soaks up all the delicious juice from the tomatoes and the tangy vinaigrette. The rest of the summer-fresh vegetables add crunch and freshness.

NOTE: If you're watching your sodium intake, reduce the amount of feta or omit it.

TIPS:

• Rub a garlic clove on the bread after toasting for instant, healthier croutons.
  
  
• Instead of cubed bread, you could add two cups of cooked grains (couscous, millet, bulgur, quinoa, or brown rice) or even a small whole-wheat pasta (like orzo or ditalini).
  
  
• Customize this salad to suit your palate, using what you have on hand. This is a recipe that leaves plenty of room for interpretation. Add more tomatoes, toss in some drained and rinsed cannellini beans, or add some oregano. This is a chance for you to be creative!
  
  
• Serve this salad with grilled chicken to boost the protein. For a meat-free meal, add a can of drained and rinsed chickpeas or cannellini beans (white kidney beans) to the dish.

Healthy School Lunch Recipes Your Kids Will Love to Eat

Need some ideas for packing healthy school lunches? We've rounded up some healthy and delicious recipes that your kids will love.

Peanut Butter Banana Wrap

Turkey & Cheese Roll-ups

Cold Pasta Salad

12 Delectable Ways to Use Eggplant

Looking for some new ways to use eggplant? We've rounded up a variety of healthy and delectable recipes for you to try.

Spicy Eggplant Dip

Eggplant Lasagna

Mushroom and Eggplant Skewers

Mini Eggplant Pizzas

No-Cook, No-Fat Summer Flavor Boosters

I don't teach at the Midwest Culinary Institute in summertime, but that doesn't mean my schedule is any less busy. I'm still creating recipes for SparkPeople, driving the boys to and from their activities, and working on the family farm--and of course, running and swimming at the pool!

I let the seasons guide my menus, and when the temperature rises, my palate craves what's fresh and simple. Grilled vegetables and meats, fresh fish, and plenty of fruits and vegetables.

Two of the easiest ways to dress up fresh and simple meals without adding fat, sodium, and calories are to make salsas and relishes. They're a key to 5-minute meals!

"Salsa" means "sauce" in Spanish, which means you're only limited by your imagination and the ingredients on hand when creating a new salsa.

And though we think of sweet pickles on hot dogs when we think of relish, you can create one using plenty of fruits and vegetables. You just need to "pickle" them using an acid (such as vinegar) and cook them. (You could even do this on a grill if you're trying to keep the kitchen cool.)

I created two new recipes that are perfect for hot summer nights. I made a big batch of each and use them several nights a week.

12 Savory Ways to Use Asparagus

Looking for some new ways to spice up your asparagus? We've rounded up some healthy and savory asparagus recipes for you to try.

Asparagus with Mustard Sauce

Roasted Asparagus

Asparagus Parmesan



Chicken Asparagus Fritata Cups

12 Cool and Refreshing Smoothie Recipes

Looking for some new smoothie recipes to help keep you cool during the summer? We've rounded up a variety of healthy and refreshing smoothie recipes for you to try.

Collard Green Pineapple Smoothie

Blueberry Yogurt Smoothie

Peanut Butter Chocolate Banana Smoothie

Tropical Fruit Smoothie

Too Hot in the Kitchen? Try These No-Cook Summer Meals

The heat is on! We've rounded up some healthy and delicious no-cook summer meals for days and nights when it's too hot to turn on the stove.

Black Bean and Avocado Wrap

Tuna Wraps

Lettuce, Cheese, and Hummus Sandwich

Yummy No Cook EASY EASY Tuna and Cashew Salad

12 Refreshing Popsicle Recipes

Looking for some healthy ways to make your own popsicles? We've rounded up a variety of healthy and refreshing popsicle recipes for you to try.

Dairy-Free Fruit Popsicles

Blueberry Mango Yogurt Popsicles

Rhubarb Apple Popsicles

Mango Coconut Popsicles

12 More Great Summer Grilling Recipes

While searching for grilling recipes last week, we found so many great recipes that we wanted to share another 12 enjoyable grilling recipes with you!

Grilled Pesto & Ricotta Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Mediterranean Grilled Vegetables

Grilled Honey Mustard Chicken

Honey Garlic Grilled Eggplant

12 Great Summer Grilling Recipes

With summer weather upon most of us, are you looking for some new grilling recipes? We've rounded up a variety of delicious barbecue recipes for you to try.

Five Star Grilled Vegetables

Greek Grilled Chicken

Savory Grilled Pork Chops

Grilled Roasted Vegetables with Pineapple

How to Pack Lunch in 5 Minutes, Plus Healthy Recipes

Hey, dailySpark readers! My name is Anne and I write a food and fitness blog called fANNEtasticfood.

I started my blog last year as a way to inspire others to lead healthier lives through nutrition and exercise. I post recipes, health tips, training plans, exercise moves, and more! Most recently, I’ve started a series on my blog featuring 5-minute packable lunch and snack ideas for the office. It really doesn’t have to be time consuming or complicated to eat healthy on the go!

Some teasers:

• How to pack lunch in 5 minutes flat: part 1
  
  

  Posted 6/10/2010  10:11:45 AM By: dailySpark Guest Blogger : 49 comments

  Read More

12 Summer Desserts for Under 150 Calories Each

Need some ideas for some cool summer desserts that won't break your calorie bank? We've rounded up a variety of low-calorie summer dessert recipes for you to try.

Soft-Serve Banana

Mixed Berry Sorbet

Creamsicle Dessert

Tropical Shake

12 Salads for Your Memorial Day Cookout

Wondering what to take to the neighborhood barbecue this weekend? We've rounded up some healthy and delicious recipes that will be a welcome addition to the picnic table.

Cabbage Slaw with a Twist

Watermelon, Blueberry Salad with Feta and Spinach

Sherry's Cucumber Salad

Confetti Salad

Get 2 NEW Recipes from Hungry Girl's Latest Cookbook

We're big fans of Lisa Lillien, better known as Hungry Girl, and her guilt-free favorite food swaps. Last year, she dished about her tactics for avoiding holiday weight gain, and she gave us a sneak peek into some of her upcoming projects, including her latest book!

We're happy to report that her new cookbook is on store shelves and climbing the best-sellers lists. "Hungry Girl 1-2-3: The Easiest, Most Delicious, Guilt-Free Recipes on the Planet" is full of great recipes, and Lisa has generously shared two of them: Shrimped-Up Sweet Corn 'N Tomato Salad and Easy Oven-Baked S'Mores-Stuffed Bananas .