Note: Frequently we address diet and wellness concerns with our patients, including those with the diagnosis of PCOS.  Therefore, we are offering this article to help provide healthy AND tasty ideas for summer meals and snacks! Notice that many are made from ingredients that can be fresh from the garden!  As a hint – when trying to maintain a healthy diet “eat a rainbow of colors” – seek out foods with natural color (such as carrots and broccoli )  and try to reduce the amount of white and brown foods (like sugars and starches).  Bon appetite!

Summer is a delicious season with beautiful and bountiful produce.  Enjoy this seasonal freshness with convenient snacks and as essential ingredients in your meals.

Since healthy snacks are important, why not make them decorative and simple?  Slice whole carrots and celery and put them inside Ball jars.  Then, fill the jars with water, twist on the lids and place them in an easy to reach area inside your refrigerator.  Now when you get the munchies, you have access to an inviting and delicious snack that you can pair with peanut butter or hummus.

Preparing nutritious meals should be fun and easy.  Here is a tasty menu designed especially for you, members of our HRC “family”!

Summer Bouquet Menu

Beverage:  Shades of Green

Entrée:  Seaside Wrap

Dessert:  Berry Blossom

Shades of Green

Sip a taste of summer and drink your veggies!  Whether you are on the beach, in the backyard or at your desk, this tropical drink in the shade is a delicious and nutritious addition to any summer menu.  Here are the simple ingredients:  Spinach, Pineapple, Coconut Water and Ice.  Put everything in the blender and then pour into your favorite glass and garnish with a tiny paper umbrella and fruit.

Some Tasty Tidbits…     Increase the antioxidants by sprinkling some Chia seeds before blending.  You can also pick up a coconut from the grocery store or melissas.com and use it for this tropical drink.  If you don’t have a large blender, you can always use an immersion blender.

Seaside Wrap

This is an easy recipe to include in your summer menu repertoire.  Enjoy a savory seaside wrap with these fresh ingredients: Multigrain Tortillas, Shrimp, Red Onion, Avocado, Lettuce, Pepper Jack Cheese, Cheddar Cheese and any other produce of your choice.    Simply peel, devein and then sauté the shrimp in butter.  In a separate pan, lightly toast the tortilla and sprinkle cheese on it to melt.  Place the toasted tortilla on a plate and arrange the lettuce, avocado, shrimp and onions and then gently fold the side.  And that’s a wrap!

Tasty tidbits…  For a delicious dressing to either spread onto the wrap or serve on the side, mix together mayonnaise (organic preferred) and Sriracha.  You can always add peppers and any other produce to enhance the flavor and variety of your Seaside Wrap.

Berry Blossom

This delightful dessert bursts with flavor and will be the grand finale for any summer meal. And it’s full of antioxidants!  This is one of the easiest recipes you will ever make! Here are the ingredients:  Blueberries, Raspberries, Strawberries, Blackberries, Ladyfingers, and Whipping Cream. Whether picked from the fields or from the produce aisles, the berries should be washed, then layered or mixed into a glass bowl.  Place the bowl of berries onto the center of a plate.  Creatively arrange the ladyfingers (miniature sponge cakes) like petals around the circular edge of the plate.  Whip the cream and then put a decorative dollop atop the berries.  Enjoy your berry blossom!

Tasty tidbits…    Leave a mixing bowl in the freezer for a few hours.  A chilled bowl helps whip the cream more quickly.

Summer is a time to relax and enjoy the freshness of the season.  Colorful and nutritious recipes will accentuate your plate as well as your palate.  Savor the day!

Margaret McSweeney is a published author, member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals and host of the popular podcast, Kitchen Chat.  For fun recipes, tips from your favorite chefs and foodies, visit  Margaret’s kitchen!   And always remember to Savor the Day!

Please consult with your physician about diet for your specific needs and food allergies. As a guest blogger please note I feel  passionately about helping people cope with infertility. And…  A special thanks to my friend and culinary muse, Lynn Gentile