It’s the summer of LOVE and as well as celebrating Valentine’s Day ❤️ with our fun This or That? competition, we’ve been celebrating Pride month 🏳️🌈 and all the members of our amazing Kiwi rainbow community. So what better than to take that rainbow inspo and create a fabulous menu that celebrates the full and colourful bounty of summer vegetables?
We thought so too!
It looks like summer is set to continue all through March (and maybe April?) and we figured an easy, nutritious 5 day meal plan would go down a treat. So we asked one of our amazing, talented Almond Breeze recipe creators, Carine Claudepierre, to create the ultimate 5 Day Breezy Summer Meal Plan for you to make at home. And you can download it here. 🥗🥘🍗🍲🥪
Self-confessed health nut Carine loves to create food that nourishes the body and the soul and what’s better than eating the rainbow?🌈 So we’ve pick out the most colourful ingredients to share some of the wonderful health benefits you’ll be getting in this nutritious meal plan that you may not already know about!
And not only did Carine create fab recipes, and take gorgeous photos of her almondlicious meals here, but she created a complete shopping list for the week, so when you hit the supermarket, you don’t even have to think. How good is that?
Download your FREE 5 Day Breezy Summer Meal Plan here! 🥗🥘🍗🍲🥪
1. RED: Tomatoes 🍅
Tomatoes in summer are literally ripe for the plucking! They are heavenly in fresh salsas, gazpacho, fresh sauces for pasta and pizza, in salads and sanwiches, and anything else that deserves that burst of flavour and bright red zing! Tomatoes are famous for their high antioxidant properties thatnks to lycopene, which studies have found is linked to a reduced risk of both cancer and heart disease. Tomatoes also gave a healthy daily dose of vitamins C and K, plus much-needed minerals potassium and folate.
2. ORANGE: Turmeric
Turmeric is the unsung hero of spices and whether you have it fresh or ground, this health elixir is a daily add to your healthy life. It’s incredible fresh added to smoothies, as a wam milky turmeric latte, plus there is loads of peer-reviewed research that has provided evidence about turmeric’s effectiveness in health. Turmeric’s bioactive compounds include a small amount of curcuminoids, which contains powerful anti-inflammatory properties as well as being a potent anti-oxidant to help boost healthy cells. To get the most out of curcuminoids add black pepper (which contains piperine) for optimum absorption.
Inflammation within the body is cited as being a major cause of Western chronic diseases. Turmeric’s well-evidenced anti-inflammatory effects, along with its high antioxidant properties, can counter oxidative stress on the body caused by free radicals which destroy the important function of fatty acids, proteins and DNA within a healthy body. Plus, turmeric has been shown to have a similar impact to antidepressants, boosts brain function and is linked to the prevention of Alzheimer’s disease. It’s also proven to treat symptoms of arthritis, lowers risk of heart disease, and is linked to the fight against cancer.
3. YELLOW FOOD: Corn 🌽
Nothing says a Kiwi summer quite like fresh corn on the cob. And best of all, you can buy it fresh and remove the corn with a knife to add to salads, salsa, and create delicious corn creations, adding vibrant colour, flavour as well as optimum nutrition. Corn is a marvel at reducing anemia and is packed full of B12 and folic acid, so is ideal for women seeking to get pregnant and during pregnancy. Plus corn enhances energy, and lowers blood sugar levels and cholesterol. Corn is is also another hidden secret to maintaining healthy, glowing skin!
4. GREEN: Zucchini / Courgette 🥒
Courgettes pop up everywhere in summer with the bright, abundant flower (which is incredible in tempura batter!), and it’s green goodness our body craves. This tasty vegetable is great in juices and smoothies, improves thyroid and adrenal function, improves eye health, boosts energy, aids weight loss while improving digestion. Being high in antioxidants, zucchinis have been linked to slowing the anti-ageing process, plus they lower blood sugar levels which in turn reduces the bodies ability to store fat, and they support healthy circulation and healthy heart function. So now’s the ideal time to load up on this nutrient rich vegetable. Go GREEN!
5. BLUE: Almond Breeze almond milk 🥛
With our iconic blue colour packaging, we couldn’t resist adding our own Almond Breeze almond milk here, the star feature of our 5 Day Breezy Summer Meal Plan. Obvs. Almond Breeze almond milk is an ideal alternative for people who have a low or no tolerance to dairy milk and want a nutritious alternative. It’s estimated that around 65% of the human population has a reduced ability to digest lactose after infancy*, and as much as 90% of people in East Asia and of Asian decent. Almond milk is very low in calories, with Almond Breeze Unsweetened almond milk being a tasty, healthy choice that doesn’t raise blood sugar. Almond milk has been linked to lowering risk of heart disease, strengthening bone health, lowering the body’s acidity – associated with increased risk of cancer – and is high in vitamin D.
Download your FREE 5 Day Breezy Summer Meal Plan here! 🥗🥘🍗🍲🥪
6. INDIGO: Eggplant / Aubergine 🍆
Eggplant, or aubergine, like courgettes, grows a-plenty in our Kiwi summer and that’s a big win because it’s scrum-diddily-yumptious! Eggplant is another vegetable your bod will love you for! It’s has heaps of fibre to keep your body working at its best, and potassium, vitamin C and B6 for heart health. Plus the red-blue flavonoids that give the aubergine its rich dark colour, called anthocyan, is associated with reducing blood pressure. And it’s another vegetable great for reducing anemia and ideal for diabetics using diet to balance blood sugars.
7. VIOLET: Red onion
People drink red onion juice due to it’s incredible health benefits, which are many. This low calorie flavour enhancer is great in salads, sandwiches, salsa, burgers, guacamole and it turns out, also as a juice! That’s because the humble red onion is loaded with antioxidants (those fab things that keep our bodies and skin youthful and healthy!), balances blood sugars, contains cancer-fighting compounds, is linked with digestive health and boosting bone density, benefits heart health, and is an amazing antibacterial agent. So when you’re next cleaning the barbie, whizz over a cut open red onion and BOOM, bacteria vanished with no harm to your health or the environment!
We hope you enjoy eating the rainbow this summer and be sure to download your FREE 5 Day Breezy Summer Meal Plan here! 🥗🥘🍗🍲🥪
From our love of Almond Breeze almond milk to yours…
P.S….
Discover more almondlicious recipes by clicking here!
- SOURCE: US National Library of Medicine