On hot summer days, when all you want to do is get on with living your life, relaxing, or having fun, 5 minute summer recipes can be just what you need.  Just because you want a meal quickly doesn’t mean that you need to rely on pizza or takeout. There are lots of healthy, delicious foods that can come together in a handful of minutes that are just as tasty and satisfying while being far more nourishing.

5 Minute Summer Recipes for the Whole Family

When we have 5 minute summer recipes, the ability to eat healthy meals on a regular basis suddenly becomes a lot more achievable. Time is often the biggest challenge to being able to eat truly nutritious foods. After all, there’s no denying that prep work for chopping veggies – even for a fast meal – is a lot more time consuming than ordering a pizza or taking a ready-meal out of the freezer.

Unfortunately, this habit of choosing speed over nutrition has started taking its toll on us all, as obesity rates continue to skyrocket across the country.  The best meals need to be:

• Satiating – That is, they satisfy hunger
• Tasty – Both palatable and enjoyable
• Nutritious – It should have a basic foundation of nutrients and sit within a healthy calorie range.

While we often aim for the first two components, that third one is all too frequently left behind.  Fortunately, with the right healthy 5 minute summer recipes, you can start to work that nutritious category back into your meals without spending all day doing it!

Your Go-To 5 Minute Summer Recipes

The following 5 minute summer recipes are so easy, affordable, delicious and fast that they’re sure to become your go-to dishes on any hot days throughout the year.

Bruschetta Grill ‘Ems

Serves 1, 460 Calories

• 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved or quarters
• ½ cup canned chickpeas, strained and rinsed
• ½ cup chopped fresh basil
• 2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
• 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 slices rustic whole grain bread

Toss the bread on the grill until it is lightly crispy.  Toss the remainder of the ingredients in a bowl until well combined. Serve on the toasted bread. Feel free to grill more veggies while you have the barbecue hot.  They make great sides to this 5 minute summer recipe.

Grilled Ranch Chicken Wraps

Serves 1, 350 Calories

• 8 ounces raw chicken breast, cut into large cubes or thick slices (speed things up even more by using leftover chicken already cooked)
• 5 or 6 whole white mushrooms
• 1 green pepper, sliced into large chunks
• 1 red pepper, sliced into large chunks
• ½ red onion
• Large romaine lettuce leaves for serving
• ¼ cup yogurt-based ranch dressing

Grill the chicken and vegetables, then toss in a bowl with the ranch dressing. Scoop into the lettuce leaves and fold them like you would a tortilla. Serve.

Loaded Sweet Potato

Serves 1, 410 Calories

• 1 small sweet potato
• ¼ cup black beans
• ¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 tablespoons of your favorite barbecue sauce
• 1 finely sliced green onion

Microwave the sweet potato, then toss it on the grill if you want it to have a crisply skin. Cut the potato in half lengthwise and smash the inside. Combine black beans and barbecue sauce, then add the mixture to the potato halves. Top with cheese and green onion.  Goes great with a salad or grilled veggies.