Summertime Treats

I like to find the beauty in each season, but I have to admit that the older I become, the less I like the summertime. Well that was until I received a beautiful message from someone today describing his take on Summer. He said that it is a time to slow down and reflect on our lives. To lay in the grass and watch the clouds go by or just to enjoy long evenings on a front porch. I thought that was a very lovely way of looking at it. Inspired by his words, I thought that I would come up with a couple of my favorite summertime treats.

Kids are notoriously bored and hungry in the summer months. As parents we have to be super creative in order to keep our little ones from becoming stagnant and hyped up on junk food. These recipes are sure to please your entire family.

Cheers!

Watermelon and goat cheese salad: 

• One seedless watermelon cubed
• One cup of goat cheese
• Sprig of mint 

Toss into a bowl and serve. 

Mango pops: 

• Three mangoes cut from their rind and quartered 
• 1/2 cup of good orange juice 
• 1/4 cup of lime juice
• Two tbsp of honey for sweetness 

Blend till perfectly smooth and place into either ice trays with a stick in each cube or if you have popsicle trays go ahead and use that. Freeze for about an hour or two and serve on a hot and sticky day. The vitamin c in the mango helps restore antioxidants lost in the heat. 

Black bean sliders: 

• One can of black beans, drained and rinsed of the sodium. 
• 1/2 cup of carrots that have been shredded finely.
• 1/2 cup of bread crumbs
• Salt and pepper to taste
• A dash of hot sauce

Placing all ingredients in a large bowl, stir it together until well incorporated. Then with your masher start working the mix. When everything has been well mashed together, then start making your patties. About two inches a piece. Bring a skillet to a high heat with oil or butter and then grill for 4-5 minutes on each side. Serve on slider buns or dinner rolls with your favorite burger toppings. I personally like pepper jack cheese and grilled onions. 

I hope these recipes help with summer time snacking and avoiding the pitfalls of typical summer junk.