Have you ever been in a situation where just maybe about a few hours into your day at the beach, you realized that you didn't plan as well as you thought when it comes to food. Your stomach starts growling as you dug through your beach bag, only to find that you have nothing resembling food or a half-melted protein bar you forgot was in there. After taking a swig of warm water from your half-filled, sand-covered water bottle, you come to the conclusion that on your next beach day, you are going to do better. It’s easy to crave to junk food when on vacation or stranded on the beach for several hours. But if you want to master the day and master your trip, there are definitely a few easy and quick recipes to make the beach day so much better. Forget your hunger blues and dive into our favorite healthy recipes for your beach day:
Lemon, Thyme, and Honey Overnight Oats
Overnight oats are a fabulous fix-it-and-forget-it snack or meal replacement that travels well and made perfect for anyone who likes early-morning beach days. They are basically raw oats placed in the refrigerator overnight that soak up whatever liquid you place them in, for a creamy treat come morning. You can use milk, any non-diary milk of your choice, or yogurt.
Serves - One Bowl of Oats | From Breakfast Drama Queen
Gather Together:
- ½ Cup of Rolled Oats
- 1 Teaspoon of Lemon Zest
- 1 Teaspoon of Lemon Juice
- ¼ Teaspoon of Vanilla Extract
- ½ Cup of Greek Yogurt
- ⅓ Cup of Milk
- 2 - 3 Sprigs of Fresh Thyme
- 1 Teaspoon of Honey - Extra To Serve
Directions:
- In a bowl or container, mix together the oats, lemon zest, lemon juice, vanilla extract, yogurt, and milk. Remove the thyme leaves from the stems, and mix the leaves into the oatmeal along with the honey.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap (or put the lid on the container) and leave in the fridge overnight.
- In the morning, transfer the overnight oatmeal into a prettier dish if desired. Drizzle over some extra honey and enjoy!
Homemade Hummus and Vegetables
Pack up your favorite veggies and some hummus and head to your beach chair! This snack is not only nutritious, but it is also super delicious - thank goodness!
Serves - About 2 Cups | From Cookies and Kate
Gather Together:
- 1 can (15 ounces) Chickpeas - Rinsed and Drained
- ½ Teaspoon of Baking Soda
- ¼ Cup of Lemon Juice - Or More to Taste
- 1 Large Garlic Clove - Minced and Peeled
- ½ Teaspoon of Sea Salt - To Taste
- ½ Cup of Tahini
- 2 to 4 Tablespoons of Ice Water
- ½ Teaspoon of Ground Cumin
- 1 Tablespoon of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Directions:
- Place the chickpeas in a medium saucepan and add the baking soda. Cover the chickpeas by several inches of water, then bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Continue boiling, reducing heat if necessary to prevent overflow, for about 20 minutes, or until the chickpeas look bloated, their skins are falling off, and they’re quite soft. In a fine-mesh strainer, drain the chickpeas and run cool water over them for about 30 seconds. Set aside (no need to peel the chickpeas for this recipe!).
- Meanwhile, in a food processor or high-powered blender, combine the lemon juice, garlic and salt. Process until the garlic is very finely chopped, then let the mixture rest so the garlic flavor can mellow, ideally 10 minutes or longer.
- Add the tahini to the food processor and blend until the mixture is thick and creamy, stopping to scrape down any tahini stuck to the sides and bottom of the processor as necessary.
- While running the food processor, drizzle in 2 tablespoons ice water. Scrape down the food processor, and blend until the mixture is ultra smooth, pale and creamy. (If your tahini was extra-thick to begin with, you might need to add 1 to 2 tablespoons more ice water.)
- Add the cumin and the drained, over-cooked chickpeas to the food processor. While blending, drizzle in the olive oil. Blend until the mixture is super smooth, scraping down the sides of the processor as necessary, about 2 minutes. Add more ice water by the tablespoon if necessary to achieve a super creamy texture.
- Taste, and adjust as necessary—I almost always add another ¼ teaspoon salt for more overall flavor and another tablespoon of lemon juice for extra zing.
- Scrape the hummus into a serving bowl or platter, and use a spoon to create nice swooshes on top. Top with garnishes of your choice, and serve. Leftover hummus keeps well in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 1 week.
Oven Zucchini Chips
"Chips" like these are a MUCH healthier option and easier to prepare than you think - simply made in the oven with a light dose of olive oil and sea salt.
Serves - About 50 Chips | From Table For Two
Gather Together:
- 1 Large Zucchini
- 2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil
- Sea Salt - To Taste
- Seasonings of Your Choice - To Taste
Directions:
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Preheat oven to 225 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two large baking sheets (I used two 17" baking sheets) with silicon baking mats or parchment paper.
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Slice your zucchini on a mandolin or with a knife, forming thin slices. After you slice your zucchini, place the slices on a sheet of paper towels and take another paper towel and sandwich the zucchini slices and press on them. This helps draw out the liquid so it'll cook a bit faster.
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Line up the zucchini slices on the prepared baking sheet tightly next to each other in a straight line, making sure not to overlap them
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.In a small bowl, pour your olive oil with your seasonings in and take a pastry brush to brush the mixture on each zucchini slice.Sprinkle salt throughout the baking sheet. Do NOT over-season, in fact, it's better to use less salt initially because the slices will shrink; so if you over-season, it'll be way too salty! You can always add more later.
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Bake for 2+ hours until they start to brown and aren't soggy and are crisp.
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Let cool before removing and serving.
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Keep in an airtight container for no more than 3 days.
Caprese Skewers
Easy to make, perfect for lunch or an amazing snack, this is a quick recipe to throw together for the perfect beach day!
Serves - About 16 | From Iowa Girl Eats
Gather Together:
- 1 Cup of Balsamic Vinegar
- Grape Tomatoes or Even Cherry Tomatoes
- Mini Mozzarella Balls
- Fresh Basil Leaves
- Salt and Pepper
- Olive Oil
- Toothpicks
Directions:
- Bring balsamic vinegar up to a boil in a saucepan, then lower heat to medium and simmer until it's the consistency of very thin maple syrup, about 10 minutes. Pour into a bowl and let cool.
- Cut tomatoes in half. Thread a mini mozzarella cheese ball, basil leaf (fold in half if large) and a tomato half onto a tooth pick. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Sprinkle with salt & pepper, then drizzle cooled balsamic reduction and olive oil on top.
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-Patrick
