It’s summer and often enough, we are so busy running around with fun activities, long days and nights at the ball park or on vacation that it can be time consuming to come up with simple, but refreshing summer recipes.

I don’t know about you, but I have a tendency to want to eat more fresh fruit, salads and lighter meals than anything heavy because it’s just too hot.

Here are some simple recipe ideas to try this summer:

1. Seared Salmon with Avocado Salsa Verde–You had me at salmon. And avocado. And salsa verde. Salmon doesn’t have to be boring! Make sure you get wild rather than farmed for best nutritional value.

2. Fresh Fruit Sorbet–Satisfy your sweet tooth with this refreshing sorbet instead of ice cream. It’s only 100 calories per serving.

3. Chunky Rainbow Salsa & Baked Tortilla Chips-It’s easy to “eat the rainbow” with this vibrantly colored salsa made with tomato, mango, avocado and bell peppers. Want to make it spicy? Add finely chopped jalapeño or habanero. Serve with these baked corn tortilla chips, eat as a side salad, or spoon onto grilled fish, chicken, or pork chops.

4. Watermelon, Cucumber, Lime & Chili Salad-make your own refreshing version of this treat with cool cucumber and watermelon.

5. Pesto Shrimp Skewers with Cauliflower Mash-serve these herbed shrimp over a low-carb alternative to mashed potatoes.

6.  Balsamic Grilled chicken & zucchini-Drizzle on honey-balsamic glaze to add sweet and tangy flavor to this low-carb plate.

7. Brown Butter Shrimp with  spicy broccoli rabe– try this simple shrimp recipe!

8. Grilled Romaine Hearts with Avocado-Lime Dressing-**this recipe is amazing, I made it last weekend. It’s also HILARIOUS and vulgar, so proceed with caution! 

9. Balsamic Glazed Shrimp with Quinoa– these shrimp are big on flavor and quinoa gives it an extra boost of protein and antioxidants. 

10. Shrimp Ceviche–This Baja California-style ceviche is made with shrimp, fresh lime juice, and refreshing cucumber. Make it as mild or spicy as you want by adjusting the chili peppers to your taste. Serving it in endive shells is a clever and crunchy alternative to fried tortilla chips.

11. Field Pea and Pasta Salad-Farfalle and fresh veggies make a delicious summer side. Mix the dressing up to three days in advance; then toss when ready to serve. This salad uses three colors of bell peppers, and four different fresh herbs, to bring zest and spice. We like using mini farfalle in this recipe so that all of the ingredients are about the same size, but you can easily swap in any pasta shape you like. You’ll get a little zest from the lemon juice, some heat from the Dijon mustard, and a sharp kick from a little white wine vinegar.