girls

What I love about SUMMER is the fact that you can enjoy all of the summer fruits in a variety of ways. You can chop them up and make fruit salads, blend them in to refreshing smoothies, add them to your protein shakes, and so much more. If you are trying to beat the heat and continue your clean eating plan, try reaching for a chilled Peach or Plum instead of ice cream.

Check out your local farmers markets to get the best produce in town. Also less expensive!

Peaches - these are a good source of vitamin C and I love adding frozen peaches to my protein shakes.

Grapes - these make a great quick snack. They are a good source of vitamins C and K. Have you ever tried frozen grapes? They also are good tossed into a salad or to eat with cheese.

Cantaloupe - another favorite and packed with vitamins A and C. It is great to eat for breakfast.

Cherries - I absolutely love cherries but they can get rather expensive. They contain vitamin C and fiber. You can add these to salads and smoothies but I enjoy them best as they are.

Mangoes - this is another fruit I enjoy as is but you can easily add to a salad or smoothie. They are good sources of vitamins A and C.

Watermelon - I think this is the ultimate summer fruit. I like this one served as cold as possible. Good source of vitamins A and C.

Clean eaters often enjoy a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast or sometimes during the day. Have you ever wondered the difference between steel-cut oats versus rolled oats? There are several differences between it and the typical rolled oat variety. These include:

• Much longer cooking time (30 minutes)
• More cholesterol lowering soluble fiber than other oatmeal
• Takes longer to digest so you stay fuller longer
• Chopped with steel blades resulting in a “chewier” oatmeal

I personally like the taste of steel cut oats. I don't mind the cooking time, I just plan for it. While its cooking I clean my kitchen or sort laundry. Fun morning huh? Lately I put seasonal berries in for an extra antioxidant boost.

Have you tried steel cut oats?