5 Refreshing Summer Recipes With Glow Enhancing Foods

With Memorial Day behind us and the official start to summer finally here, we’ve rounded up five recipes that are full of skin-loving ingredients that are so refreshing on a hot summer day. 

Loaded with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, these recipes not only taste amazing, but they’ll make your skin look amazing too. Plus, they’re all simple to make with ingredients you can easily find at any grocery store, so you can enjoy all of the skincare benefits without having to find crazy ingredients or foods. 

 Spicy Sweet Potato Tacos 

Sweet potatoes are rich in Vitamin A, a vitamin that helps speed up skin healing and can prevent acne breakouts. Combined with avocado, a healthy fat, this yummy, easy taco recipe from PureWow is perfect for a summer Taco Tuesday!

INGREDIENTS:

Extra-virgin olive oil, as needed

1 small onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, chopped

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

2 or 3 medium sweet potatoes, washed

3 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Corn tortillas, fresh cilantro, limes, avocado and pickled onions, for serving

DIRECTIONS:

1. Using a box grater, grate the sweet potatoes (no need to peel them). You can also use a food processor fitted with a grater attachment.

3. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, and cook until fragrant and starting to soften, about 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the grated sweet potato, chili powder, cumin and red pepper flakes, then cover and cook until soft, 5 to 7 minutes.                                                                                                           
4. Serve the filling inside warm corn tortillas with a squeeze of fresh lime juice, fresh cilantro, avocado and pickled onions.

Baby Kale Breakfast Salad with Quinoa & Strawberries

This veggie-packed breakfast salad from EatingWell is a glowing skin paradise. Baby kale is rich in vitamins C, E, and K, which help your skin look younger and healthier. Vitamin C is an antioxidant that's great for brightening the skin's appearance; it can help brighten your complexion and reduce fine lines and free radical damage. Strawberries are also rich in antioxidants, and the addition of pepitas sprinkled on top boost your zinc intake, a mineral that is anti-inflammatory.

INGREDIENTS 

1 teaspoon minced garlic

Pinch of salt

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 

2 teaspoons red-wine vinegar

Pinch of ground pepper

3 cups lightly packed baby kale

½ cup cooked quinoa

½ cup sliced strawberries

1 tablespoon salted pepitas

DIRECTIONS: 

1. Mash garlic and salt together with the side of a chef's knife or a fork to form a paste. 
2. Whisk the garlic paste, oil, vinegar and pepper together in a medium bowl. 
3. Add kale; toss to coat. 
4. Serve topped with quinoa, strawberries and pepitas.

 Salmon with Pesto and Blistered Tomatoes from PureWow

Perfect for a summer dinner party and served with a crisp glass of rosé, salmon is not only great for your skin but your overall health as well. Rich in Omega 3 fatty acids, salmon keeps your skin healthy and supple. Tomatoes are rich in Vitamin C, an antioxidant that can help fight free radical damage. Yum!

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound mixed cherry tomatoes

3 garlic cloves, minced

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 large (1 to 1½ pounds) center-cut salmon fillet or 4 small fillets (3 to 4 ounces each)

1 cup basil pesto (store-bought or homemade)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. On the baking sheet, toss together the cherry tomatoes, garlic and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Bake until the tomatoes have burst and are slightly browned, 15 to 16 minutes.
3. Line a separate baking sheet with parchment paper for the salmon. Brush a light coat of olive oil onto the fillet(s) and season with salt and pepper.
4. Bake for 10 minutes, then spoon 1 to 2 tablespoons of the pesto evenly over the salmon. Bake until the salmon flakes off easily when prodded with a fork, about 3 minutes more.
5. Gently transfer the salmon to a serving platter and top with the burst tomatoes.

Melon Salad with Chili Powder, Mint, Lime and Flaky Sea Salt

This foolproof melon salad from PureWow has an unexpected kick with chili powder. Both melons are rich in a boatload of skin-loving Vitamins like E, K, A and C, which help keep your skin glowing and healthy.  

INGREDIENTS:

½ medium cantaloupe—peeled, seeded and sliced

½ medium honeydew melon—peeled, seeded and sliced

Zest of 1 lime

Handful chopped fresh mint

Chili powder, as needed

Flaky sea salt, as needed

DIRECTIONS:

1. Arrange the cantaloupe and honeydew melon on a plate and top with the lime zest, mint, a pinch of chili powder, and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt. Serve immediately.

Strawberry Banana Protein Smoothie

Can’t go wrong with a classic strawberry banana smoothie! This version from EatingWell combines healthy fats from natural nut butter, omega 3s from ground flaxseed, and protein from Greek yogurt for a refreshing, healthy way to start your day. 

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup hulled strawberries, fresh or frozen

½ medium banana 

½ cup diced mango, fresh or frozen

½ cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt

1 tablespoon natural nut butter, such as cashew or almond

1 tablespoon ground flaxseed (flax meal)

¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

4 ice cubes or 1/2 cup water

DIRECTIONS: 

1. Combine strawberries, banana, mango, yogurt, nut butter, flaxmeal, vanilla and ice cubes (or water) in a blender. Puree until smooth.

What’s your favorite way to eat skin-loving foods during the summer? Leave your favorite recipes below.