18 Favorite Summer Recipes
That celebrate the season and benefit your brain & bod
Summer produce is more than just a feast for the senses – it’s biochemical gold for your brain and body. In this post, I’m sharing some of my go-to seasonal recipes that deliver on flavor and good science for nourishing your neurons, improving your metabolic health, and helping you build a better body composition.
Most come together in 25 minutes or less – and many don’t require a single minute at the stove. Because summer should be spent outside, not sweating over a sauté pan.
Late July is truly the golden hour of the produce calendar – when farmers’ markets overflow, the produce aisle feels inspiring, and even the simplest ripe tomato, drizzle of peppery olive oil, and sprinkle of flaked salt feels like a treat – not to mention polyphenol-rich berries, hydrating cucumbers, carotenoid-loaded zucchini, garlicky pesto brimming with neuroprotective allicin.
These ingredients do more than fill you up – they help protect your brain’s architecture, calm inflammation, and keep your blood sugar and energy steady through the long, hot days.
Let’s get cooking.
TOMATO CARPACCIO (click for the recipe & nutrition info)
This isn’t just a tomato salad – it’s culinary minimalism with maximum metabolic and neuroprotective payoff. Lycopene from those peak-season heirlooms has been linked to reduced brain aging and lower stroke risk, and extra virgin olive oil delivers polyphenols that improve endothelial function and support long-term cognitive health. Add the red onion for quercetin, fresh herbs for brain-calming apigenin, a flurry of flaky salt – and you’ve got a five-minute recipe that upgrades anything it touches, from eggs to lentils to that piece of sourdough begging to be topped with something stunning.
TEN PLANT TOMATO SAUCE (click for the recipe & nutrition info)
This versatile sauce boasts ten vegetables and herbs roasted to peak flavor. It delivers a mosaic of antioxidants, fiber, and anti-inflammatory compounds that support everything from cognition to cardiovascular health. Lycopene-rich tomatoes, quercetin-packed onion, anti-inflammatory fennel, and allicin-rich roasted garlic create a naturally sweet, savory base that happens to be good for your brain. Blend it up and use it anywhere you’d reach for marinara or thin it with a little water and serve it as a soup with crusty whole grain bread.
FRESH CORN & ZUCCHINI SALAD (click for the recipe & nutrition info)
This salad is pure Summer: crisp, sweet, a little spicy, and deeply satisfying. Corn delivers resistant starch and lutein for visual and cognitive support, while zucchini adds hydration and carotenoids for very few calories. Garlic and jalapeño bring anti-inflammatory punch, and basil plus Meyer lemon brighten every bite with polyphenols and flavor. Serve it warm, cold, or straight from the bowl before it makes it to the table – this one disappears fast.
SUMMER SAUTÉ HALIBUT WITH WHITE BEANS (click for the recipe & nutrition info)
This is a restaurant-quality dinner disguised as a 25-minute weeknight meal. Halibut brings lean, high-quality protein and a dose of brain-fortifying selenium, while the white beans and sautéed summer veggies deliver fiber, folate, and fiber-rich carbs for stable energy. Garlic, basil, and olive oil amplify anti-inflammatory benefits, and the cherry tomatoes – gently blistered – unlock lycopene for added neuroprotection. It’s vibrant, satisfying, and just fancy enough to feel like you’re doing summer exactly right.
TOMATO-POTATO SALAD (click for the recipe & nutrition info)
This isn’t your mayo-drenched picnic side – it’s a modern, brain-healthy reimagination of a classic. Roasted fingerlings provide resistant starch to support gut-brain communication and metabolic health, heirloom tomatoes layer in lycopene, and peppery arugula gives you your dose of daily greens and crucifers. The vinaigrette – sharp with Dijon, bright with lemon, and balanced with olive oil – ties it all together. And avocado adds just the right hit of monounsaturated fat for lasting satiety.
SHRIMP SCAMPI (click for the recipe & nutrition info)
A lighter take on a classic, this dish brings elegance and brain-healthy evidence to your weeknight rotation. Shrimp are a lean source of iodine and selenium – two nutrients essential for thyroid function, mood regulation, and cognitive performance. Garlic and olive oil (instead of butter) offer anti-inflammatory support. And a splash of broth or white wine create a silky, satisfying sauce. Mix with everything from grilled veggies, to pasta, to a simple salad and toasty whole grain bread.
PERFECT PESTO (click for the recipe & nutrition info)
How can something this delicious bring so much brain health goodness? Basil for anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective compounds like eugenol, garlic for allicin to help combat oxidative stress, pine nuts (or any nuts) offer vitamin E and magnesium – both essential for cognitive health – and olive oil ties it all together with brain-friendly monounsaturated fats. Spoon it over vegetables, your favorite proteins, or grain bowls – or just eat it with a spoon. No judgment.
LONGEVITY MINESTRONE (click for the recipe & nutrition info)
Admittedly, we may not be thinking soup in Summer, but this beauty – inspired by the blue zone of Sardinia – is a sunny bowl of brain-loving nourishment. Cannellini beans and leafy greens bring fiber, folate, and magnesium to support cognitive performance and digestive benefits, while mushrooms and garlic layer in glutamate and allicin for immune and brain health. A slow simmer in bone broth deepens the flavor and delivers collagen and amino acids that support gut barrier integrity and neurotransmitter synthesis. Make a batch and freeze in individual servings for a gorgeous 4 minutes in the microwave meal.
GRILLED HERBY CHICKEN (click for the recipe & nutrition info)
There’s nothing basic about this protein staple. With 30+ grams of complete protein per serving, it’s a blood sugar–steadying, muscle-preserving, metabolism-supporting anchor to any summer meal. But what makes this version stand out is the brain-nourishing marinade: fresh herbs like parsley, dill, and chives are rich in neuroprotective polyphenols, and garlic brings allicin, a compound linked to reduced neuroinflammation. It's endlessly versatile—pile it onto salads, grain bowls, or inside lettuce wraps—or just eat it straight off the skewer with your fingers. No notes.
SUMMER PASTA (click for the recipe & nutrition info)
This is what happens when peak produce meets pantry staples in all the right ways. Roasted cherry tomatoes and red onion offer natural sweetness and polyphenols, while garlic and lemon brighten the dish with compounds linked to reduced neuroinflammation and oxidative stress. Tossed with pasta (your pick—whole grain, chickpea, or classic durum wheat) and zucchini noodles for fiber and water-rich volume, this meal is a smart-carb powerhouse that supports metabolic health without weighing you down. It’s summer comfort food.
SALMON SKEWERS WITH TZATZIKI (click for the recipe & nutrition info)
These skewers are as beneficial as they are beautiful. Wild salmon delivers brain-essential omega-3s (EPA and DHA) to support memory, mood, and cognitive longevity, while zucchini and red onion add fiber and polyphenols to reduce inflammation and support metabolic health. Cumin and cayenne kick up flavor and circulation, and the creamy tzatziki – cool, garlicky, probiotic-rich – is the kind of finishing touch that makes this meal feel like summer on a plate.
PERFECT HUMMUS (click for the recipe & nutrition info)
Smooth, garlicky, lemony, and endlessly riffable – it’s the only hummus recipe you’ll ever need. Chickpeas offer plant protein, prebiotic fiber, and folate to support mood and cognition, while olive oil and garlic add anti-inflammatory power with every swipe of a carrot or snap pea. It’s equally at home on a mezze platter, in a lunch wrap, or next to the crudités at your next cookout. Blend in herbs, roasted peppers, or spices if you’re feeling fancy – this is a super-simple crowd favorite.
THE WEEKLY CHOP (click for the recipe & nutrition info)
This has been my nutrient-dense, zero-stress foundation for the week for over ten years. Packed with prebiotic fiber, phytonutrients, and crunch from a rainbow of raw vegetables, it supports gut health, estrogen metabolism, and steady energy—all with one cutting board and 15 minutes of prep. Add any protein and dressing you like, and lunch practically makes itself.
HEIRLOOM TOMATO SANDWICH (click for the recipe & nutrition info)
This is your peak-season BFF – with benefits. Colorful heirloom tomatoes, herbs, olive oil, leafy greens, beans, and whole grains? It’s practically the entire MIND diet in one meal. A pop of fresh pesto makes the whole thing sing.
COOL GLOW BOWL (click for the recipe & nutrition info)
Think of this as your build-your-own blueprint for brain and metabolic health. With whole grains for steady glucose, beans and leafy greens for fiber and folate, and lean protein to preserve muscle and fuel neurotransmitters, every component works in sync to keep you focused, energized, and satisfied. Add your favorite vinaigrette, and you’ve got a chilled, meal-prep-friendly bowl that radiates balance – no reheating, no overthinking, just pure function in every delicious forkful.
CHICKEN PAILLARD WITH ARUGULA & LENTIL SALAD (click for the recipe & nutrition info)
Upgrade your weekday without any stress. This one’s fast, balanced, and unapologetically elegant. The thin, pan-seared chicken delivers high-quality protein; lentils add fiber, iron, and folate; and arugula, crunchy fennel, and sweet tomatoes bring flavor and phytochemicals. The balsamic vinaigrette brings all the flavors together. It’s a 20-minute meal that tastes like something you'd order at a café in Milan – but you didn’t need to leave your backyard.
HALIBUT WITH TOMATO-OLIVE-FENNEL RELISH (click for the recipe & nutrition info)
This dish is proof that brain food can also be dinner party–level stunning and delicious. Halibut is a lean, high-quality protein rich in omega 3s, selenium and B vitamins. The relish is a flavor bomb of tomatoes, fennel, olives, lemon, and fresh herbs – delivering a concentrated dose of polyphenols, healthy fats, and digestive support. This is brain food at its best.
CHICKEN ZOODLE SOUP (click for the recipe & nutrition info)
This is comfort food reimagined for cognition and clarity. Lean chicken supplies protein for muscle building, blood sugar stability, and neurotransmitter support. Tender-crisp zucchini “noodles” lighten the load and add antioxidants like lutein and zeaxanthin. Lemon brightens the broth with vitamin C and mood-lifting aroma, and a finishing touch of parsley or dill adds anti-inflammatory polyphenols. It’s the kind of soup that feels like self care. Save this recipe for the winter months too!