This Month’s Healthy Bite: What are your Favorite Summer Potluck Recipes?

Posted by Matt on August 1st, 2011 at 07:03am

For the July version of This Month’s Healthy Bite, I asked, “What are your favorite summer potluck recipes?” We got some absolutely fantastic answers, from easy deli salads to awesome deviled eggs and a whole lot more. Check them all out:

From Jackie, Jackie’s Kitchen:

These deviled roasted baby red potatoes are easy to make and delicious to boot. They will be the first to go!

Happy Summer!

From Janetha, meals & moves:

My favorite thing to bring to a potluck is my fruit pizza. It is a dessert, but it is much lighter than cakes, pies or cookies because it is loaded with fresh fruit.

To make, you simply whip up your favorite sugar cookie dough recipe (or you can buy pre-made) and lay the dough out onto an 11×17 jelly roll pan. Prick the dough with a fork and bake for 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees until the “crust” is golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool.

Meanwhile, mix up your “sauce”. This is 12 oz of cream cheese whipped (with a Kitchenaid or electric mixer) with 4-6 oz sweetened condensed milk and 1-2 tsp vanilla extract (the amounts of condensed milk and vanilla extract are based on personal taste).

Spread the sauce on the crust and top with slices of fresh fruit of your choice. I like to keep it colorful, so I use strawberries, kiwis, bananas, blueberries, peaches and raspberries.

From Renee, My Kitchen Adventures:

Summer is such a great time to share your best healthy dishes, ones that taste just like the real thing, only lighter. One of my favorite things to bring to a summer potluck is my Heavenly Deviled Eggs.

Half of the yolk mixture is cleverly replaced with pureed cauliflower, and no one can ever tell. Most are shocked when told what is in the eggs to make them lighter fare. One thing for sure is that I never return home with any left on the plate!

From Krissie, A Philly Nerd Girl:

My favorite summer potluck recipes are a three-bean salad (that’s vegan friendly, too!) which I made here (http://phillynerdgirl.com/2011/07/04/independence-weekend-fun/) and for an appetizer I also love to bring buffalo chicken bites which are a year round favorite. The recipe can be found on my guest post here (http://phillynerdgirl.com/2011/07/02/have-a-look/)

From Adair, Lentil Breakdown:

This colorful beet and edamame hummus duo makes an artistic statement.

Starving Artist Series: Beet Hummus

Starving Artist Series: Edamame Hummus

From Amanda, MarocMama:

Grilled Chicken with Preserved Grapefruit — http://marocmama.com/2011/07/grilled-chicken-with-preserved-grapefruit.html

From Emily, Five and Spice:

In the summer, I usually bring some sort of salad to potlucks, since our fridge is always overflowing with veggies. I really like to make panzanella (bread salad), and throw in a mixture of vegetables, fruits and cheese. For example, tomatoes, peaches, arugula, fresh mozzarella, and some basil or mint. This one is actually a winter version, but I really like the dressing for it: http://fiveandspice.wordpress.com/2011/01/18/snow-days-and-salads/

I also like to make pasta or grain salads because they also give you the opportunity to add all sorts of great sauteed or raw veggies, nuts, or cheeses as mix-ins. I usually make some kind of herb pesto as a dressing (for example: http://fiveandspice.wordpress.com/2011/07/03/orzo-pasta-salad-with-mixed-herbs/) or else a nice tangy lemon vinaigrette with a little honey.

From Kirsten, Mission Delectable:

Mini Crab Cakes. These would be a fantastic appetizer for a pot luck; make them ahead of time, and then just warm them in the oven when you arrive. But beware: they’re addictively delicious.

Cilantro-Arugula Soba Noodles. I always like to bring a pasta salad to a pot luck. It’s easy to make in advance, holds up well, and there’s no need to reheat it when you arrive. These Cilantro-Arugula Soba Noodles fit the bill perfectly.

From Amy, Healthy, Hungry and Happy:

I love to make enchiladas. I feel like they’re so easy and everyone loves Mexican food, so you can’t go wrong! Here’s the recipe I use:

Chicken and Cheese Enchiladas:

• 1 pound of chicken, shredded. I poached about 5 chicken breasts and then shredded them with forks. You could use pre-cooked chicken or rotisserie chicken too.
• 1/4 cup nonfat greek yogurt
• 4 oz. cream cheese- you could use regular or light
• 1/2 cup shredded mexican cheese
• dash of salt and pepper
• cilantro-chopped. You can use as much or as little as you’d like. I love cilantro so I pile it on!
• queso melt cheese- I found this near the shredded cheese. It’s basically used for quesadillas or any other food you need nice, melted cheese.
• 5 tortillas- I used wheat
• 1 can of enchilada sauce- I used a can of mild sauce…I thought it was pretty good!

First, I shred the chicken using two forks. Then mix the cream cheese, shredded cheese, cilantro, salt and pepper, greek yogurt, and chicken in a bowl. Pour a small amount of enchilada sauce over your baking pan just to cover the bottom. Next, fill the tortillas with the enchilada filling and place them, crease down, in the pan. Pour the remaining enchilada sauce on top, then add the queso cheese. Bake at 375 covered for 15 minutes, then uncovered for another 15. That’s it!

You can always add hot sauce to it or top it with avocado, sour cream, guacamole, etc.

I also LOVE deviled eggs, especially in the summer. I try to make them a little healthier than normal so here is the recipe I use:

Deviled Eggs

• 6 hard boiled eggs, peeled and cut lengthwise
• 1/4 C nonfat plain Greek yogurt
• 2 tsp dijon mustard
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/8 tsp salt
• paprika to garnish

All you do is boil the eggs until they’re cooked all the way through. Next, cut the eggs lengthwise and remove the yolks. Mix the yolks in a bowl with the remainder of the ingredients, except the paprika, then scoop the mix back into the egg whites. Sprinkle with paprika and you’re done!

From Melissa, Eat On The Run:

I love bringing a healthy dish that I know I’ll eat at the party. You can never be sure that healthy foods will be offered, so bringing your own is like a small insurance policy. Everyone loves fruit, so bringing a dessert or snack with the fresh fruit of summer is a great idea. I love making my Fresh Peach and Berry Crisp. Either fresh or frozen fruits can be used. Top with Lite Cool Whip or Frozen Yogurt.

From Kalyn, Kalyn’s Kitchen:

For summer potlucks I like to take some kind of salad, and two of my current favorites are

Peperoncini Chopped Salad with Romaine, Red Bell Pepper, and Feta

Spicy Mexican Slaw with Lime and Cilantro

From Alicia, AliGirl Cooks:

Although this recipe happened on accident, I can’t wait to take my Spicy Lime Slaw to my next summer BBQ. It’s just the right about of hot and sweet with a citrus zing!

From Victoria, The Pursuit of Hippieness:

One of my favorite summer potluck recipes is ratatouille. Here is a link to the post featuring my recipe: http://pursuitofhippieness.com/2011/07/14/rat-uh-too-ee/

From Poppy Spock, alla Poppy:

The truth is I never make anything special for potlucks, because I am the laziest cook in the universe. I make a double recipe of whatever I’m eating that week, bring half and save half to eat myself during the week. It’s not new to me, but it’s new to my friends! And whatever my friends bring is new to me. For summer, I have my pasta salad recipes. They make a ton of pasta salad, so I don’t even have to double the recipe.

Thanks to everyone for all the fun responses!

Answer the next This Month’s Healthy Bite question: What are your favorite healthy snacks? Email us your answer or just simply comment on this blog post, and we’ll publish your answers and link to your blog at the end of the month. Got some blogger friends who would like us to link to them too? Ask them to answer This Month’s Healthy Bite too!

Tags: food, healthy eating, healthy foods, Healthy Recipes, home cooking, our fave diet sites, recipes, summer, vegetables, vegetarian recipes, what to eat

Under healthy eating Tags: food, healthy eating, healthy foods, Healthy Recipes, home cooking, our fave diet sites, recipes, summer, vegetables, vegetarian recipes, what to eat