Grilled Tuna with Spicy Cucumber Relish and Sun Dried Tomato Hummus

Healthy summer dishes. They don't have to be difficult or time consuming to be flavorful.

In this recipe, the spicy cucumber relish is off-set by the sun dried tomato hummus. Both condiments are simple back drops to let the fresh tuna shine through.

The relish and hummus can be made a day ahead of time allowing you to get dinner on the table even faster. Enjoy the remaining cucumber salad and hummus between two slices of bread or as a dip for veggies.

Have a Fat and Happy summer dish that shines from the plate.

Turkey Blueberry Grain Burgers with Fig Jam and Brie

Tips and articles about healthy eating are everywhere- email, Facebook posts, magazines, newspapers and even posted on the elevator screen that riders stare at to avoid the uncomfortable 15 seconds of standing next to a stranger. A photographic memory is required to keep it all in, but every now and then one sticks. Today I share one such memorable tip.

We all know how quickly turkey meat becomes dry, especially ground turkey meat used in a burger. Mixing blueberries into the meat not only gives the burger a healthy antioxidant boost but it helps with a juicier result. Seriously. Tested and confirmed.

For this particular recipe I added quinoa and lentils, taking the health benefits one step further. The result is a blue-tinted fun and tasty burger. Fig jam and brie cheese step into the condiment spotlight to really takes this burger over the edge.

Even if you have no intention of making this exact turkey burger version, make note of this healthy tip. It's a great way to sneak nutrients into any Fat and Happy burger.

Grilled Corn with Ancho Chile Pepper Cashew Cream and Citron Salt: An Elote Experiment

Elote, the ever popular Mexican street fare that is seen both on a stick and served in a cup with a spoon. Is it the golden charred corn or the the scrumptious toppings that lures peckish patrons in?  Honestly, the corn just becomes a vessel for the creamy mayo, crumbled cheese and lime. But just thinking about the juicy corn nibbles rolling down my forearms makes me want to lick them now.

It's in my DNA to tweak recipes so you know already my version is going to have a twist or two. First enter twist one - their are sad people out there who can't (or don't) eat dairy. It's torture to watch your friends slobber over their dressed up corn while you push around your naked cob. Until now. With the help of raw cashew it's a snap to make a dairy free cream. It sounds daunting, I know. The idea of  'soaking cashews' sounded challenging, difficult and not all that yummy, quite honestly, when I first heard about it. But once I finally worked up some ambition to give this a try, I've learned cashew cream is pretty simple. The hardest part is to remember to soak them before you need them. Add in chili pepper, garlic and some fixings and the results are sorta magical.

Twist number two- a package of Citron Salt landed in my mailbox as a strange ingredient. What if lemon replaced the typical lime in the Elote? The pale yellow nodules created  perfect harmony with the corn and pepper cashew cream, not to mention adding a real nice little crunch too.

A Fat and Happy Elote experiment gone right. Oh, did I mention how much healthier my version is?

Grilled Rhubarb with Cherry Maple Syrup

In the North-Midwestern regions, rhubarb is often the first of the Spring plants to be ready for harvest. Not everyone is a fan of the the tart, flowery delicacy, but those who are long for this time of year. Sure, you could get some frozen rhubarb throughout the year, but it's not the same. Those crisp pink stalks speak of home spun rituals and a simpler, country life.

Since I live in the hectic, fast lane of the city it was time to take the rhubarb out of the strawberry pie and let it shine on its own. A quick trip on the grill, a simple basting of natures sugar and kiss of savory to top it off- done.

This is a lovely, elegant dessert as is. But a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of tangy Greek yogurt couldn't hurt. If you have a chance to latch onto some fresh rhubarb, do! Then head out to the grill to try this simple Fat and Happy sweet and savory rhubarb dessert. It's a wow dish no matter what region you are currently calling home.

Seared Tomato over Dandelion Greens with Coconut Milk Drizzle

How do you show off the best of fresh summer vegetables without getting sick of the same old standbys? Simple dishes that have a twist are not hard to do, it just means thinking slightly outside of our typical comfort zone.

In this dish, fresh summer tomatoes are seared until golden brown, then coconut milk is poured into the pan to slightly caramelize. This seared coconut milk, along with a hint of thyme and a really good salt, tops the dish off as a warm coconut milk dressing.

Dandelion greens are used as the base here. If you aren't familiar with these bitter greens, dandelions rank in the top 4 green vegetables in overall nutritional value. Beta-carotene, Vitamin A, fiber, potassium, iron, calcium, magnesium... the list goes on.

Could you forage for these babies in your own lawn? Sure, assuming you have a lawn and it's pesticide free. Word on the street is that the young leaves (4-5") are more mild. Once they've grown to a large size you a may find sauteing or blanching them helps to cut the bitterness. Remember to look for hitchhikers on your leaves before you toss them into your dishes.

Add a Fat and Happy twist to your summer veggies with this rich and delicious Seared Tomato dish.