Summer is a time for being outside, eating salads and making quick and easy meals. Although soup is usually a warm dish, it’s still quite appealing in the warmer months, in part because it is easy to prepare. One of our favorite recipes is an Asian salmon soup, made with fish broth and seasoned with special sauces that add heat and flavor.

Asia isn’t the only place you’ll find a fish broth-based soup to tempt your taste buds this summer. A Norwegian recipe also made our list, and is a perfect choice for those days when summer thunderstorms roll through, thick and heavy.

What would any summer meal be without an entrée? Like you, we know the value of a full meal, even one that isn’t calorie dense. We’re big fans of steak in summer, so you’ll find two recipes for tasty beef dishes on this list. They’re healthy, delicious, and among our favorites for the season.

Southeast Asian Salmon Soup from EatingWell.com

Fish sauce, chili-garlic sauce, and bean thread noodles can be found at Asian specialty markets, and your local grocery store may also carry them. Look for glass or mung bean noodles and fish sauce made from fermented, salted fish. Chile-garlic sauce can be used to add heat and varying degrees of flavor to Asian dishes, not just this soup.

Ingredients

• 1 ¼ pound wild salmon, skinned and cut into ½ inch cubes
• 2 ounces bean thread noodles
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 cup sliced scallions
• 3 tablespoons sliced garlic
• 7 cups fish broth
• 1 can of petite diced tomatoes (15-ounces)
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon chili-garlic sauce
• 2 teaspoons hot sesame oil
• ½ cup cilantro leaves
• Lime

Directions

1. Place noodles in a large bowl, cover with hot water and soak for 20-25 minutes. Drain and leave in bowl.
2. Next, heat oil over medium heat in a Dutch oven. Add garlic, and cook until golden brown - about 3 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel with a slotted spoon. If the oil is too hot the garlic will burn and become bitter so test it first.
3. Pour fish broth into the pan and bring to a gentle boil. Stir in tomatoes with juice, fish sauce, chili-garlic sauce and hot sesame oil.
4. Stir in the salmon, reduce heat to a simmer and cook until the salmon is almost cooked through about 2 minutes. Add the drained noodles, stir and add scallions and simmer for 1 minute.
5. Top with cilantro and crispy garlic. Add lime wedges and serve. Makes 6 servings, about 2 cups per person.

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Health.com’s Filet Mignon with Roquefort and Red Leaf

This recipe serves 8 and takes about an hour to make including prep and cooking time.

Ingredients

• 2 large Yukon Gold potatoes, diced
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 thyme leaves and 2 rosemary sprigs, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon each, chopped fresh garlic and sliced shallot
• 1 teaspoon each, honey and sugar
• 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon oil
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 2 heads red leaf lettuce
• 2 large tomatoes, quartered and sliced
• 4 prime filet mignon steaks (6-ounce)
• 1/4 pound Roquefort blue cheese, crumbled

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375° and grill to high.
2. Toss potatoes, rosemary, oil and thyme together. Place on a baking sheet. Roast the potatoes for 25 minutes or until golden; set aside.
3. Combine vinegar, mustard, garlic, shallot, honey and sugar in a blender. Add 1/2 cup oil and blend. Add 1/8 teaspoon each salt and pepper and set aside.
4. While potatoes roast, heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a pan over medium heat. Sauté onion 10-12 minutes or until caramelized and set aside.
5. Season steaks with remaining salt and pepper. Reduce grill to medium-high; cook steaks for about 7 minutes per side. Remove from grill; let rest 3 minutes before slicing into 1-inch cubes.
6. Toss lettuce with tomato and blue cheese; add potatoes and onion. Drizzle with dressing; toss. Top with steak; serve.

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Creamy Norwegian Fish Soup

Some ingredients – fish, mussels, sour cream, flour - can be substituted for other ingredients or not included in the soup. Serves 4.

Ingredients

• 2 ½ tablespoons butter
• 2 ½ tablespoons flour
• 4 - 5 cups fish broth
• 1 carrot, cut & chopped into strips
• 1 - 2 cup leeks, cut and chopped into strips
• 1 - 2 potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
• 1 can chopped tomatoes (14 ounce)
• 12-14 peeled raw shrimp
• 12-14 mussels or 12-14 small scallops
• 4 -6 ounces salmon
• ¹⁄₂ cup heavy cream
• ¹⁄₄ cup fresh parsley, chopped
• Salt and pepper as needed
• 1 tablespoons sour cream
• 1 teaspoons lumpfish caviar

Directions

1. In a large pot, melt 2 tablespoons of butter, add flour, and stir for 2 minutes at low heat.
2. Slowly add fish stock at intervals. Continue stirring and boil gently for 5-10 minutes.
3. Melt remaining butter, and sauté carrots, leeks and potatoes for 10 minutes.
4. Add tomatoes and simmer for another 5 minutes, then add shrimp, mussels, fish and cream. Simmer another 5 minutes, or until fish and shellfish are tender.
5. Add parsley, salt and pepper.
6. Serve garnished with sour cream and lumpfish caviar.

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Chipotle Beef Tostadas from Food Network

These Mexican treats aren’t just meat. They’re loaded with vegetables and seasonings that make them a nutritional powerhouse and a fairly-balanced meal.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 pound ground chuck
• 1 large white onion, minced
• 1 ½ teaspoon chipotle chili powder
• 2 cups shredded cabbage
• 1 medium yellow squash, diced
• Salt and ground pepper
• 1 can Mexican diced tomatoes and green chiles (10 ounce)
• 1 can pinto beans, drained (15 ounce)
• Juice of 1 limes, plus wedges for plate
• 8 Tostadas
• 1 ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions

1. In a large skillet heat the oil over medium heat. Add ground beef, half the minced onion, 1 teaspoon salt and chipotle chile powder; cook, stirring and breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until the meat is browned and the onion is tender, about 7 minutes.
2. Add tomatoes, beans and zucchini and cook, stirring occasionally, until zucchini is tender, about 6 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, toss shredded cabbage, lime juice, and salt and pepper in a bowl.
4. Divide the tostadas among plates and spoon the beef mixture on top. Top with cheese, slaw and remaining minced onion. Serve with lime wedges.

Enjoy the long evenings and sun filled days. Instead of cooking so much this summer, spend your time hiking or swimming or traveling. You deserve the break. If you’d like to make your cooking even easier,  check out our fish broth – a new addition to our bone broth line that we know you’ll love. 

Image credits: Pixabay

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