If you’re throwing a big end-of-the-summer party and don’t have the menu set, Registered Dietitian Annessa Chumbley shares 4 easy recipes and tips to make at your next summer party a breeze and a blast! 

1. Grilled Peach Pie Ice Cream Bar 

The perfect sweet solution for easy and fun summer entertaining – an ice cream bar with DIY toppings.  Peaches halves are easy to grill, delicious topped with ice cream, and light and fresh for the summer. The secret to indulging without the guilt is HALOTOP ICE CREAM. A full pint is only between 240-360 calories with 20 grams of protein! That will satisfy your sweet tooth without sacrificing your goals. HALOTOP uses natural sweeteners like erythritol, stevia and cane sugar to sweeten, and egg whites to keep that creamy, decadent texture you’d expect from ice cream.  The inspiration for my Grilled Peach Pie Ice Cream Bar is HALOTOP’s limited time flavor, Peaches n Cream. You can find it in the freezer section only until August and while supplies last! 

peaches: slice peaches in half, spray lightly with nonstick coconut oil cooking spray, and grill cut-side-down for 3-4 minutes. Put on a tray for guests to grab their own and top with ice cream + toppings. 
ice cream: HALOTOP’s Peaches n Cream, Birthday Cake, Vanilla Bean, Lemon Cake, S’mores, etc 
toppings:  granola, shredded coconut, fresh blueberries, mashed blackberries, whipped coconut cream 

Action: we will make one Grilled Peach Pie Sundae! (edible if hosts want to try:) 
HaloTop.com 

2. The Cookie of Summer: Peak Performance Peanut Butter & Chocolate Chip Cookies 

Backyard entertaining is not complete without homemade cookies!  These are a better-for-you option, and the secret is baking them with Premier Protein. To me, this has all the flavors of a vanilla milkshake; it’s 100% whey protein. Each scoop contains 30 grams protein, 180 calories and only 3 grams sugar.  We all know about protein shakes, but the amazing thing about Premier is that it is EXCELLENT to bake with to make those recipes healthier and higher in protein! 

Action: mix together cookie dough 
PremierProtein.com

RECIPE: Peak Performance Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie

2 scoop of Premier Protein® Vanilla Powder
1 cup peanut butter
1 large egg
½ cup granulated sugar
Pinch of salt
¼ cup dark chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly coat tray with Pam baking spray. Place ingredients in a medium size bowl and mix together. Scoop 3 tablespoons of dough and roll into a ball, then flatten. Place on cookie sheet and re-peat. Bake for approximately 15 minutes or until cookies are golden brown. Let cool for 15 minutes to let the cookies harden

3. The Perfect Summer Sauce: Wonderful Pistachio’s Basil Pesto 

The most versatile sauce for the summer can be used on crostinis as appetizers, or to toss into an ancient grain salad, or as a delicious smothering on top of grilled steak or chicken, or as a zucchini pasta toss like I have here.  The secret to the sauce is Wonderful Pistachios. The No-Shell option makes them easy to use in culinary creations, and will give this pesto a perfect summer twist.  The benefits are numerous: 
Nearly 90% of the fats found in pistachios are the better-for-you mono and polyunsaturated type. Plus, they provide a good source of protein and fiber, for a trio that can help keep you fuller longer.

With Wonderful Pistachios, you have the option of:  natural raw (no roasting nor salting) – a great snack for those road trips, or no shells (perfect for cooking and nutritious snacking for kids)

Action: make pesto
GetCrackin.com 

RECIPE: Wonderful Pistachio Basil Pesto 
1/2 cup Wonderful Pistachios 
2 cup basil leaves 
2 garlic cloves 
1 teaspoon lemon juice 
1 teaspoon lemon zest 
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese 
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 

Add Wonderful Pistachios, basil, garlic, lemon juice, zest, and parmesan to a food processor. Pulse until nuts are finely chopped. Stream olive oil in and puree until smooth. Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator for up to three days.  (Also, you can freeze for up to 1 month!) 

4. Gingery POM Wonderful Mojito Mocktail

Start your summer gathering with an invigorating drink!  Pomegranate juice is the secret to a drink that pops in color, flavor, and tart-ness. Here’s the wonderful thing about using POM: you can be sure that each 8 ounce bottle contains the juice of 2 whole pomegranates…wait for it….with nothing else added. No added sugar, fillers, nor preservatives.  The next question would be, where can we get the most antioxidants? Well, an in vitro study at UCLA found that on average, pomegranate juice has more antioxidant capacity than red wine, grape juice, and green tea.  
POMWonderful.com​​​​​​​

RECIPE: Gingery POM Wonderful Mojito Cocktail
1 cup POM Wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
10 fresh mint leaves
3/4 cup sparkling/soda water, chilled
 
Add the pomegranate juice, lime juice, ginger, and mint leaves to a shaker container or 1 1/2- to 2-cup capacity jar. Shake vigorously for at least 15 seconds. 

Pour into two 2-cup capacity jars or tall glasses filled with ice, add the sparkling/soda water, and serve.

Makes: 2 servings
Serving size: 1 mocktail (about 7 ounces without ice)
 
Per serving: 70 calories, 0g total fat, 0g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 0mg cholesterol, 15mg sodium, 18g total carbohydrate, 0g dietary fiber, 17g sugars includes 0g added sugars, 1g protein

Go to www.annessard.com for more tasty recipes and follow Annessa on social media for the latest updates:
Facebook: @AnnessaChumbleyRD
Twitter: @AnnessaRD
Instagram: @AnnessaRD

​​​​​​​SEGMENT IS SPONSORED BY ANNESSA CHUMBLEY