Lighten up: 32 healthy summer recipes

Throughout the Middle East, freekeh is prepared in the spring. The wheat is picked while the sheaves are still green and the wheat kernels are still soft. The crops are harvested and arranged in piles to dry, and then are carefully set on fire to burn away the chaff and straw. The moisture in the wheat kernels prevents them from burning; they just take on a very subtle smokiness. Once cooled, the wheat is rubbed by hand (hence the name: farik means rubbed in Arabic), then dried and stored for use throughout the year.

A summery soup spiked with the subtle taste of black garlic

Poach the eggs in advance then warm them through just before serving

Freekeh is a grain perfect for salads - pair this with goats' curd or burrata

A Korean noodle salad flavoured with fiery chilli

Gentle curry spicing works surprisingly well here

Pesto is a rich, powerful accompaniment and a little goes a long way

You can prepare everything for this – except the fennel – in advance

Diana Henry's favourite salad of the moment, and rightly so

The sweetness of the raisins make this salad anything but average

The delicate addition of lemongrass will have you dreaming of summer

This quinoa salad recipe is equally good with goats' cheese

Tomatoes for dessert: your latest summer revelation

This dish is easy and looks stunning. Use Pernod or ouzo if you don’t have raki

A sumptuous dish that's typical of Russian cuisine

Be a kid again, and try our sweet, perfumed grown-up slush puppy

A delicious balance of fresh flavours inspired by Vietnamese cookery

The perfect salad with which to welcome spring

An irresistible vegetarian rice dish that's perfect for a dinner party

Fresh-tastingly zingy, the sauce is perfect for those with food intolerances