7 Healthy, Delicious Whole Grain Meals to Keep Your Taste Buds Happy All Summer Long

Looking for a healthy dinner idea that everyone will love? We've got you covered with these 7 great whole grain meals. They're all easy to put together and make fabulous leftovers for busy days and nutritious meals on the run!

It's easy to fall into a summer rut. Burgers, hot dogs, pizza, ice cream... all those quick, easy things that taste best during these lazy hazy days of summer. I can only handle that kind of eating for so long though... and then my whole being starts craving something healthy - but, of course, it has to also be delicious. Whole grain meals to the rescue!

Nutritional Powerhouses

Whole grains are a wonderful way to fuel your body with tons of great nutrients. When you look at the health benefits of these little powerhouses, it's almost staggering. The Mayo Clinic says that the vitamins and minerals in whole grains are important for your overall health. Also, the high fiber content of whole grains may help with:

• Lowering bad cholesterol levels.
• Raising good cholesterol levels.
• Lowering insulin levels.
• Lowering blood pressure.
• Creating a feeling of fullness that can help with weight loss or control.

They also point out that studies show high-fiber diets lower the risk of:

• Heart and blood vessel diseases.
• Stroke.
• Type 2 diabetes.
• Cancer of the large intestine and rectum, also called colorectal cancer.

They also provide tons of vitamins and minerals such as magnesium, selenium and copper which are thought to protect against certain cancers.

7 Healthy, Delicious Whole Grain Meals!

Love a hearty, healthy, salad that's bursting with bright, fresh flavor? This Chopped Mediterranean Farro Salad is a meal on its own or a great side!

With juicy, tender chicken, healthy farro and loads of fresh spinach, this hearty, delicious Lemon Rosemary Chicken and Farro is an easy meal in one pan!

This Asian-inspired, Ballymaloe Quinoa Sweet Potato Salad is super healthy, can be prepped ahead and simply bursts with bright, fresh, delicious flavor!

Think you need to avoid Italian food if you're trying to eat healthier? Nope! This fabulous Slow Roasted Tomato Ancient Grain Salad is loaded with all the delicious flavors of Italy minus the refined carbs and high-calorie counts!

This fabulous Roasted Ratatouille Quinoa Salad is loaded with healthy veggies, and makes a perfect side for any grilled or roasted entree!

With a delicious honey-lime dressing, this healthy, hearty Sweet Potato Quinoa Salad is a perfect side for chicken, shrimp, pork, steak, etc. It also makes a fabulous (and beautiful) vegetarian meal.

This fabulous Butternut Squash Black Rice Salad is healthy, fresh and bursting with bright flavor. A simple lemon-olive oil dressing ties it all together with pizazz! If it's not pomegranate season, just substitute dried cranberries, golden raisins or toasted almonds for the pom arils.

This one isn't actually a whole-grain recipe but it's so healthy and delicious we decided to add it to this post as a bonus! It's a Roasted Veggie Chickpea Salad and it combines crispy, spiced chickpeas, caramelized veggies, Israeli couscous and lots of fresh herbs for a delicious side or main course!

Universally appealing