Summer offers such wonderful ways to splurge. We like to eat piles of watermelon slices, bowls of ice cream and mountains of frozen treats. All of these can be healthful if you make attempts. And with our special diet requirements, it's hard not to be.

Our favorite ice cream varieties are made by Turtle Mountain, which also is the maker of So Delicious products. I love the vanilla made with coconut milk with a drizzle of Hershey's Syrup. And in our freezer this summer standing by for outside treats are the brand's fudge bars (right). I found a box of "mini" fudge bars at Kroger yesterday and they are out of this world -- and just the right size for little hands and those watching their waistlines. Turtle Mountain products follow a strict allergen code. Read about it here.

A summer splurge such as gluten-free ice cream bars made with pure ingredients all would agree is a pretty healthy choice. Other summer treats we like to indulge in are simple fruit pops. Freeze blended berries with a splash of fruit juice in mini paper cups with Popsicle sticks for a fun and sweet treat. Or, if dairy is allowed, simply dip a baby spoon through the tops of yogurt containers and freeze for 2-3 hours. My little dairy-eater gets a kick out of this and I like to use Stoneyfield Farms varieties, which are organic. Read about Stoneyfield here.

Another healthy summer concoction? We enjoy banana smoothies. Frozen bananas are our new trick of the trade. Blend em with some cocoa powder and Very Vanilla Silk, and you have yourself a decadent milkshake. Try some coconut milk and frozen pineapples for a tropical treat, strawberries and yogurt for a standard smoothie, peanut butter and chocolate milk for a high-energy treat ... the list is endless.

So, I'm trying my darnedest to get the most nutritious and environmentally conscious things into my little one's bellies, even during dessert. But I'm picking my battles.

Try as I may, I am having a hard time calling the next treat a healthy one. It is low in calorie and mostly water, I'll give it that. But I'm not sure all the colorings make up for that fact.

Jell-O is a brand I like to purchase. It is super costly and easy to make, which is a rare attribution when it comes to a gluten-free product. It jiggles, it's cold and it's just plain fun. The kids have their favorite colors (yellow and orange) and I like to pack little containers of it in their snack bags on a hot summer day. Some people put fruit in it, but my kids don't fall for that. They simply eat around the fruit.

Anyway, I make Jell-O. Artificial, brightly colored and full-of-sugar J-E-L-L-O. With all the good I do, this really isn't much of a stray. In fact, I have created a big enough gap with all our healthy eating to wiggle in a little convenience food, right?

They love it, I love it. And in moderation (is once a day moderation?), I'm willing to jump off the all-natural/pure food wagon for a few minutes.

Oh, and I bought little glass bowls (see photo at top) to avoid any chemicals from plastics leaching into the warm liquid. So, technically it's healthy.

In my book, anyway.

Summer days are often portrayed in movies as a series of lazy afternoons laying barefoot in the grass, sipping iced tea. This may be the picture we wish we could snap everyday. But most of us lead a more chaotic lifestyle than that, unfortunately.

In fact, it often takes some serious planning and motivation to get to the part where you can simply snack in a lawn chair and kick your feet up. But it doesn't have to.

Although gluten-free snacking retreats may take a little planning and foresight, summer offers some simple solutions. So, if I do find myself with a few minutes to spare under the shade of my backyard tree, I plan to have some healthful and delicious snacks ready to feed my summer cravings.

Here are my top five favorite ways to snack away the afternoon without a second thought:

1. Easy and filling snacks are key to staying fed during those get-up-and-go summer adventures, or during long stretches outdoors. I like to munch on gluten-free peanut butter and apple slices (photo above), carrot sticks and hummus or Laughing Cow cheese with Glutino crackers to avoid hunger during those kinds of days. Tip: I like to cut my apple slices horizontally. It feels a little more like a chips-and-dip alternative this way, and looks like it belongs on a red checkered tablecloth.

2. You can't get more simple than a bowl of fruit. Right now, strawberries are in season (photo above), and soon the markets will be full of a wide variety of many other summer offerings. Right now, we are also living on watermelon. I like to take a giant orb right outside and cut it up on a cutting board atop my metal table. The kids get a treat, and I don't get a sticky mess in my kitchen!

3. Rice cakes. They may be the proverbial "diet" staple, but they should also be a gluten-free staple. From sweet, to salty, to BOTH, the convenient snack is found nearly everywhere you can buy food and meets almost every craving with every crunchy bite. A good summertime grab for long car rides or the beach bag. My favorite are Quaker's Caramel Corn cakes.

4. Yogurt parfaits. Oh my. With fresh berries in season, it's the perfect time to layer up and dive into this decadent treat. And with much less calories than other sweets, it's a good call during swimsuit weather. I recommend Stoneyfield Organic's fat free French Vanilla with blueberries and a sprinkle of gluten-free granola (above). Jessica's Naturals is a good granola choice. Check out store locations here.


5. Lunch for dinner. In the summer, we eat Ballpark hotdogs, grilled cheese sandwiches and chicken salad for dinner. The key here is we didn't turn on the oven. And light, quick "lunch" meals get us out the door quicker, so we can run through the sprinkler a few more times.

This recipe can be made ahead of time and uses a chicken boiling method that is quick, keeps the chicken moist and avoids turning on the oven:

Summer Chicken Salad
1 whole chicken breast (it looks like two pieces)
1 box (about 30 ounces) gluten-free chicken stock (such as Kitchen Basics or Pacific)
4 stalks celery chopped
1 small sweet onion, chopped
1 cup green seedless grapes, cut into quarters
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup mayo (regular or safflower)
A splash of lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons dried dill
Salt, pepper to taste

To cook the chicken: Separate chicken breast and cut into about four pieces. Place chicken in a medium saucepan and cover with stock/broth. Bring to boil over a high heat then turn the heat down. Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes then remove a piece with tongs. Make a slit in it. If it is pink, it needs to cook longer. If it is white, it is done and you can remove the rest and chop into cubes or tear with a fork. Cool 10-15 minutes.

While chicken is cooling, chop veggies. Combine in large bowl. Cool in fridge for 1 hour or eat warm.

Serve on gluten-free bread as a sandwich, wrap in a large lettuce leaf (bib works best) or just put it in a bowl and enjoy.

Kick back and take in the summer. It will be gone before we know it!

I have just come off a month of eating gluten free and feel great. I have re-introduced a small amount of the wheat protein into my diet and am committed to eating a healthy, well-balanced assortment of fruits, veggies and protein.

Fresh food, real food, is what makes me feel best. And I'm striving to bring that feeling to my family's plates at each passing meal.

Nothing makes me more proud than when I see the kids eat handfuls of fresh strawberries or when I observe watermelon juice dripping from their little chins. I sit content watching them eat crisp green beans and the tops of dark green broccoli florets. Gluten-free or not, fresh food that is not processed and grown in the Earth is best. And summer allows us to dig up the best food for ourselves and our families.

On Mother's Day, my husband picked up on my new found quest to get my hands dirty and sow some seeds of my own. I woke that Sunday morning to the sound of a hammer and nails, drills and saws. The kids were on hand with their tape measures. They had built me a garden box so I could start to really dig into a healthier lifestyle. And it was tall enough to keep our plant-loving Labrador away from the sprouting feast.

A few weeks later, the box was able to be filled with compost, peat moss and Happy Frog Soil Conditioner. And a few short days ago (we were advised to let the soil "digest" for about a week), the kids and I planted tomatoes, bell peppers, green beans, lettuce, cucumber, zucchini, carrots and herbs (photo above is my little ones dropping some zucchini seeds). I am calling this my "starter" garden to see how well I can do, and hope to add on next year. I know friends who are picking berries already and enjoying some of their bounties. I will keep you posted on the fruits of my own labors.

For now, farmers market fare will have to do. Here is a list of regional markets. I love to visit the Royal Oak Farmers Market and Eastern Market.

Here is a small list of what you can expect to find at the market in early June: Strawberries, aparagus, greens, farm-fresh eggs, potted plants, fresh herbs, lettuce and greens. Nothing beats food fresh from the farmers, and it's always worth the trip when I come home with a tote bag or two filled with fresh market fare.

Don't want to lug all that home from the market every week? Door to Door Organics now offers food from a local Community Supported Agriculture group (CSA). In a CSA, each person is a 'member' who purchases a share of the seasons produce. It's a way to support a local farm, and get to eat all the benefits. Check out Door to Door Organics for more information on its regular delivery service or CSA option.

By mid-summer I will only need to travel to my own backyard if I find myself lucky enough to produce a bountiful garden.

In the meantime, I ran across this recipe the other day. It ran in the OP years ago, and makes use of tomatoes, fresh cilantro and cucumber.

Chickpea Salad
2 cups coarsely chopped tomatoes (about 3 medium)
15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 large cucumber, peeled, quartered and sliced
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 cup fresh cilantro
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1 clove garlic, minced
1/8 teaspoon sugar

In a very large bowl, combine tomatoes, chickpeas, cucumber, bell pepper, cilantro and onion. Set aside.

To make dressing, combine oil, vinegar, salt, garlic and sugar in a bottle or jar. Cap and shake. Pour dressing onto salad and toss to coat. Cover and chill for 4 to 24 hours. Serve salad alone or over greens. (recipe from Better Homes and Garden via The Associated Press)

Tip: I also love this recipe with double the chickpeas and red onion.