Blog Posts by Southern Living

In order to give your body all the nutrients it needs, it's important to always have fruits and vegetables make their way on to your plate. And the richer it's color, the more packed with nutrients that fruit or veggie is. This Roasted Asparagus Salad works on its own as a vegetarian meal or as a delicious side, and best of all, it's got those strong colors that mean you're eating right.

Check out 24 other colorful meals that help boost your nutrition on SouthernLiving.com.

Roasted Asparagus Salad
Yield: Makes 8 servings

Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds fresh asparagus
1/2 cup olive oil, divided
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, divided
1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes (about 1/2 pt.)
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1 head Bibb lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces
1 avocado,

Homemade ice cream is easier to make than you think and it's the kind of inspired summer treat to leave guests wanting more. The best part is that you can customize it with any of your favorite ingredients and create something you'd never find in the freezer aisle. Like this Cherry-Bourbon Ice Cream.

But if you are more of a chocolate lover or stick strictly to sorbet, don't fret. We've got 20 simple recipes to satisfy every palate on SouthernLiving.com.

Cherry-Bourbon Ice Cream
Yield: Makes about 1 qt. (serving size: 1/2 cup)

Ingredients
1/2 cup granular sweetener for ice cream*
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
1 cup half-and-half
1 egg yolk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or extract
1/2 cup drained and coarsely chopped canned, pitted cherries in heavy syrup
3 tablespoons bourbon

Preparation
1. Whisk together first 3 ingredients in a large heavy saucepan. Gradually whisk

It seems like hot dogs are always getting sidelined - they've become the kid's menu item at family gatherings and the flavorless opponent at Fourth of July eating competitions. Well, we're putting an end to that. All hot dogs really need is a little inspiration from our favorite cuisines. Like the Thai-Style Dog our Test Kitchen whipped up. Topped with cabbage and Sriracha, it's the beginning of a bright, new outlook. Check out 7 more ways to dress up your dog, like the Dixie-Caviar Dog, on southernliving.com.

Thai-Style Dog

Whisk together 2 Tbsp. seasoned rice wine vinegar, 1½ tsp. sesame oil, ½ tsp. honey, ¼ tsp. fish sauce, and 1/8 tsp. dried crushed red pepper. Stir in 2 cups chopped red cabbage, ½ cup sliced English cucumber, and ¼ cup grated carrot. Cover and chill 2 hours.

Stir together ¼ cup light mayonnaise, ¾ tsp. fresh lime juice, and ½ tsp. Asian Sriracha hot chili sauce.

Split tops of bakery buns lengthwise. Grill 8 turkey dogs according to package

What's, sweet, pillow-y, vanilla-scented, and nearly impossible to resist? (Hint: It's not a hug from your Grandma.) It's Winston-Salem's most renowned confection, the Krispy Kreme glazed doughnut, which turns 75 today. It may well be the South's hottest 75-year old, and is not afraid to proclaim it on neon signs.

In honor of the big occasion, we felt obliged to put our spin on the classic. Once you taste a Krispy Kreme flattened on a panini press, the sugar glaze all bubbly and caramelized, you may agree that more can indeed be better. Our test kitchen started with just a single plain doughnut on the press, cooking it for about 30 seconds. It looked like a manhole cover, tasted like heaven.

Then we upped the ante to sandwiches of 2 doughnuts with a filling in the middle. From "Southern Charm" (cream cheese and pepper jelly) to "The Flat Elvis" (banana and peanut butter), the sky's the limit when filling a Krispy Kreme panini. To see photos of our favorites

These spiked treats are the perfect remedy to summer's triple-digit weather! You can stop worrying about ice cubes watering down your drink and start thinking about all the new cocktail combinations you can prepare. We'll get you started with our Southern favorite: Sweet Tea Julep Pops. And if you're thirsty for more, check out the rest of the gallery on southernliving.com. Cheers!

Sweet Tea Julep Pops
Bring 2 cups water to a boil in a 2-qt. saucepan. Remove from heat, add 2 family-size tea bags, and stir in 1 cup firmly packed fresh mint leaves. Cover and steep 10 minutes.
Discard tea bags and mint. Stir in 1 cup cold water, ¾ cup bourbon, ½ cup sugar, and 3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice, stirring until sugar dissolves.
Pour mixture into 12 (3-oz.) paper cups; add a mint leaf and small lemon slice to each, if desired.
Freezing Instructions: Cover each cup with aluminum foil; make a small slit in center, and insert 1 (3½-inch) food-safe wooden ice-cream spoon

Everyone knows it's not a proper BBQ if your meat isn't seasoned right. We're big fans of barbeque sauce, but if you really want to enhance the flavor of your pork or beef instead of covering it up, you need to find an excellent rub. Lucky for you, we've already come up with the perfect combination of spices to bump up your grilling cred. And it's the perfect base for our Smoked Pork Butt. For the custom gift tag, download the template on our site at southernliving.com/food-gift.

Smoky-Sweet BBQ Rub
Makes: 1 cup
Hands-On Time: 5 minutes

¼ cup kosher salt
¼ cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
2 Tbsp. plus 2 tsp. smoked paprika
2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground ginger

Stir together all ingredients. Store in an airtight container up to 1 month.

Related: Selecting Barbeque Meats
Related: Create Your Own Barbecue Sauce

These chilled, creamy pies are the dessert equivalent of a swimming hole-so refreshing you can't help but dive in.

Peanut Butter-Banana Icebox Pie

Ingredients
2 cups cinnamon graham cracker crumbs (about 15 sheets)
1/2 cup finely chopped honey-roasted peanuts
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 (4-oz.) semisweet chocolate baking bar, chopped
2 cups whipping cream, divided
1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large bananas, sliced
Toppings: sweetened whipped cream, chocolate syrup, chopped honey-roasted peanuts

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350°. Stir together first 3 ingredients; firmly press on bottom, up sides, and onto lip of a lightly greased 9-inch pie plate. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven to a wire rack, and cool completely (about 30 minutes).
2. Microwave chocolate and 1/2 cup whipping cream in a small

Get that familiar golden crunch of fried green tomatoes with heart-healthy oil and a nonstick pan in this lighter version of the Southern classic.

Fried Green Tomatoes
Fried Green Tomatoes
Ingredients
4 medium-size green tomatoes (about 1 1/3 lb.)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cup self-rising white cornmeal mix
1/2 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
4 egg whites
3 tablespoons olive oil

Preparation
1. Cut tomatoes into 1/2-inch-thick slices; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Let stand 10 minutes.
2. Combine cornmeal mix and panko in a shallow dish or pie plate. Place flour in a second shallow dish or pie plate. Whisk egg whites in a medium bowl until foamy. Dredge tomato slices in flour, shaking off excess. Dip in egg whites, and dredge in cornmeal mixture.
3. Cook half of tomato slices in 1 1/2 Tbsp. hot oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat 4 to 5 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Season with salt to taste. Place on a wire rack in a jelly-roll pan, and