What do you do on those hot, humid days when it’s just too hot to cook?
It certainly has been hot here in upstate New York. Some love this weather and some hide indoors. And for those without air conditioning, one thing is for sure, cooking a meal is not on your list of priorities.
One of the beauties of this summer weather is that we have more access to farmers’ markets and roadside stands, with their abundance of locally grown fruits and vegetables.
Are you ready for summer and the heat? What is your plan on those nights when it is too hot to turn on the stove or oven to cook. Rather than fall into the trap of grabbing take-out on the way home, try the following ideas. It takes a little planning, but you won’t get stuck eating highly processed food full of salt, sugar and fat.
- On cooler days or weekends, cook in bulk. It really doesn’t take any extra time to double the recipe. Freeze the leftovers right away in individual containers. This way, no matter how many people are home, you can easily defrost the right amount of food.
- Make a large salad with several vegetables from the farmers market and add a protein to complete like tuna, leftover chicken or turkey, salmon, chickpeas or black beans.
- Cook brown rice, millet or quinoa in large batches and store in fridge for the week.
- Use your slow cooker. One of my favorite easy recipes is pork tenderloin, organic unsweetened applesauce and a couple of sprinkles of cinnamon cooked on low all day. The pork pulls apart and can be served over the brown rice, millet or quinoa that you pre-cooked earlier in the week. Serve with a salad.
- Grill outside. Cook your marinated chicken and steak, (marinating decreases the HCAs or heterocyclic amines that increase your risk for cancer) veggies and potatoes on your grill. And of course, our favorites, hamburgers.
- Made-in-advance seafood salad, chicken salad or tuna salad on whole grain roll or bread is a refreshing and cooling dish on a hot night.
- The combinations of pasta salads are plentiful: pasta with shrimp, or green beans and pistachios, or asparagus and goat cheese, or melon and prosciutto. A cold salad on a hot night is perfect. Especially when it’s made ahead.
- Whole wheat pitas stuffed with sliced hard-boiled eggs, avocado and tomato slices or turkey, romaine and cranberries.
- And don’t forget the wraps. Tex-mex wrap with black beans, salsa, sour cream and shredded cheese or left-over chicken with romaine, celery, tomato, hot sauce, a little ranch dressing or crumbly blue cheese.
The most important thing with any of these meals is planning ahead. Keeping your fridge and freezer stocked with the basics is the difference between quickly throwing together a tasty, nutritious meal on a steamy night versus buying take-out.
My last article was a challenge for you to slow down when eating. I received positive feedback from that challenge, so I am going to challenge you once again. Pick one thing on this list that appeals to you and prepare in advance for the next hazy, hot and humid night when turning on the stove or oven just isn’t happening. Stay cool!