When it's 90 degrees outside, the last thing you want to do is fire up your oven. Even if the air conditioning is blasting, it still seems wrong to waste energy cooling down the kitchen in the summer. Thankfully, there are plenty of healthy, delicious meals you can put together without preheating the oven, turning on a burner, or even standing over a flaming outdoor grill in the sweltering heat. Here are ten of my favorite "no-cook" dinners to keep you feeling cool all season long:
Salmon salad on a bed of greens: Drain canned salmon and mash with minced onion and low-fat mayo. Serve over a bed of salad greens and any other veggies you like (carrots, cucumber, radishes, bell peppers, tomatoes, celery, you name it).
Mexican wrap: Stuff a whole grain tortilla with canned black beans (rinsed and drained), shredded reduced-fat cheese, chopped tomato, shredded lettuce, salsa, and optional reduced-fat sour cream and scallions.
Gazpacho with shrimp: Make a cold gazpacho soup by blending together ripe tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, onion, garlic, fresh herbs, and desired seasonings in a blender or food processor. Top your bowl with cold, precooked shrimp to add protein and make it a complete meal.
Hummus plate: Assemble a tray with homemade or store-bought hummus, veggies for dipping (baby carrots, celery, bell pepper sticks, and cucumber slices all offer delicious crunch), and whole grain crackers or pita triangles. Round out your plate with some grapes or other fruit and perhaps a handful of heart-healthy olives.
Turkey, roasted red pepper, and feta sandwich: To make a delicious sandwich spread, whisk together 1 cup feta cheese crumbles with ¼ cup reduced-fat sour cream or nonfat Greek yogurt, dried or fresh oregano or basil, and black pepper. Smear a few tablespoons on two slices of whole grain bread, and top with sliced turkey breast, jarred roasted red peppers, lettuce, and onion to make a sensational sandwich.
Peanut butter-strawberry pizza: Run your knife around the outside of a whole wheat pita to split it into two circles. Spread each circle with about a tablespoon of natural peanut butter and sprinkle with sliced strawberries (sliced bananas and other berries taste great, too). Serve your "pizza" with nonfat yogurt or cottage cheese on the side to bump up the protein factor.
Greek chopped salad: Combine diced tomato, cucumber, and red onion with a can of drained and rinsed chickpeas. Add in some "light" red wine vinaigrette dressing (or whisk up your own) and toss to coat.
English muffin with lox and the works: Toast a whole grain English muffin and spread both sides lightly with reduced-fat cream cheese. Top each half with lox, sliced tomato and onion, and optional capers. Enjoy with sliced melon or other fresh fruit on the side.
Black bean salad: Mix together canned black beans (rinsed and drained), corn kernels (fresh off the cob or thawed from frozen), cubed avocado, and scallions. Make a simple vinaigrette by whisking together lime juice and zest, olive oil, and minced cilantro.
Curry chicken salad wrap: Pick up a rotisserie chicken at the store, remove the skin, and shred the meat (or, used canned chicken breast). Combine with diced red onion and celery, halved red grapes, reduced-fat mayo, and curry powder. Stuff it into a whole grain wrap, or mound it atop a mixed green salad.
