When the sun is scorching outside and the thermometer is +30 and climbing, the thought of baking dough or cooking meat on the stove or in the oven is truly disgusting. On such days, you just want to organize a quick, hearty lunch or breakfast and go enjoy the sunny day or sunbathe on the beach.
Even biologically, our body slows down its metabolism in extreme heat, so we want to eat much less, and ideally we would like to cook something light and cool, and stand by hot pots all day without strength or desire to eat to your heart’s content. That is why the ideal summer menu should consist of products that do not require heat treatment, so as not to waste precious time on this. If you are looking for the best summer dishes, or to cook in the heat , they should be as simple, vitamin-rich and quick as possible, as in this list we have compiled below of 5 win-win options that can be prepared in a matter of minutes, even without a stove at home.
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Cold soups: a simple escape from the heat
Cold soups are an absolute hit of the summer season. They were popular with our ancestors and retain their benefits and taste even today, especially in the heat when you don’t feel like eating much but at the same time need to satisfy both hunger and thirst, helping the body cool down from the inside.
1. Classic refreshing okroshka on kefir
If our ancestors had lived to this day, they would probably say, “What is summer without traditional okroshka on kefir?”
Okroshka was perfect for those days when you want something hearty but cool. To avoid cooking meat or sausage, use ready-made ingredients. I ate and went to work in the fields.
- Ingredients: boiled meat (you can buy ready-made baked fillet or ham) – 200 g, fresh cucumbers – 3 pcs., radishes – 6-8 pcs., green onions and dill – a large bunch each, kefir (1-2.5%) – 1 l, highly carbonated mineral water – 0.5 l, salt, mustard – to taste.
How to cook: Everything is as simple and quick as possible, you need to cut all the vegetables and meat into the same small cubes. Finely chop the greens and lightly rub with salt to release the juice. Mix all the ingredients in a large saucepan, add a spoonful of mustard for piquancy. Pour in cold kefir (2/3) and mineral water (1/3).
Spanish tomato gazpacho
This soup takes exactly as long as your blender is running. Spanish because they are used to the heat, and tomatoes are full of vitamins and incredible freshness!
- Ingredients: ripe fleshy tomatoes — 4 pcs., bell pepper (red) — 1 pc., cucumber (without skin) — 1 pc., garlic — 1 clove, olive oil — 2 tbsp. l., apple cider vinegar or lemon juice — 1 tbsp. l., salt and pepper.
How to prepare: Make cross-shaped cuts on the tomatoes and pour boiling water over them (from the kettle) to easily remove the skin. Cut all the vegetables into arbitrary pieces, throw them into the blender bowl. Add garlic, oil, vinegar and spices. Beat until smooth and silky and serve right away!
Cooking tip: Refrigerate the finished gazpacho for at least 30 minutes. Serve with ice cubes and fresh basil.
Light salads and snacks: minimum calories, maximum taste
For those who are sensitive about their figure, or when heavy food causes stomach discomfort, light salads and snacks made from fresh ingredients come to the rescue.
Salad with watermelon, feta cheese and mint
This salad may seem like something very unusual, but the combination of sweet, salty, and refreshing is the ultimate idyll for all of our taste buds at the same time, which makes it a true culinary masterpiece.
- Ingredients: watermelon pulp (seedless) – 400 g, feta cheese – 150 g, fresh mint – a few sprigs, red sweet onion – 1/4 pc. (optional), olive oil – 1 tbsp. l., juice of half a lime.
How to prepare the salad:
Cut the watermelon and feta into large cubes.
Cut the onion into half rings as thin as possible.
Tear the mint leaves with your hands.
Carefully mix the ingredients in a salad bowl so as not to turn the feta into mush.
Drizzle with lime juice and olive oil.
Serve and enjoy!
Spring rolls with fresh vegetables and lightly salted fish
This is a great alternative to hot side dishes. Rice paper does not need to be cooked – just soak it in room temperature water.
- Ingredients: rice paper – 6-8 sheets, lightly salted salmon or tuna – 150 g, cucumber – 1 pc., carrot – 1 pc., avocado – 1 pc., lettuce leaves, soy sauce for serving.
How to cook step by step: Cut the cucumber, carrot, avocado, and fish into long, thin strips.
Pour drinking water into a wide plate.
Dip a sheet of rice paper in water for 10-15 seconds until it becomes soft.
Place it on a board, add a lettuce leaf, some vegetables and fish, and wrap it tightly like a regular pancake and it’s ready to eat!
Refreshing drinks to drink
No summer menu is complete without the right drinks. Since alcohol and sugary drinks are dangerous in the heat, or to avoid drinking harmful sugary soda from the store, prepare a healthy alternative at home.
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Homemade lemonade with cucumber and basil
These refreshing drinks not only quench your thirst, but are also good for your health, saturating the body with antioxidants and helping to fight dehydration.
- Ingredients: fresh cucumber — 1 pc., lemon — 1 pc., fresh purple or green basil — a small bunch, drinking water (regular or carbonated) — 1.5 l, honey or agave syrup — 1-2 tbsp. l. (optional).
How to cook at home:
- Cut the cucumber and half of the lemon into thin slices.
2. Squeeze the juice from the other half of the lemon.
3. Lightly crush the basil leaves in a jar with a masher or wooden spoon to release the essential oils.
4. Add the sliced cucumber, lemon, lemon juice, and sweetener to the pitcher.
5. Pour water and let it steep in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours.
We hope that after cooking, these simple recipes will prove to you that you can eat varied, tasty, and healthy food in the summer, while keeping the kitchen cool and without touching the stove!
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