The dog days of summer have arrived. Sweltering temperatures reflect heat off granite and asphalt, driving locals and visitors alike to the lakes in the Tahoe Siera to find relief. It’s the time of year when it’s too hot to spend time in the kitchen and turning on the oven is a recipe for overheating. Some people choose to cook or prep in the cooler hours of the morning. I generally relish mornings with coffee and a paddle, so I look for alternative ways to prepare meals that beat the heat.
During the summer months, I prepare healthy meals that are simple to prepare and easy to digest. I cook meals on the stovetop, on a grill or in an Instant Pot. One-pot meals are part of myfrequent dinner rotation and generally include protein and vegetables with a grain or starch. I also think about time in the kitchen, creating meals that take 30 to 45 minutes to prep and cook.If I run out of ideas for things to cook, I turn to Christopher Kimball‘s “The World in a SkilletCookbook.” Many of his recipes take less than an hour to prepare and are cooked on the stove.
The key to creating quick and easy meals is the appliances in the kitchen. The Cuisinart, blender (I use a Vitamix), Instant Pot and a stand-up mixer are all the tools I can’t live without. They make life easier and help cut down time spent in the kitchen.
For lunch, I lean into green salads with protein or items like chicken, egg or tuna salads that can be added to greens or to create a sandwich. It is always helpful to prep and have some meal components on hand. Hummus, greens, yogurt and vegetables are foundations for easy meals. Opening the refrigerator when it’s hot and not having any prepped items can often be a frustrating experience.
For summer dinners, I enjoy meals that are simple yet satisfying. Grilled Asian salmon bowls with rice, vegetables, nori and sesame-soy-ginger sauce are some of the dinners I enjoy serving.Shrimp and polenta (or orzo) with peas; crabcakes with a siracha aioli; stir-fried dishes or riceand noodle bowls with fun sauces to flavor the dish are also part of my rotation of meals. These menus are simple and do not require an oven.
Tacos, fajitas, lettuce wraps, and nori wraps are relatively easy and don’t require an oven. Most of these recipes are simple and satisfying on a hot summer evening. Meatballs with beef, chicken, turkey or vegetables can be made in 30 minutes. Serve with pasta and a braised garlic rapini.
Cold dishes are an obvious choice in the summer. Mediterranean and Middle Eastern dishes offer several recipes that are easy to prepare and don’t require a lot of cooking. Consider hummus, pita, vegetables with tabbouleh or a Fattoush salad (see recipe below) with lemon chicken and pan-seared summer squash with cherry tomatoes and red onion. Curried chicken salad in lettuce wraps, served with a golden beet salad and German potato salad, is easy to prepare and delightfully delicious.
Hit the grill
Grilled tofu and vegetables, skewered chicken or beef kabobs with vegetables, grilled steak with chimichurri sauce and burgers of any type are great on a grill and are delicious choices for dinner. Load up on veggies, grill corn on the cob and serve with herbed compound butter. Marinated grilled zucchini and summer squash with Italian dressing or grilled asparagus can accompany almost any dinner.
Fattoush Salad
From the kitchen of Priya Hutner
SALAD
2 heads romaine lettuce, chopped
1 English cucumber, diced
6-8 radishes, sliced
1 small red onion, sliced thin
1 red pepper, diced
½ C fresh curly parsley, chopped
½ C cherry tomatoes, halved
1½ C pita chips
DRESSING
¼ C Greek olive oil
2 T lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 t ground sumac
1 t pomegranate molasses
1 T fresh mint, chopped
1 t kosher salt
1 t fresh ground black pepper
Blend the dressing ingredients and chill. Assemble salad ingredients in a large bowl. Add pita chips and toss with chilled dressing.
