Cool Summer Meal Options That Won't Heat Up Your Kitchen

By Julie Senger

Since the temps will only continue to rise as the official first day of summer approaches, the last thing most of us want to do is increase the heat (or the electricity bill) inside our homes by preparing a meal on the stove top or in the oven, but we still gotta eat! While using an outdoor grill can be a great option, sometimes it might be raining, or you might want to stay in the air conditioning to avoid flies and mosquitoes. Here are some recipes you can prepare inside to help you stay cool.

Some Assembly Required
Salads and sandwiches are great options. Simply choose ingredients that dont require cooking.

Spring Goddess Sandwich
Makes 2 large vegetarian-friendly sandwiches.
Source: FeastingAtHome.com)

Sandwich Ingredients
1 batch chickpea salad
4 slices of your favorite
bread (or 2 sliced bagels
or sandwich wraps)
1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
2 large lettuce leaves
1 cucumber, thinly sliced
1 carrot, thinly sliced
with a peeler
4 radishes, thinly sliced
1 avocado, sliced
Alfalfa sprouts to taste

Chickpea Salad Ingredients
1 can chickpeas,
rinsed and drained
1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley
1/4 cup chopped dill
2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
1-2 tablespoons mayonnaise
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
Place all ingredients in a medium bowl; mix and mash with a fork until well combined.
Spread whole-grain mustard on your choice of bread.
Add lettuce and a generous amount of chickpea salad.
Layer sliced cucumber, carrots, radishes, and avocado.
Top with alfalfa and a second slice of bread/bagel (or roll closed if using wraps).
Cut in half and enjoy.

Avocado Tuna Salad
(Serves 2-3, keto-friendly. Source: NatashasKitchen.com)

Ingredients
15-oz tuna in oil, drained and flaked (3 small cans)
1 cucumber, sliced
2 large or 3 medium avocados, peeled, pitted,
and diced (1-inch cubes)
1 small/medium red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup cilantro (half of a small bunch)
2 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
In a large salad bowl, combine cucumber, avocado, onion, tuna, and cilantro.
Add lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper and toss to combine.
Serve and enjoy.

Done in a Flash
Use your trusty ol microwave on busy days when you need a quick-fix hot meal. This recipe is also great for when children need to make their own meal or for college students who dont have access to a stove/oven in their dorm room.

Microwave Mug Pizza
(Serves 1. Source: BiggerBolderBaking.com)

Ingredients
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/8 tablespoon baking powder
1/16 tablespoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon marinara sauce
1 heaping tablespoon shredded mozzarella cheese
5 mini pepperonis
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Instructions
Mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a microwaveable mug.
Add the milk and oil to the flour mixture and stir until well combined.
Spoon the marinara sauce on top of the batter and lightly spread it over the surface.
Sprinkle the cheese over the marinara and top with pepperonis and Italian seasoning.
Microwave for 1 minute and 10-20 seconds, or until the pizza rises and the toppings are bubbling (listed time is based on 1200-watt microwave).

Simmer Down Now
If you own a Crock-Pot, you can prepare meals that take their sweet time, safely simmering all day while you complete other tasks. Or, if you have an Instant Pot, you can make meals that ordinarily need to simmer in a Crock-Pot all day in a fraction of the time. Both methods will save you from heating up the kitchen.

Crock-Pot Pepper Jack Chicken
(Serves 3-4. Source: RecipesThatCrock.com)

Ingredients
3-4 pounds boneless/skinless chicken thighs or breasts
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons cumin
salt and pepper to taste
10-oz frozen whole green beans
1 bell pepper, seeded and sliced
8-oz fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup butter
10 slices pepper jack cheese

Instructions
Place chicken in the bottom of a 6-quart Crock-Pot and season with onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, salt, and pepper.
Layer frozen green beans, followed by mushrooms then peppers.
Add more salt and pepper to taste, top with butter, and cook on low for 4-6 hours (or until chicken shreds when stirred).
Stir the chicken until shredded, top with pepper jack cheese, and cook on high until the cheese melts.

Instant Pot Summer Vegetable Soup
(Serves 8. Source: RaisingGenerationNourished.com)

Ingredients
2 quarts bone or vegetable broth
1 medium onion, peeled and quartered
6 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1 small/medium eggplant, coarsely sliced into rounds
2 large tomatoes, seeded and coarsely sliced
1 medium zucchini, coarsely sliced into rounds
1 medium summer squash, coarsely sliced into rounds
1 cup corn
1 cup green beans
1 small orange bell pepper, seeded and coarsely sliced
1 small red bell pepper, seeded and coarsely sliced
1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped (or 2-3 teaspoons dried basil)
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
Put everything into the Instant Pot, put on the lid, and close the valve.
Push the Soup setting and adjust the time to 10 minutes. It will turn on automatically and take about 15 minutes to come to pressure before the 10 minutes start to count down.
When the Instant Pot is done cooking, release the valve to let the pressure out, remove the lid, and use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth.
Add salt and pepper to taste.