Heat Wave: Your Favourite Hot Weather Foods
 

It's hotter than heck, you don't have A/C, and you don't want to further heat up your kitchen. What are your staple meals, snacks and drinks?

- Salads are an obvious one. Here's a thread devoted to meal salad ideas.
- SF Jello - I use the microwave to boil the cup of water.
- Iced tea - Make really strong tea (4 tea bags) in a mug in the microwave, let it steep and cool, pour over ice in a pitcher, add cold water/sweetener/lemon juice to taste... or get some cold brew tea bags and do it all in the fridge.
- Iced coffee. I add some sweetener while it's hot, chill it, then add the cream when I pour it over ice.
- Yogurt and berries
- Smoothies with frozen berries, peanut butter, protein powder, pasteurized liquid eggs, yogurt... whatever.
- Lettuce wraps with whatever usual sandwich you'd have.
- Plain ol' deli plate: deli meats or plain leftover cooked meat, cheeses, pickles, sliced veggies, dip.
- Pork rinds with salsa and sour cream.
- Cold noodle salads: either shirataki or spiralized zucchini. I like to make a glass noodle type of salad, or it works as any other pasta salad.
- Cold leftover crustless quiche. Sounds weird, but I love it!
- Smoked salmon - thaw and enjoy. My favourite way to do this is almost like faux sushi - roll it up with seaweed snacks, avocado and cream cheese; dip in soy sauce.

Cooking tips:
- If I need to use the oven, I'll try to plan ahead and do multiple recipes at once. I keep an eye on the weather forecast and pick a kitchen monkey morning when it's going to be coolest. I do most of the prep ahead of time.
- I like to make max use of the microwave. If I really want hot food, I'm guaranteed to have leftovers in the freezer I can just nuke. (Let's back this up: always cook enough for leftovers. ;) ) Maybe I'll nuke a small container of chili that I'll dip pork rinds into, along with some sour cream, salsa and/or guacamole.
- Use your crock pot and maybe even take it to the basement, garage, spare room, etc and cook a big batch of chicken breasts or a roast overnight.
- BBQ! I don't have one, but have at 'er if you do.
- My clam shell grill heats up really quickly, cooks things really quickly, and doesn't really heat up the kitchen. Perfect for already-cooked meats like wieners and smoked sausage.

I live in Florida and don't use the AC.

I drink a lot of refrigerated water. Ice cream is good (Rebel and Carb Smart). A lunch could be slices of cheese and refrigerated ripe olives.

I don't worry about it much though. I pretty much eat the same things. I even drink hot coffee and tea.

Bob

Following! I never know what to eat in the summer except salad

My son whips up frozen cranberries with water in the blender. A touch of crystal lite to sweeten.

I like adding ice before blending myself.

Cool and refreshing and supports anti colon cancer bacteria.

A go-to I'd always done was making a savory molded salmon mousse or "salad" - cold and refreshing. I have a perfect copper mold ring that works. And you can make a sauce with it or not.
- Kat
ps so glad to see this thread, Kristine!

iced coffee.

iced tea.

I always have 30 oz Ozark Trail tumblers that I keep filled with green tea bags and water ready to go. I've also got cold coffee going also.

Finding a surprising number of recipes for the toaster oven - Have made Chicken Nachos in it w/canned chicken, black olives instead of black beans, and pork rinds instead of chips. They turn out really well and no heating the kitchen.
I also made stuffed Poblanos, same deal, canned chicken, so no cooking.
(Many people probably already use their toaster oven - new to me!)
Kat

Can't believe I didn't think of this one: rotisserie chicken from the grocery store. One of our local stores (Metro) also does nice pork roasts, ready to go. I watch for specials when the cooked chicken is basically the same price as buying a raw one and cooking it yourself.

Today--- ICE WATER !

And maybe an omelet.

From the refrigerator, cheese (cheddar and a few others), black olives, and unsalted mixed nuts. No cooking, keto friendly, minimal clean up, and tasty.

Bob

Yesterday too HHH for even an omlet.

COLD bone broth, aka turkey soup, with meat and fat; and a cold salad of fresh picked greens , evoo, acv, parmesan cheese.

Cold bone broth is not for the faint of heart; but learning to eat new foods thru following DANDR has widened what my palate can handle.

If you’re making bone broth you can go a step further and make aspic salad with chicken pork, etc. don’t forget to add vinegar spices. Sometimes you might have to add extra plain gelatin. Or if you are in a truly Lazy Bone heat wave mood, just go out and buy head cheese.... it scares a lot a folk, but it shouldn’t , serve with dressed up mayo

Canned tuna fish with mayo and refrigerated!

cold coffee
cold green tea
kefir and nuts / seeds

i'd normally say iced coffee / iced tea, but there's no frozen water involved lol.

:)

Love head cheese-- have never found it in these parts though......