5 no-cook dinners to beat the heat
I could cook when it's hot, but why would I when I can just as easily make a no-cook dinner? These five recipes are excuse-proof for those of you burnt out on making dinner: they remove cooking from the equation altogether. Plus they can be made-in under 25 minutes-by anyone wielding nothing more than a sharp knife and a good attitude. There's nothing a hungry family has to wait around for: roll up an easy Creamy Avocado & White Bean Wrap and dinner is ready. Smoky Ham & Corn Salad and Chopped Greek Salad with Chicken take advantage of the summer-fresh vegetables that are falling over themselves to be part of your meals at this time of year. Toss the ingredients in a big bowl: done. By the end of the week, you won't have used the stove once.
Here are a few of my favorite quick no-cook recipes:
Mediterranean Tuna Antipasto Salad (recipe below): Packed with protein and fiber, this tuna and bean salad is ready in a flash. Serve with warm, crusty bread or pack it in a pita for a sandwich. For an extra kick, add a pinch of crushed red pepper or cayenne.
Italian Vegetable Hoagies: This delightfully easy, and somewhat messy, sandwich packs a punch with sweet balsamic vinegar, artichoke hearts, red onion, provolone cheese and zesty pepperoncini. We love it for dinner as well as lunch. If you're packing the hoagies to take along, keep the ingredients separate and assemble right before eating to avoid soggy bread. Serve with tomato and cucumber salad.
Creamy Avocado & White Bean Wrap: White beans mashed with ripe avocado and blended with sharp Cheddar and onion makes an incredibly rich, flavorful filling for this wrap. The tangy, spicy slaw adds crunch. A pinch (or more) of ground chipotle pepper and an extra dash of cider vinegar can be used in place of the canned chipotles in adobo sauce. Serve with tortilla chips, salsa and Tecate beer.
Chopped Greek Salad with Chicken: Chicken turns this Greek-inspired salad into a substantial main course. Feel free to substitute other chopped fresh vegetables, such as broccoli or bell peppers, for the tomatoes or cucumber. Use leftover chicken, store-roasted chicken or quickly poach a couple boneless, skinless chicken breasts while you prepare the rest of the salad. Serve with pita bread and hummus.
Smoky Ham & Corn Salad: Fresh corn, diced deli ham and crunchy croutons are tossed with a smoky, creamy tomato dressing in this light summer salad. Serve with a crisp glass of rosé and sliced melon.
Mediterranean Tuna Antipasto Salad
1 15- to 19-ounce can beans, such as chickpeas, black-eyed peas or kidney beans, rinsed
2 5- to 6-ounce cans water-packed chunk light tuna, drained and flaked (see Note)
1 large red bell pepper, finely diced
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley, divided
4 teaspoons capers, rinsed
1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 cup lemon juice, divided
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 cups mixed salad greens
Combine beans, tuna, bell pepper, onion, parsley, capers, rosemary, 1/4 cup lemon juice and 2 tablespoons oil in a medium bowl. Season with pepper. Combine the remaining 1/4 cup lemon juice, 2 tablespoons oil and salt in a large bowl. Add salad greens; toss to coat. Divide the greens among 4 plates. Top each with the tuna salad.
Makes 4 servings.
Per serving: 326 calories; 17 g fat (2 g sat, 11 g mono); 17 mg cholesterol; 28 g carbohydrate; 22 g protein; 10 g fiber; 652 mg sodium; 681 mg potassium. Nutrition bonus: Vitamin C (160% daily value), Vitamin A (100% dv), Folate (42% dv), Potassium & Iron (20% dv).
Note: Chunk light tuna, which comes from the smaller skipjack or yellowfin, has less mercury than canned white albacore tuna. FDA/EPA advice recommends no more than 6 ounces of albacore a week; up to 12 ounces canned light tuna is considered safe.
By Hilary Meyer
EatingWell assistant editor Hilary Meyer spends much of her time in the EatingWell Test Kitchen, testing and developing healthy recipes. She is a graduate of New England Culinary Institute.
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