Let's face it — cooking during the hottest months of summer pretty much sucks. It's so hot out that we don't really want to turn on the stove, let alone the oven. To compensate for our lack of kitchen use, we end up eating out too much, and making too many no-cook salads.
Crisp, leafy greens are great and all, but after a while, our stomachs are begging for something different. That's where these alternative summer meals come in. They're still healthy and don't feel heavy, which makes them perfect for hot weather. But the best part about them is that they aren't salads. Click through for four easy summer meals that will get you back into the kitchen — heat waves be damned.
Crab Stuffed Avocados
Don't be frightened by the crab, you can pick up pre-prepared crab meat at the supermarket, just like you would a can of tuna. Or, you can always sub in canned tuna, for something more familiar.
Photographed by Lisa Shin; Food styling Jamie Kimm; Prop styling by Gözde Eker.
Crab Stuffed Avocados
Serves 2
Ingredients
200g crab
2 avocados
1/2 small cucumber
1/2 grapefruit
Salt and pepper
1 jalapeño or 1 hot red pepper
Instructions
1. In a bowl, toss together the crab meat, diced cucumber, grapefruit segments, and a pinch of salt and pepper.
2. If adding some heat, add a few thin slices of chilis in as well.
3. Cut the avocados in half and remove the pits. Fill the avocados with the crab mixture.
Photographed by Lisa Shin; Food styling Jamie Kimm; Prop styling by Gözde Eker.
Caprese "Lasagna" Squash Stacks
If you love spiralised courgette noodles, you'll love this stacked-veggie version of summer lasagna.
Photographed by Lisa Shin; Food styling Jamie Kimm; Prop styling by Gözde Eker.
Caprese "Lasagna" Squash Stacks
Ingredients
1 summer squash
1 courgette
1-2 medium tomatoes
100g mozzarella
2-3 tbsp Parmesan
A few basil leaves
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Instructions
1. Pre-heat the oven to 200°C. Thinly slice the courgette and squash length-wise.
2. Toss the vegetables with a drizzle of olive oil and some salt and pepper. Grill or sauté them for about 2 minutes on each side until they are no longer raw but not necessarily cooked through.
3. In a small baking dish, layer a slice of courgette, a little Parmesan, a slice of squash, a few basil leaves, slices of tomato, a little bit of mozzarella, and then another courgette slice, a little Parmesan, a slice of squash, slices of tomato, a little bit of mozzarella, and a top with a little more Parmesan.
4. Keep building the vegetable stacks. You should be able to make 3 to 4 stacks. Bake them at 200°C for about 5-8 minutes until the cheese is melted and the top is just starting to brown.
Photographed by Lisa Shin; Food styling Jamie Kimm; Prop styling by Gözde Eker.
Carrot "Noodle" Bowl With Ginger Miso Dressing
Courgette isn't the only veggie that can be turned into noodles. Try this for a new spin.
Photographed by Lisa Shin; Food styling Jamie Kimm; Prop styling by Gözde Eker.
Carrot "Noodle" Bowl With Ginger Miso Dressing
Ingredients
4 large carrots
1 tsp grated ginger
1 small clove garlic, crushed
1 tsp rice wine vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
1 tbsp miso
2 tsp honey
3 tbsp vegetable oil
A few mint or coriander leaves
1 small handful nuts (almonds or peanuts)
Salt
Optional toppings: greens, feta cheese, white beans, chickpeas, shredded chicken, hardboiled egg
Instructions
1. Using a spiraliser, food processor, or vegetable peeler, turn the carrots into long, thin carrot noodles. Reserve a large handful of carrots and place the rest in a medium pan.
2. Cover the carrots in water and cook over medium heat for about 8-10 minutes until just cooked through but still firm.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the ginger, miso, honey, vinegar, crushed garlic, oil and a little salt.
4. Drain the carrots and toss them with the dressing. Add in the reserved carrots, these will add a nice bright crunch to the dish. Add the chopped peanuts and chopped herbs and serve with optional toppings of your choosing.
Photographed by Lisa Shin; Food styling Jamie Kimm; Prop styling by Gözde Eker.
Summer Rolls
If you've never made summer rolls, you're missing out! Not only are they easy to make, but they're also the perfect snack for munching on the go.
Photographed by Lisa Shin; Food styling Jamie Kimm; Prop styling by Gözde Eker.
Summer Rolls
Ingredients
6 large spring roll/rice paper sheets
1 small cucumber
1 avocado
1-2 cups of lettuce or greens of your choice
1/2 mango
1 handful mint leaves (2-3 sprigs of mint)
1 lemon
3 tbsp almond butter (or nut butter of your choice)
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp honey
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper
Instructions
1. Slice the mango, cucumber, and half the avocado into thin pieces.
2. Prepare the avocado dipping sauce by mashing up the remaining avocado half and combining it with the olive oil, the juice of half a lemon, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Thin out with 1-3 teaspoons of water until you reach your desired consistency.
3. Make the almond dipping sauce by combining the almond butter with 2 tablespoons of warm water. Whisk together until combined and stir in the honey, soy sauce, juice of half a lemon and a pinch of salt.
4. Once all your components are ready, fill a large shallow bowl with room temperature water. One roll at a time, place the sheet of rice paper in the water for a few seconds, just long enough to make it pliable. Take the rice paper out of the water and dab on a little bit of the dipping sauce of your choice followed by a few slices of avocado, mango and cucumber, add a mint leaf or 2 and a few leaves of lettuce and roll once, fold in the sides, and continue to roll up your summer roll. Repeat with the remaining rice paper sheets.
Photographed by Lisa Shin; Food styling Jamie Kimm; Prop styling by Gözde Eker.Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
Travis Scott Reveals Kylie Jenner's Favourite Ice Cream, Pizza Order & Bedtime Snack
Starbucks Plans To Eliminate Single-Use Plastic Straws By 2020