Too Hot To Cook

We are in the middle of a heat wave. Temps will raise in the upcoming weeks. Cooking will be impossible. What to do? Not cook.

In this day and age, it's easy to get take out food. Despite all the uproar about eating burgers and fries,  they're handy and they are filling. What can be done is careful choosing. Luckily all chains list their calories on their online menus. You can choose wisely and have a low calorie, no fuss meal. Burger King offers the Morningstar Farms veggie burger which is only 390 calories. Have their onion rings which are only 150 calories for a small serving. Panera is another chain that delivers and they have healthy choices for the whole family. You can customize  salads with ingredients you like. Try their Caesar salad which is only 390 calories or their garden salad. Toss in some avocado and almonds for more flavor and protein. Panera's sandwiches are also light - perfect for these steamy days. Order a few of their Mediterranean veggie sandwiches. Tasty tomato basil bread holds hummus, and a slew of veggies like tomato , cucumber and onions. A plus is that Panera also has low calorie drinks too. Their iced teas are zero calorie while their prickly pear hibiscus agua fresca is 90 calories for a 20 fluid ounce glass.

Of course you can make no cook dishes. One of the easiest is hummus. It should be made with chickpeas, tahini sauce , garlic and a squirt of lemon juice. It's then mashing it or using an immersion blender to get a creamy texture. Hummus is one of those recipes that can be varied. Since I don't I usually add cannellini beans. Garlic is kept to a minimum and I usually nix the tahini. The flavor is actually milder without all the seasoning and to me more palatable. Cut pita into triangles, and serve with the hummus. If you can stand a little heat , place the pita triangles in a 350 degree F toaster oven for five minutes. Brush both sides with olive oil for a crispy ,crunchy  chip. Other spreads like cream cheese salad can make for a tasty and satisfying dip or sandwich filler. Add chopped green olives and pimentos for color and flavor or minced garlic for tang. Scallions and chives would also make for a colorful addition. The cream cheese spreads would also be perfect for Sunday morning bagels too.Another easy to make spread is bruschetta. Cut up Roma tomatoes and mix with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.Garlic and fresh basil are also added for spice and zest. Serve on slices of Italian bread.

It's hot . It's a chore to cook. Go for the no cooking option for a cool way to eat.