Raw Deals

 It's too hot to cook or bake anything. What to do? Eat raw. Those fruits and veggies have a lot of benefits - one being an easy meal or treat to prepare.

Take advantage of the harvests right now. Tomatoes are coming into their own and there's so much to do with them. Try a bruschetta for lunch or an easy dinner. This is a mix of chopped vine ripe tomatoes with olive oil , and basil, also in full bloom right now. Garlic give it flavor and if you want you can add a drop of balsamic vinegar and chopped onion.It's usually served on grilled slices of Italian bread but the slices really don't have to be. Beefsteak tomatoes can be stuffed with tuna salad mixed with chopped celery and mayonnaise. These are a cool dinner that can be made without much fuss.If you do insist on cooking , then just boil up some pasta with salsa cruda. Again take the summer favorite the tomato and have it marinate in olive oil ad minced garlic for two to three hours. The pasta's heat along with a cup of the pasta water will cook it. Add a sprinkle of Parmesan and it;s agreat summery dinner. Do give gazpacho a try during these steamy days.It;s an easy blend of  four tomatoes, one sliced  cucumber, one chopped green pepper and a clove of minced garlic. A cup of olive oil creates a smooth silky bisque like texture as it's blended.

We still crave sweets even though it's broiling outside. Yes we could easily eat ice cream every night or frozen candy bars but there is an alternative: fresh fruit. It's not only tasty but also healthier than frozen dairy treats every night. You can still enjoy frozen treats though. A frozen chocolate covered banana is a yummy end to any barbecue. It's an easy heat of chocolate and vegetable oil in the microwave until the chocolate is melted and glossy. Dip whole bananas that have been frozen for fifteen minutes into it. You can them roll them in chopped nuts, flaked coconuts or sprinkles for extra fun.Bananas also make for a good non dairy ice cream. Slice and freeze four of them overnight. Put into the blender or food processor a day later. The result is a  cool creamy spoonful. Add some chocolate syrup, and  vegan whipped cream for a really decadent treat.Of course a mixed melon salad is the perfect treat or dessert on a ridiculously hot August day. Mix chunks of  refrigerated watermelon ,cantalope and honeydew in a bowl and serve in cups. Cherries are another snack that's perfect as a nibble or ending a meal. The same goes for frozen grapes. Just freese then and take out when you need something cold and sweet.

Eat raw if it's too hot. Go for fresh fruits and veggies to sustain you.It's not only cool but good for you.

Easy Veggie Meals

 This is the season of grilling and meats. The problem is home chefs can fall into the rut of barbecuing steak and chicken all the time. A refreshing change up is having vegetables only  dishes. They're easy and tasty,plus being good for you.

One of my summer favorites is ratatouille. This is not the traditional one, with roasted in the oven veggies.

Mine has five Roma tomatoes cooked with one  diced green bell pepper and one sliced zucchini.It should have an onion in it which you can add. It can be intense though so I added a good sprinkling of onion powder along with garlic powder. The veggies were sauteed and simmered in a mix of Miyoko's  Creamery oat butter and olive oil. 

It was an easy fifteen minute simmer which was delicious with a brioche roll on the side. Another easy veggie dish is salsa cruda. Again this is a delicious and easy make, with just pasta to cook. The sauce is just sliced Roma tomatoes mixed with the cherry kind. Chopped onion can be added (or omitted depending on your taste) along with olive oil and fresh basil. Make it super simple by just buying pre cooked pasta. A really chill summer veggie dish is gazpacho. This favorite Spanish dish is a cold soup of blended tomatoes, cucumber garlic and green bell peppers. It's blended with a cup of olive oil and about three tablespoons of red wine vinegar. This is the perfect meal on a steamy hot day. It's refreshing and flavorful , each mouthful a summer harvest. I usually like to serve with slices of Italian or French bread dipped in olive oil.

A meal of fresh summer, veggies is a refreshing turn away from the usual barbecued meats. It's a nice way to enjoy summer's bounty with easy recipes. They're perfect for these sweltering days.

A Quick Word About Edamame Pasta

 If you want a quick and tasty summer meal look no further than Aldi.This is their Simply Nature brand edamame spaghetti. It's a quick cook nnd really good tasting.

The texture is like regular wheat based kinds with a slightly beany flavor. I had it aglio olio,with olive oil and garlic. You can try it with a quick salsa crudo too

Here is the salsa crudo recipe

2 to 3 cut plum tomatoes

1/4 cup olive oil

2-3 leaves shredded basil leaves

1 crushed garlic clove

cooked pasta

MIx the first five ingredients about an hour before cooking pasta.Let sit Boild edamame pasta , Drain and toss with sauce.The pasta will heat up the sauce.

Enjoy with crusty Italian bread!

Summer's Bounty Still Going Strong

Even though everyone is talking about fall,getting ready for school and Halloween (!) it is still summer.  There  is still time to cook outside and enjoy what's left of the warm weather bounty.Put away anything fallish  - at least for a few weeks.

Tomatoes are the most popular foods of the summer.. With the way our weather is nowadays, the red gems will be growing until October.Take advantage of them in any cooking method possible.One of the easiest and most delicious is pasta crudo. This is simply cut  fresh tomatoes mixed with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil. It's a raw sauce that's "cooked'  when added to hot pasta.Another summer dish that's perfect for this transition period is ratatouille. This Provencale treat is making good use of tomatoes as well as any bumper crop zucchini and onions. Melissa Clark has elevated this recipe to resemble a prettily colored pie in her column A Good Appetite In Wednesday's New York Times' Food section.. Her take was a Southern tomato pie but amped up with caramelized onions and sliced eggplants. It's more of  rich quiche thanks to the egg and Gruyere cheese added.If you just like tomatoes, then make them Provencale . This is a skillet full of sliced tomatoes  sauteed in garlic and olive oil. The tomatoes have generous mounds of spiced breadcrumbs on them.There is also tomato jam for those who want a spicy condiment to their meats and veggies. It's an easy cook, with boiling and simmering Roma tomatoes with such spices as cumin, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves.

Many home gardeners are also reaping those ripe squashes and zucchini right now too. One of the easiest recipe is sauteed squash coins that make a great side to grilled chicken and fish.It's just simply slicing the gourds into half inch thick rounds and sauteing them in a mix of olive oil,butter and minced garlic. Kids will love zucchini boats, the perfect meal after an exhausting first day of school. Make them really fun by adding a lasagna filling with a ready made tomato sauce.It's just scooping out the squash's middle after they've been cut in half, leaving a quarter of an inch of flesh on all sides. After brushing the boats with olive oil. it;'s just layering on the cheese,store bought sauce and ground beef or tofu. The boats can also have a Mexican twist by subbing in the sauce with such spices as chili powder, cilantro and cumin. There may be some peppers growing yet in your garden. These make great snacks, when they're sliced and  deseeded however they're great stuffed with rice and ground beef.Hollow them out , and also add tomato sauce along with Worcester sauce.Garlic and onion powder are added to give it zing.

Don't follow the rest of the crowd.It's still summer. There's still time to enjoy the bounty of this glorious season.

Eating Raw

Nothing is worse than a hot kitchen during a heat wave. No one wants to cook, broil bake, or even microwave .Yet what do we eat? Eat raw. There's nothing wrong with sticking to fresh veggies or fruit  to survive these scorching days.

Forget the cooked breakfasts. Save those for the cooler days or eating out. Cold cereal with fruit is the way to go. Eat healthy raw however. Think puffed rice or puffed wheat with chilled low fat milk. For a more healthier spin use almond, coconut, or soy milk. Add the harvest of the season for more color and nutrition. Think  of tossing in a few berries or sliced peaches. Another cool breakfast idea is a granola parfait.Layer vanilla flavored Greek yogurt with layers of granola and different fruits. You can also sub in cottage cheese for the yogurt It's a filling, protein packed way to start the day. Granola is another tasty and healthy way to begin a hot summer's day. It's the star of many a farmer's market, with many homemade varieties for sale..It also makes a good snack through the day too. If it's too sweet, then think a fruit cup for breakfast. Combine different types of melon with chopped peaches, plums and strawberries. Most of us can't function without  a cup of coffee or tea. Luckily there are already cold brewed coffees from Starbucks along with packets of teabags that can be brewed in cold water.

Most people turn to sandwiches for both lunch and dinner. The problem is that they get old fast. Look to the south of France for inspiration. One of the best recipes to create during these steamy days is the pan bagnat. It's slicing a French  boule or rounded bread (a baguette also works here) Take out the middle - which you can eat as a snack with peppered olive oil, . Brush the insides and lid with olive oil You can then have the first layer of peppers, then sliced onions followed by basil leaves. Finish with tomato and ham slices. Some pan bagnat recipes allow for tuna fish  instead of the meat You can make it as hearty or as light as you want. Add some flourishes such as sliced black olives or capers. A similar make is the Scandinavian loaf bread. This is taking another round bread (which you can easily purchase at Panera) , slicing it in half and filling it with a hard boiled egg and a mix of cream cheese, cornichons , dill and red onions. It's then adding salmon and sliced beets.Omit the egg if you don't feel like using the stove top.If you're not into sandwiches, then try salsa crudo. This is like bruschetta but poured on freshly cooked pasta.Take four cups of chopped tomatoes and mix with one fourth cup of minced basil.balsamic vinegar garlic  and olive oil. Mix and let stand thirty minutes before pouring on any cooked pasta.

This is the time to keep the kitchen as cool as possible. Eat raw.It's an easy and healthy way of dealing with these ultra sultry days of summer.