What's for Dinner?

It’s been hot, so very hot. It’s that sticky, uncomfortable heat that as the temperature soars it becomes increasingly hard to escape it. It’s unbearable outside and becoming a little too warm inside your home too. The air conditioner is running overtime, your lights are out and the curtains are drawn at the peak of the afternoon sun. You are doing everything to keep cool, but the thermostat is still inching upwards and dinnertime is just around the corner. The thought of cooking is making you sweat. So put away the pots and pans and consider a no-cook dinner that is easy on your thermostat and easy on you.

 For a simple, no –cook meal, the sandwich is an obvious go-to. There are so many options to choose --from simple breads and fillings to the decadent.

 Deli slices, a staple of many of our childhoods, should be consumed sparingly, if at all. A 2015 report from the World Health Organization classifies processed meat — including bacon, hot dogs and deli meats — as carcinogenic. Nitrates, and high levels of saturated fat and sodium definitely do not offer the healthy punch you are looking for. ‘Natural’ cold cuts are often not a better choice. While the nitrates might be naturally occurring, they are still nitrates and some ‘natural’ meat contains similar levels of nitrates as the regular processed meats.

 There are many healthy and delicious alternatives to deli meat slices-- tuna, hummus with veggies, cheese with arugula, cucumber, and tomato, or left –over grilled chicken tossed with some apples, onions, and mayonnaise. So good and good for you!

 Serve your sandwich with a smoothie for some extra protein. Or a simple fruit salad where you choose your own combination of fruit. We like bananas, strawberries, black berries and cantaloupe, cut into small and medium size pieces, arranged in a bowl and topped with a generous scoop of cottage cheese.

 Green salads provide endless options as well. Mixed greens or spinach with cucumbers and beets or strawberries, or both, and tossed with almonds and a balsamic vinaigrette. Watermelon and Feta is a great combination and a delicious addition to any salad. Tomatoes, onions, peppers, and cucumber tossed with feta and black pepper is one of our favourites, but when it comes to salads, the ideas really are endless.

 When the temperature soars and you’re not up for cooking, embrace it! Use your imagination, flip through some cookbooks, or turn to the Internet to look for some delicious, and nutritious no-cook meals that will nourish your heat stressed body, and will help keep you cool.

Be Happy, Be Well, BHealthy,