During the dog days of summer, the last thing you want to do is turn on a hot stove. Fortunately, you don’t have to. There are still healthy, nutritious meals you can whip up without turning up the heat. Here are four of them:
[See: 10 Healthy Meals You Can Make in 10 Minutes.]
1. Tuna
It’s the perfect time to whip out the cans of tuna. Instead of drowning it in mayonnaise, make a light dressing with nonfat plain Greek yogurt, reduced fat mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, salt and pepper. To think even more outside the tuna can, mash canned white beans into the mixture. Choose canned beans that have no added sodium, and add salt at the end after tasting your final product. This is the best way to control salt. If beans aren’t your fancy, chop walnuts or almonds and add them to your tuna salad along with pomegranate arils or dried cranberries. Serve the mixture in a whole-wheat pita or on top of a crispy green salad.
2. Smoothies
Another refreshing way to take in good-for-you nutrients is through smoothies. Fruit and Greek yogurt are an easy breakfast, but you can get even more creative by adding:
— Smooth peanut butter or peanut butter powder
— Rolled oats (allow them to steep five minutes in juice or milk before adding other ingredients)
— Avocado
— Leafy greens such as kale and spinach
— Flaxseeds
— Herbs such as mint and parsley
— Spices such and nutmeg and cinnamon
[See: 5 Healthy and Tasty Smoothie Ingredients.]
Be mindful of how much sweetener you add to your smoothie. Dates, mango and pineapple are fabulous ways to add natural sweetness, but these fruits still have calories, so be aware of your portion sizes. If you choose sweeteners like honey, agave or maple syrup, stick to 1 to 2 teaspoons per serving.
3. Overnight Oatmeal
You don’t need to cook oatmeal over the stove. Instead, mix rolled oats with milk or a combination of milk and yogurt and allow the mash to sit for 8 hours or overnight. The oats will absorb the liquid and soften into a delicious, refreshing bowl of whole grains. Top the breakfast with your favorite summer fruit (peaches, berries and melon work well) and a touch of sweetener.
4. Cold Soup
Chop and blend tomatillos, tomatoes, cucumbers, avocado or all of the above with herbs and spices into a delicious soup. Serve it with a green salad and you’ve got a delicious, healthy meal. Or, try this recipe from my registered dietitian pal and vegetarian aficionado Sharon Palmer, aka “The Plant-Powered Dietitian.” Her mouthwatering, no-cook soup is packed with vitamin K, vitamin C and folate. She recommends serving it in small portions — think shot glasses — and garnishing it with fresh lemon or lime and cilantro.
[See: Unusual Uses for Avocados.]
Cold Cucumber Avocado Soup
Servings: 8 (about 3/4 cup each)
2 large English cucumbers, with peel, coarsely chopped 2 avocados, ripe, peeled, pitted
2 green onions, coarsely chopped
2 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro
1/4 jalapeno pepper
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup plant-based milk (like almond, rice or hazelnut)
Pinch sea salt (optional)
Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
Place all items in a large blender and process on low until very smooth. Transfer to a covered container and chill well (two hours) before serving.
Nutrition Information per serving (based on preparation with unsweetened soy milk): 77 calories; 6 g fat; 1 g saturated fat; 10.6 g polyunsaturated fat; 3.3 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 mg cholesterol; 11 mg sodium; 324 mg potassium; 7 g carbohydrates; 3 g fiber; 2 g sugars; 2 g protein
(Recipe from Sharon Palmer, author of “Plant-Powered for Life”)
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4 Healthy Summer Meals That Don’t Involve the Stove originally appeared on usnews.com
