Cool cooking: Eat well this summer without heating up the house

MANITOBA CO-OPERATOR — There was a time not too long ago when Prairie homes often had a second kitchen, either in the basement or in a separate building entirely. These summer kitchens were used for canning, cooking and baking to prevent heating up the main house.

These days, modern conveniences and air conditioning make it easier to manage cooking during summer months, but when the heat hits hard, going back to some of the smart kitchen strategies used by our grandmothers makes sense.

>Here are a few practical ways to keep the heat out of the kitchen while still serving delicious, home-cooked meals that make the most of what’s in season.

1. Shift your cooking hours

Take advantage of cooler mornings to prep for later in the day. Boil new potatoes for salad, cook a batch of lentils or whole grains, roast veggies or your favourite protein or simply prepare some hard-cooked eggs. When dinner rolls around, you’ll be grateful that most of the hot work is already done.

Reheating dishes is quicker than the initial cooking and can be done before the kitchen — or you — has a chance to overheat. For veggies or grains, add a splash of water and reheat gently in the microwave or a hot pan. For meats, a few minutes in a covered skillet with a bit of broth or sauce will do the trick — just enough to warm them without drying out.

2. Use summer-friendly appliances

Today, we have the advantage of slow cookers, Instant Pots, toaster ovens, air fryers, and microwaves to do the heavy lifting without heating up our house.

For even more heat control, move these appliances to your deck, porch or garage. These appliances are great for whole meals or components like pulled pork, baked beans, vegetables or cooked grains.

3. Take it outside

It’s called barbecue season for a reason. Make your own outdoor kitchen using your grill, portable cook top or camp stove.

Think beyond burgers and chicken. Grill foil packs of potatoes or veggies, heat a cast iron pan for stir-fries or fry eggs and bacon for an al fresco brunch.

Don’t stop there, toss fruits and veggies on the grill too. Simply coat with a little oil and grill until you get the desired charring. Grilled corn on the cob, peach slices, zucchini, romaine lettuce heads and even watermelon can instantly elevate your summer meals with big flavour and minimal fuss.

4. Embrace no-cook meals

Some of summer’s best meals don’t need cooking at all. Think tomato toast or classic BLTs on fresh bread, wraps filled with hummus and raw veggies, grain bowls with canned chickpeas or a grazing board with fresh garden veggies, smoked fish, antipasto, prosciutto, cheese and pickles. Add fresh seasonal fruit and you’ve got a full, no-heat meal.

5. Cook once, eat twice (or more)

Make double the pasta, rice, or grains and store them for a second meal. Grill extra zucchini, peppers or meat when the barbecue is already on.

That way, you’re halfway to another salad, wrap or power bowl without any extra work. When you do cook extras, cool things quickly by spreading them out on a rimmed baking sheet. Then store in the fridge so they’re ready to go without added stress or heat later on. You can also freeze cooked whole grains like barley, wheat or quinoa in convenient portion sizes for future meals.

6. Rethink leftovers

Leftovers aren’t a bad thing. Leftover roasted veggies can become sandwich fillings, toppings for salads or added to wraps. Grilled meats or fish can be served cold with a dollop of yogurt or mustard dressing. Even leftover boiled potatoes or pasta can be turned into a quick and easy salad with either a creamy dressing or light and tangy vinaigrette.

Here are some summer-friendly recipes that make the most of local ingredients while keeping the heat out of your kitchen.

zuchinni-ribbon

Zucchini ribbon salad

A bright and refreshing salad that celebrates raw zucchini — a great way to use up the garden bounty without cooking a thing.

Makes: four to six servings

Ingredients

2 small green zucchini
2 small yellow zucchini
1 cup shelled green peas (optional)
¼ cup toasted walnuts or seeds
2 tbsp chopped fresh dill
¼ cup crumbled feta
¼ cup oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp honey
½ tsp Dijon mustard
½ tsp salt
⅛ tsp black pepper
2 tsp fresh dill

Directions

Wash zucchini well, pat dry and trim ends.

Using a vegetable peeler, shave lengthwise to create thin ribbons. The first strip will be mostly skin—compost it or chop it finely for another use. Rotate the zucchini as needed to keep the ribbons even. If it’s too wide to peel all the way across, just work one side at a time so each ribbon has a bit of skin for colour. Avoid the seedy core.

Loosely twist and roll the zucchini ribbons and place them on a serving platter in an attractive display. Scatter shelled peas among the zucchini curls. Add walnuts, dill and feta.

Add remaining ingredients to jar and shake vigorously to create vinaigrette dressing. Taste and adjust as desired. Drizzle over salad.

Source: Summer Salad Recipes, Getty Stewart

mango-and-lentil

Mango and lentil salad

Sweet and savoury, this colourful salad combines protein-rich lentils with juicy mango, fresh herbs and a bright citrus dressing. It’s also great without the leafy greens.

Makes: Four to six servings

Ingredients

6 cups leafy greens
1 cup dry green or brown lentils
1 cup mango, diced (1 medium ripe mango)
½ cup red pepper, diced
¼ cup red onion, diced
¼ cup fresh mint, thinly sliced
¼ cup toasted cashews or slivered almonds (optional)
¼ cup oil
2 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp honey or maple syrup
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
½ tsp cumin
¼ tsp coriander powder
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Rinse lentils and place in saucepan with three cups water. Bring to boil, reduce heat, and simmer uncovered for 20–25 minutes until tender but not mushy. Drain and cool.

Add vinaigrette ingredients to jar and shake vigorously. Taste and adjust as desired.

Cut or tear leafy greens into bite-size pieces and place in salad bowl.

Top with lentils, mango, red pepper, red onions and mint (save some for garnish).

Pour on dressing and gently toss to combine just before serving.

Garnish with toasted nuts and reserved mint, if desired.

Source: Summer Salad Recipes, Getty Stewart

Slow cooker burrito bowls

Let your slow cooker take the heat while you take all the credit for these tasty burrito bowls.

Makes: Six servings

Ingredients

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 ½ pounds)
1 ½ cups canned (no salt added) diced tomatoes
1 ¼ cups lower-sodium chicken broth
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
1 can (540 millilitres or 19 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup uncooked brown rice
1 cup frozen or canned (no salt added) corn

Directions

Lightly spray inside of large slow cooker with cooking spray.

In slow cooker, combine chicken, diced tomatoes (with juice), chicken broth, chili powder, cumin and garlic powder. Make sure the chicken broth covers the chicken, adding more if needed. Cover and cook for three to four hours on the low setting.

Uncover and stir in the beans, brown rice and corn. Cover and cook for another three to four hours on the low setting.

In the last hour of cooking, check the brown rice occasionally, stirring once or twice to make sure it cooks evenly and adding more chicken broth if the mixture seems dry. Cooking is done when the brown rice is tender.

Remove the chicken and place in a large bowl or cutting board. Use two forks to shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Transfer the chicken back to the slow cooker and mix.

Serve in individual bowls alongside your favourite toppings like avocado, fresh tomatoes, sweet peppers, jalapeno peppers, grated cheese, sour cream, cilantro or parsley, etc.

Source: Health Canada