Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Too Hot to Handle?

It's hot out there!  If you're surviving in an air conditioned place then you may not be suffering like some, but you still might not be in the mood to heat up the house.

We went and picked up a second fan for our home yesterday, but I'm avoiding the oven for the time being.  Whether you are overheating indoors, or enjoying the sunshine outside, you may not feel like cooking in the heat.  This is not an excuse to grab the chips and forget about healthy variety.

It's important to stay hydrated, but we can't forget to feed ourselves and keep our metabolisms burning.  You still need your daily dose of nutrient-rich foods.  Since it's Q's Day, today I am asking:

What is your favourite no-cook meal?

I start thinking about proteins that don't need to be heated - beans, chickpeas, canned tuna, cottage cheese, etc.  You can also hard boil some eggs or cook a few extra chicken breasts one night and use leftovers in wraps or salads.  This is also a great time to use leftover pasta, couscous, quinoa, etc. in a salad.

TLC has a few basic tips for chicken or tuna salad:
Open a can, drain the liquid, chop some celery and onions and mix them all together. That's all you need to do to make tuna or chicken salad. Sprinkle with pepper and stir in mayonnaise [or plain yogurt] to hold it all together
If you're in an experimental mood, you can dress up your creation with sliced grapes, chopped apples, pecan bits, pineapple chunks or fresh dill. Serve it on a bed of lettuce for a light, cool treat. For a heartier dinner, place spoonfuls of your meat salad onto pieces of pita bread, or roll it up into a soft tortilla with some bean sprouts for an easy wrap.
CloverLeaf also has some easy and quick recipes (Take 5 - 5 ingredients, 5 minutes) to inspire you.

Share your favourite recipes/tips, mention your challenges, ask questions, or post answers.

Have a great hot day!

Steph Langdon, RD
something nutrishus counselling & coaching
www.nutrishus.com