Let’s be real – turning on the stove makes you sweat, especially during these scorching days of summer – so now it’s time to embrace the art of no-cook meals without compromising on the nutrients. These dishes require zero flames, minimal effort, and absolutely no sweat – whether you’re dodging heat waves or just staging a silent protest against your kitchen, these cool creations will keep you fed, fresh, and far from the frying pan. Let’s go through some of the no-cooked meals that’ll keep you away from the flames!
Chickpea and Avocado Power Salad
A can of chickpeas, either drained or rinsed, added with a diced-ripe avocado, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, and red onions as toppings.
How to make?
Toss these ingredients in a bowl and season it with lemon juice and olive oil, sprinkle cumin, salt, and pepper. Mix gently!
Zucchini Noodles with Pesto and Cherry Tomatoes
A spiral zucchini with two tbsp of pesto, half cut cherry tomatoes and opt parmesan.
How to make?
Toss the raw zucchini noodles with pesto and tomatoes, top it with Parmesan and serve it chilled.
Tuna Lettuce Wraps with Greek Yogurt Dressing
A canned tuna in water, add Greek yogurt with lettuce leaves, chopped cucumbers, carrots, and herbs – like parsley, and season it with lemon juice, salt and pepper. You can either wrap the tuna in lettuce or in bread.
How to make?
Mix tuna with yogurt, lemon juice, and seasonings. Spoon mixture into lettuce leaves. Add chopped veggies on top.
Chicken Quinoa Salad
A pre-cooked or chilled quinoa, diced tomatoes, fresh mint leaves, chicken cubes and fried khubz using air-fryer, or you can substitute chicken with chickpeas, as both are high in protein.
How to make?
Mix all ingredients together and drizzle with glaze or vinaigrette. Keep cold and fresh!
Peanut Noodle Salad with Veggie Slaw
Soak rice noodles in hot water (use microwave) for 5-7 minutes, then drain it and let it cool down. Add shredded carrots, cabbage, and bell peppers.
How to make?
Toss chilled noodles with veggies and pour over peanut sauce – make your sauce even tastier by adding soy sauce, lime juice, and honey. Garnish with chopped peanuts or sesame seeds.
Caprese Salad with Hard-Boiled Eggs
Get your favorite mozzarella slices with sliced tomatoes, fresh basil, boiled eggs – pour hot water (using microwave or kettle) in a bowl of eggs and cover the lid for 15-20 minutes – season it with olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper.
Hummus Bowl with Falafel, Veggies & Olives
Buy ready-to-eat falafel, hummus, cucumber, tomatoes, kalamata olives, and bell pepper. For seasoning try tahini or lemon dressing.
How to make?
Layer hummus in a bowl, arrange falafel and veggies on top. Drizzle with tahini or lemon dressing.
Cottage Cheese Bowl with Berries & Seeds
You need cottage cheese, fresh berries – like blueberries, raspberries, or strawberries – with chia seeds or flaxseeds, and opt honey for seasoning.
How to make?
Scoop cottage cheese into a bowl, top with berries, seeds, and a drizzle of honey.
Mediterranean Mezze Plate
Store-bought hummus and tabbouleh, halloumi, olives, sliced cucumbers, and cherry tomatoes with pita bread.
How to make?
Arrange everything on a plate or board. Dip, scoop, stack – freestyle it!
Raw Veggie Tacos with Guac & Salsa
Cabbage (as taco shells) or ready tortillas – air-fry it to make it as hard and crunchy as a taco – guacamole, canned black beans, canned corn, and diced tomatoes.
How to make?
Fill each lettuce taco-shell with guac, beans, corn, and veggies. Season it with salsa and beans.
You don’t need to bring flames to your plate when you can have a sizzling line-up of cool meals that let you chill while you can still munch on the nutrition game. Now go forth, stay breezy, and let your fridge do the heavy lifting!
(Contributed by Wajeeha Syed)