No Cook Recipe Ideas

[wholesomemama]

As it gets further into the summer, I am less inclined to use the stove and warm up the house. Unfortunately, I am not very proficient at using the grill - something I am going to make DH teach me this summer. So, I was hoping you all might have some great no cook recipe ideas that you would be willing to share. We are a family of 4 including a 12 year old boy and a 2 1/2 year old boy (yes, there is a large gap but that is a whole other story!!). Thank you!!

[cristeen]

Dinner salads are a great way to use up leftovers - or even to use up some store-bought items (like cooked chicken).

A few favorites around here:
Taco salad - lettuce topped with onions, tomatoes, garbanzo beans, kidney beans, cooked ground beef/turkey if you have it, avocado, cheese, olives, green chiles, whatever sounds good. Top it with a dressing made of mayo mixed with taco sauce (we use La Victoria Medium Red Taco Sauce, but use your favorite sauce or salsa). Serve with chips.

Tropical Chicken Salad - lettuce topped with chopped red bell peppers, cold chicken, cherry tomatoes, green onions, peanuts, coconut, sliced banana. Top with a dressing of 2 parts vinegar, 1 part oil, 2 parts sugar. (This dressing will cook the lettuce pretty quickly, so add it right before serving.)

Duck breast salad - mixed greens topped with dried cranberries, blue cheese, chopped smoked duck breast, toasted/caramelized pecans. With a dressing of 1 part oil, 1 part vinegar, 1 part sugar (I think, I'm too lazy to look it up right now - but it should be slightly sweet).

Cold soups are also excellent - one of my favorites is avocado soup. Put several avocados into the blender with about a cup of chicken stock and a cup of milk/half & half, and a healthy pinch of salt. Add more liquid as needed to get a pourable consistency. Top with a really simple relish of chopped bell pepper, whole kernel corn and red onion - you can even add some shredded cold chicken to the bowl, or a spoonful of sour cream if you like.

[notjustmamie]

I don't really have recipes but these are pretty self-explanatory.

• Hummus with pita and veggies
• Deli sandwiches with lots of veggies
• Crackers with cheese and veggie slices
• Flatbread or lettuce wraps with meat/cheese and veggies
• Sushi or sashimi

[wholesomemama]

Thank you for the suggestions! You have inspired me - sounds like we will be having taco salad tonight! I have all those ingredients (minus the beef) already so don't even have to go to the store! When I do my weekly shop, I will stock up on some of those other items and give them a try.

Avocado soup? Haven't heard of that but it sounds fantastic!

[cristeen]

Originally Posted by wholesomemama

Avocado soup? Haven't heard of that but it sounds fantastic!

It's excellent! But it doesn't keep, of course.

You can also do it with chestnuts if you can find them (I buy them in the winter and keep them in the freezer) - although they need a LOT more liquid (they're pretty starchy), a splash of white wine is really good with the chestnuts. And I've also done it with (canned) beans - onion, jalapeno, cilantro, chicken stock (no milk) for a bean soup. Or coconut milk, curry paste, chicken stock, fresh herbs (lemongrass, basil, ginger, garlic, etc.) topped with some cold chicken. There's tons of options if you think outside the box for cold soups. I just wish I could get my DH to eat them (although he'll eat avocado or chestnut).

Or there's more traditional ones like bread soup, gazpacho, cucumber, yogurt, melon, etc.