9 summer recipes to beat the heat this summer
When the summer heatwaves hit, the last thing you want to do is turn on your oven. Luckily, we’ve got delicious summer recipes designed to keep your kitchen cool and make dinner prep easy. Because, at the height of summer, you want to keep mealtime light and refreshing and we’re here to help make it happen.
1. Classic Niçoise Salad
A classic for a reason, the Niçoise Salad is a French gem that’s parfait for summer. Crunchy green beans, ripe tomatoes, baby potatoes, hard-boiled eggs, and olives are all brought together by a light vinaigrette and topped with chicken (or other protein of your choice). This salad is not only a feast for the eyes but also a delicious mix of textures and flavours that will transport you to the sun-soaked shores of the Mediterranean.
2. Spanish-Style Shrimp
Dive into a taste of the Mediterranean with a quick shrimp cocktail that uses homemade Spanish-style sauce as the base. The homemade sauce is reminiscent of a thick gazpacho, and it's topped with Pacific white shrimp, avocado, cilantro and red onion to make it a sizeable snack or appetizer.
3. Tropical Fruit Granita
An icy treat that packs a tropical punch with three colourful layers of flavour, this granita is as beautiful as it is refreshing and delicious. We made ours with pineapple, watermelon and honeydew, but you can get creative with your favourite fruit, too.
4. Dill Pickle Potato Salad
Pickle lovers, this potato salad recipe is for you. Alongside the usual culprits - potatoes, mayo, diced celery and green onion - it calls for the baby dills and pickle brine for a tantalizingly tangy flavour. Hard-boiled eggs add extra substance to your plate. (Bonus: it tastes even better the next day.)
5. Shrimp and Peach Ceviche
Peach, cooked shrimp, shallots, cilantro and lime: This summer ceviche has all the ingredients to deliver sweet-savoury freshness in every bite. Even better, it's easy to make (chop, dice, squeeze, let stand) and serve it with tortilla chips or tostadas-no cooking required.
6. Thai-Inspired Rice Noodle Salad
This make-ahead salad is the kind of quick meal you can pull out of the fridge and enjoy cold for days. The Thai-inspired mix of mangos, bell peppers, soya sauce and peanuts lends flavour and texture, while rice noodles form the salad's base. Add chicken or shrimp for extra substance, and you have leftovers for tomorrow's lunch!
7. Stone Fruit Caprese Salad
Made with halved peaches, plums, and cherries, plus torn mozzarella, fresh basil and aged balsamic, this elevated fruit salad comes together in a flash-and you can make it a few hours in advance, adding the cheese and herbs just before serving at backyard BBQs, porch potlucks and dinners al fresco.