Hot Weather Meal Strategies

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Hot Weather Meal Strategies-Plan ahead

l Plan ahead. Make menus each week and stick to them.

l Use your freezer. Freeze meat in marinades, fresh fruit pieces for snacks and look for freezable dessert recipes.

l Cook with everything but the oven. Use your rice steamer, the crock pot, pressure cooker and of course your charcoal or gas grill.

l Don’t forget your microwave—they don’t heat up the kitchen the way ovens and stoves do.

l Take advantage of plentiful fresh produce.

l When you cook, make it count. Cook once, but plan to eat at least three times.

l Make use of pre-prepared foods.

 

Tuna Pasta Salad

1 cup light mayonnaise

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 tablespoon dill weed

12 ½ ounces tuna in water flaked and drained

1 cup shell pasta cooked and drained

1 cup frozen peas thawed

1/2 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup chopped red onion

 

First, make the dressing by combining first 3 ingredients in a small bowl; stir well and set aside. Combine remaining ingredients in a serving bowl and stir in dressing. Chill. Yield: 4 servings

 

Marinated Broccoli Matchsticks

5 ½ cups julienne-cut broccoli stalk (2x1/4 inch)

2 ½ cups diced seeded tomato

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 teaspoons olive oil

½ teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

2 garlic cloves, crushed

¼ cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese

 

Combine broccoli and tomato in a bowl; toss well, and set aside. Combine lemon juice and next 4 ingredients in a blender, and process until smooth. Pour over the broccoli mixture, and toss well. Cover and marinate in refrigerator for 1 hour. Sprinkle with cheese. Yield: 6 servings