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Losing Your Appetite to the Heat? Here Are 7 Easy Meal Ideas To Keep You Cool

Combat the summer heat with these filling no-cook meal recipes.

Kavita Devgan
Recipes
Published:
<div class="paragraphs"><p>7 easy and healthy meal ideas to keep you cool this summer.</p></div>
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7 easy and healthy meal ideas to keep you cool this summer.

(Photo: iStock)

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This summer has been relentless and it doesn't look like the scorching sun will let up any time soon.

The sweltering heat also has a direct impact on your gut and appetite.

It’s just too hot to eat the regular dal, roti, sabzi or ho-hum sandwiches, and moreso to spend time in the kitchen, in front of the flame, cooking these elaborate meals.

If you relate, try these interesting, if a bit unusual, meals till the temperature starts dropping again. They are cooling, healthy and delicious.

Leftover Aloo Chaat

Aloo chaat; street food from the Indian subcontinent

(Photo: iStock)

Have last night's zeera aloo sabzi at hand? Just take it out of the fridge and add:

  • 2 tbsp crushed chivda or roasted papad

  • 1 tbsp of imli sauce

  • 1 tbsp yoghurt

  • Handful of raw/slightly steamed sprouts (any), boiled kala channa or green moong dal (if you have it handy)

  • Few slices of cucumber

  • Few strips of cottage cheese (if you can source or make it), or crushed cheese

  • Chill for half an hour

Dig in!

Egg Salad

A high angle close up of freshly made egg salad in a bowl.

(Photo: iStock)

Do you keep extra boiled eggs handy in the fridge? Then this one is for you.

In a bowl toss:

  • 2 boiled egg; chopped

  • ½ cup boiled carrot; finely diced

  • ½ cucumber; finely diced

  • ½ cup spring onions

  • 2 cups boiled and mashed potatoes

  • 2 tbsp of low fat mayonnaise or hung curd.

  • Salt and kali mirch (peppercorn) to taste

  • Any other vegetables you have handy

  • Mix all the ingredients

Chill and have

Beet Greens Pesto Bowl

Green vegetable vegan salad with beets meatballs, Guacamole and tahini dressing.

(Photo: iStock)

In a food processor, combine:

  • 4 cups of beet greens (remove the stems)

  • 4 cracked garlic cloves

  • ½ cup walnuts

  • 3 tbsp grated parmesan

  • ½ tsp salt

  • ¼ tsp black pepper

  • Process the ingredients while streaming in up to ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil until desired consistency.

  • Store the pesto in an airtight container in the fridge. 

  • Take 2 tbsp of the pesto and mix in.

  • Assorted steamed cooked veggies

  • Chopped cashews

  • Half an apple

Add a few slices of avocado and enjoy

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Oats and Quinoa Porridge

Quinoa porrige on tabletop.

(Photo: iStock)

  • Roast quinoa and oats (1/4th cup each) lightly for a few minutes.

  • Add some regular or almond milk

  • Cook on slow flame for 5 minutes till done

  • Add honey to taste

  • Add some cinnamon and nutmeg,

  • Mix in chopped nuts and 1 tbsp flax seeds

Chill and have.

Fruity Sandwich

Sandwich with assorted fruits

(Photo: iStock)

Make a paneer and fruit sandwich.

  • Take thin slices of brown bread,

  • Sandwich them with mashed and lightly seasoned paneer

  • Placed slices of mango/melon/strawberries

  • Add some sliced red pepper

Enjoy!

Bengali Phal-aahar

Bowl of yogurt and berries on a dark brown background.

(Photo: iStock)

Chopped fruits, soaked chivda (rice flakes), and dahi (or milk) mixed together. Looks almost like muesli, right? Yeah, but it tastes remarkably different and is really simple to make.

  • Wash 1 cup chivda

  • Drain and set aside for 15 minutes

  • Meanwhile, peel and chop a few assorted fruits and nuts

  • Mix it into cup of dahi

  • Add grated ginger (for a zing and health) and jaggery (optional)

Salmon Sandwich

Triangle salmon sandwiches on a plate

(Photo: iStock)

Combine in a small bowl:

  • Boneless salmon

  • Chopped cucumber

  • Few tbsp of yogurt,

  • 1 tbsp of lemon juice

  • Spread a thin layer of butter on the sides of sandwich buns

  • Line with lettuce

  • Fill with salmon mixture

Chill before you eat.

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