Normally I post food posts on Thursdays. But guys, I’m in a rut. Last night we ate Taco Bell for dinner, mostly because we couldn’t get motivated to make anything we had in the house. The worst part? We grocery shopped yesterday. We can’t think of anything to make. We’re stumped.
I’ve been in the mood to make recipes that are lighter (not necessarily in calories, but that would be nice) but we don’t have a grill, and I’m just out of ideas! So I want to know friends, what do you make in warmer weather, that doesn’t require a grill? Leave links in the comments, or even send me an email! I’m so curious!
To give you an idea, those were the “lightest” pictures I could come up with from my collection! Here are the original food posts, clockwise: one, two, three, four.
We make a lot of salads in the summer time! We bake our chicken a lot too, so we use that in the salads. Breaded baked chicken is just yum!! Maybe some food blogs might inspire you! I know that's what I do when I want to find something new. Smitten Kitchen and Annie's Eat's and Foodgawker get me going! I know you'll get your mojo back :)
Story of my life.. warm (hot!!) weather & no grill for cooking outside. Last year I just embraced the sweat & cooked normally. This year I'm getting a crock pot to limit my time standing in front of the gas stove!
Are you two big on peppers and feta? I have a yummy stir fry that's a favourite of mine that I always seem to bust out more often in the spring. (I've had it two nights this week already – hah!) It involves red & yellow pepper, green onion, feta, chicken and tomato. And for a non-chef like myself, super duper easy to make.
Make gazpacho! This is one of my faves: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/chunky-gazpacho-with-sauted-shrimp-10000002001881/
Oh gosh, I'm so glad it's not just me. This week has been crazy. I've eaten out for I think 85% of my meals this week and today I'm probably eating out too. I need to go grocery shopping soon. I'm hoping you find something inspiring to make (so then in turn that can inspire me). :)
I love to make ginger shrimp. I don't use an exact recipe, but this one from Oprah is the closest to what I do. http://www.oprah.com/food/Crispy-Shrimp-with-Ginger-and-Garlic I tend to leave out the flour, but it is great either way. Ginger and garlic together is heavenly. I make it with a green salad and think it is perfect for summer.
Chicken is crazy amounts of versatile. Sautee it up on the stovetop with all sorts of different flavors. Lemon basil chicken is fantastic, but chicken does really well with sweet flavors, too. :) Good luck!
I am a Taco Bell junkie…it's BAD! So excited we found each other! This V-log is going to be CRAZY!!!
Because Shanna Said So
http://smittenkitchen.com/2007/07/pearly-whites/ this cous-cous, sans olives, and plus chicken, is my go-to when it's too hot to think about eating anything rich…but i also have a cous-cous obsession, your mileage may vary :)
baked salmon is sooooo easy! with kinda a honey/soy/ginger glaze, heavenly. i've also been doing some sliced sweet potatoes and covering them with olive oil bread crumbs and parmesan cheese then baking them til crispy, pretty light and semi-healthy as well :)
Hi Kate!
I know what you mean about the food rut. I've just been getting out of mine this week. I have a few ideas for you which I usually use as lunch or appetizers but add a little meat to either one or pair them with something a bit heavier and you have a great supper!
Cous Cous salad with tomatoes, goat cheese and a lemon, vinegar dressing (Recipe on my blog) & of course bruchetta served with pita chips or tortillas. When in doubt, we throw a bunch of pizza toppings on naan & bake for about 8 minutes. I know that one is kind of a cheat because you still need to turn the oven on but only for a short time!
I hope this helps :)
So I was reading your about me and…we live about 45 mins from each other. I live in Lynchburg. Not so glamorous Lynchburg, VA. Hah. But I drive up to Cville as often as possible-mostly for the food!
When it is hot outside and I don't want to use my oven, I always use a crock pot or my toaster oven on the deck to cook our meals. It's nice, because the toaster oven can fit one of my casserole dishes, and it has a rotisserie feature, too. Since we don't have a grill either, these two alternatives work for me.
P.S. I know I didn't answer your question about recipe ideas, but maybe pointing you to one of my favorite blogs will help with that. Specifically this post made me think of you: http://www.wordofwisdomliving.com/home/the-joy-of-salads.html
oh my goodness! this food look delish! i think i will have to make some of that pasta, thanks ;D
Meg
biglifeblogspot.blogspot.com
You should buy a small George Foreman grill. I marinate chicken tenders overnight with some italian salad dressing and then grill it up on the George Foreman. It works just as well…just maybe takes a little bit longer because you can only fit about 2 tenders on the grill at a time :) Cook some rice and veggies with it!