Stay Cool with These Summer Meal Options

Summer is not the best time to turn on the oven and raise the temperature at home. It is, however, a great time to try some of these easy, no cook, summery recipes. The summer heat makes you want to be as far away from the kitchen as possible. You don’t need the extra heat that an oven or a stove provide…even some appliances can make the temperatures rise. But you need to eat and for that you need venture into the kitchen bearing the heat  just to prepare a meal. You can always get take out, or try out some of these fresh summer lunch options that Great Harvest of Newtonville has gathered for you…stove and oven free!

Summertime No-Cook Meals

Slow Cooker, Your Best Ally

Technically a slow cooker does produce heat, but at least you won’t have to be around it. You can simply dump a bunch of ingredients in the morning, turn it on, and forget all about it until you’re ready for lunch. You can make big quantities and freeze them for some other day.  There are tons of slow cooker recipes available, this is only one of them. Slow Cooker Ravioli What You Need

• 25 oz. bag frozen ravioli or tortellini
• Jar of marinara sauce
• 5 oz. canned diced tomatoes
• ½ cup Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 t Italian seasoning

What to do Place all the ingredients, except the mozzarella, in your slow cooker. Cook on low heat for three to four hours. Stir occasionally. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese right before serving.

Can’t Go Wrong With a Sandwich or a Wrap

You can’t have a cool summer lunch without mentioning sandwiches and wraps. These super versatile lunch options require no heat (most of the time) and are really easy to prepare. Head to Great Harvest of Newtonville for your choice of fresh bakery bread to make your sandwich even better. You can check out their bread options online or give them a call at: (617) 928-1162 to place your order. Don’t forget to get a delicious and sweet treat from the bakery to eat after you try these options: Cucumber and Avocado Sandwich What you need

• 4 slices your choice bakery bread (preferably whole grains)
• 4 oz. herbed goat cheese
• 1 large avocado, sliced
• ½ cucumber, peeled and sliced
• 2 Romaine lettuce leaves
• ½ alfalfa sprouts
• Fresh lemon juice
• Salt and pepper

What to do

1. Spread goat cheese evenly on the four bread slices. Place lettuce, cucumber, and avocado on one bread slice. Drizzle a bit of lemon juice over the cucumber and avocado. Top with some alfalfa sprouts and season with salt and pepper.
2. Place another slice of bread on top of the fillings and close. Repeat with the next sandwich.

Spicy Tuna Wrap What you need

• 1 can solid white Albacore tuna in water
• 1 ½- 2 T mayonnaise
• 1 t soy sauce
• 2 t Sriracha sauce
• 2 pita wraps
• ½ avocado, sliced
• ½ cucumber, peeled and sliced into sticks
• 2/3 cup carrots, sliced into sticks

What to do

1. Mix the tuna, mayo, soy sauce, and Sriracha in a bowl until fully combined.
2. Place half the tuna mix and veggies in each wrap. Wrap and enjoy!

Salads Are Not Just a Side Dish

You might think that a salad is not enough to fill you up. There are some great salad options that truly are filling. Chinese Chicken Salad You’ll need

• 3 T light soy sauce
• 3 T rice wine vinegar
• 1 T sesame oil
• 2 T canola oil
• 1 t sugar
• 1 ½ t fresh ginger, grated
• 1 garlic clove
• ½ t black pepper
• 2 cups shredded romaine lettuce
• 1 cup julienned carrots *
• 3 cups shredded green cabbage
• 1 ½ cups shredded red cabbage
• 2 green onions, sliced
• ½ cup cilantro, minced
• 1 ½ cups shredded chicken *
• 1 ½ cups mandarin oranges
• ½ cup toasted almonds
• 1 cup crunchy noodles (optional)

What to Do

1. Combine all the soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, sesame and canola oil, sugar, ginger, garlic, and pepper in a jar and shake vigorously to prepare your vinaigrette. Let it rest for 10 minutes so the flavors can meld.
2. Place all the veggies in a salad bowl and toss until well blended.
3. Right before eating it add the chicken, oranges, almonds, crunchy noodles and enough dressing to coat the salad. Serve immediately.

*You can buy pre-shredded carrots and rotisserie chicken to speed up the process.

Fresh Bakery Bread, Sandwiches, and More in Newtonville

Come to visit Great Harvest of Newtonville to get your delicious bread for your homemade sandwiches. If you don't feel like cooking, give one of their lunch options a try and treat yourself with a yummy cookie for dessert. To learn more about their menu options call them at (617) 928-1162 . For even more ideas you can try using their bread, check this out!