Beating the Heat

I don't know about the rest of you but where I live in New England it is FUCKING hot out (sorry if the word offends you but it's appropriate and it fits). That being said I have had little to no interest in running my oven. It's about 90º in my apartment and all of us have been sweating buckets.

I don't know about you but when I'm that hot I really don't feel like standing over a hot stove, or in front of a hot oven adding even more heat to our little place. So here is a simple list of meal ideas to avoid oven use and keep you cool. Sure it's been done before but it's my blog and I can post whatever I damn well please.

Sandwiches- You can pretty much turn anything into a sandwich when you've got a couple slices of bread, hell if your sick of bread stuff it in a wrap. I'm pregnant right now so I'm trying to avoid lunch meat but tomato sandwiches are delicious! Not to mention, chicken salad, tuna salad, grilled chicken, fish sandwiches, and as you can see the list is really endless. Add some veggie sticks to the side of that sandwich and it'll be more than enough to satisfy you.

Salads- You can top salad greens with pretty much anything you want. Protein, chopped veggies, fruit, nuts, cheeses, really you can go crazy. Opt for veggies high in water content like cucumber and tomatoes and not only are you getting a healthy salad but you're helping your body stay hydrated. Try to stay away from really heavy dressings. Heavy meals will only make you feel hotter.

Appetizers- Fill your plate with some of your favorite munchies with no cooking required. Shrimp cocktail, cheeses, whole grain crackers, pita bread and hummus, raw veggies, and raw fruits. Filling and fun. Perfect for a date night during a heat wave. Besides who doesn't like food you can eat with your fingers.

Alright that's all my heat addled brain can come up with for now and if you've got any no cook meal ideas of your own, by all means add them in the comments. As for now, try and stay cool :-)

Pinterest My Hero

If you read my other blog you may have gotten the notice yesterday that we're having a baby. Exciting stuff!

Today's going to be busy with grocery shopping, recycling, and a Dr's. appointment for me. I'm just now in the past week or so getting over my morning sickness and full body pregnancy exhaustion and let me tell you that shit is no joke. So for the past two months we've been living off a lot of convenience meals, i.e. anything that can be made in a crock pot, or heated through with little effort. That being said it's left me in a little bit of a cooking rut. I'm ready and willing to get back in the kitchen and do my magic but after the past weeks of everything from peanut butter to poultry turning my stomach I'm a little short on inspiration.

Then like a White Knight sweeping in from my computer (and the handy little app on my phone) Pinterest has come to save the day. With offerings like Italian Drunken Noodles and Raspberry Swirl Sweet Rolls how could someone not be inspired to get into the kitchen and whip up a little food magic? You can make boards for just about anything (the psychotic perfectionist that I am I find myself organizing and editing mine constantly) and it definitely makes menu planning a little easier. So if you've been avoiding the Internet and have yet to find Pinterest.. you poor poor souls.. get into it. You can give my boards a follow to get you started and I promise you won't be disappointed.