What is worse than the dreaded question, “What’s for dinner mom”? In the summer, it’s the thought of turning on the stove or oven to make dinner. I thought it would be good to share some great summertime dinners, everyone in your family will love. Not only do they not require any cooking, but they are healthy and delicious as well.

In the summer many families enjoy some wonderful salads. Here are a few of favorites. Of course you can incorporate whatever ingredients your family prefers.

Not your traditional tossed salad: A traditional tossed salad is awesome and easy to make, but sometimes as a standalone meal, it may not fully satisfy those hungry appetites at dinner. To enhance a traditional tossed salad try adding some of the following ingredients for extra flavor and protein:

· Chunks of cubed cheddar cheese

· Slices of lunchmeat, like turkey, chicken breast or ham

· Leftover chicken breast

· Zucchini squash slices

· Yellow squash slices

· Crumble some leftover taco meat, tortilla chips and Catalina dressing for a taco salad

Chef’s salad: Basically a chef’s salad is an upgraded tossed salad. Just add hardboiled eggs, chunks of cheese and sliced ham, turkey, chicken breast and roast beef and voila, you have a chef’s salad. Hearty and yummy!

Spinach salad: Made with yummy spinach leaves or baby spinach leaves, a spinach salad is cool, refreshing and yummy! I like to add shredded cheese, slices of ham, turkey and roast beef, cucumbers, pickles, black olives and for added zest some jalapenos! I top mine with an Italian dressing or balsamic vinaigrette.

Sandwiches: Another great meal idea you can create without cooking is sandwiches. Yes, sandwiches for dinner. When it’s too hot to cook, some cool sandwiches are the ticket. Not only are they easy and heat free, but they are also less filling than a big huge dinner! Some great summer sandwiches are:

Chicken salad: I love chicken salad and love to have a batch made up for last minute, easy on the go meals. Serve some on a pita or flat bread, in a tortilla or in a croissant to change things up a bit.

Deli style sandwiches: I love to sink my teeth into a yummy, thick sandwich filled with all of the fixings of a deli. Pile on the meats, cheeses, and veggies! Some of my favorites are:

· Ham

· Turkey

· Roast Beef

· Chicken Breast

· Corned Beef

· Salami

· Pepperoni

· Bacon

· Alfalfa or Bean Sprouts

· Cucumbers

· Pickles

· Tomatoes

· Romaine or leaf lettuce

· Green Peppers

Serve on thick bread with brown mustard, if you like, and mayonnaise.

Dinner doesn’t always have to be a huge 3 or 4 course cooked or baked meal. A hearty salad or sandwich will satisfy your kids, hubby and guests, while keeping you cool at the same time.

Ingredients:

2 – boxes frozen sliced strawberries or 1 large size (24 oz)
2 – cups green grapes
2 – small cans or 1 large can Mandarin oranges, drained
1 – 16-24 oz pineapple chunks, drained
4 – 5 bananas, chunk ed
1 – 21 oz Can Peach Pie filling

Directions:

Gently mix all the ingredients together and chill overnight or at least 6 hours.
(Make sure to drain the pineapple and the mandarin oranges) Do not drain the strawberries.

This is a easy recipe to make. Just toss everything together and refrigerate overnight. Perfect to take to a brunch, party or potluck. My Kids love this salad.

Recipe submited by Tina Butler

Please Visit Tina’s Site today by clicking here

Contact Tina at tinabutler@sbcglobal.net

What You Need:

1 (21 oz.) can cherry pie filling

1 (21 oz) can strawberry pie filling

2 C crushed pineapple, drained

1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk

1 (12 oz.) container whipped topping, thawed

3/4 C pecans, chopped

How to Make It:

Place the both cans of pie filling into a large mixing bowl.

Fold in the crushed pineapple until well combined.

Pour the milk into the mixture and stir until all the ingredients are incorporated together well.

Fold the whipped topping into the mixture until the topping is smooth.

Sprinkle in the pecans and stir until well combined.

Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours being sure the salad is chilled completely through before serving.

Serves: 8

This salad is easy to make and delicious to eat. Spice it up with some seedless grapes cut in half and a few colored mini marshmallows. Fresh fruit can be substituted for the pie filling if you prefer.

Almonds are a great treat if you are on a diet, too. They easily make up a big part of your daily protein intake. They’re also very high in Vitamin E, and of course they’re low in sugar. They are also a surprisingly good source of calcium.

Twenty-eight almonds is equal to 160 calories, which makes the perfect snack or protein addition to just about any meal. You can have a few on their own, you can sprinkle slivers on your salad for an extra crunch, and they go great with fruit and yogurt. You have to be careful though, you don’t want to go overboard eating them, because they are very high in fat.

Usually the almonds are pretty fresh and yummy, but every now and then I’ll get a pack that just isn’t quite as fresh. When that happens the almonds are kind of more flat and they don’t split in half or slice up quite as easily. However, this happens infrequently enough that I still really love this brand. I think that has more to do with nature itself – or maybe how long the can actually sat on the shelf at the store.

1.  Eliminate junk food
Doing your shopping on your own is the easiest way
to shop, as children and sometimes spouses are
usually the ones requesting junk food.  Shopping
alone will prevent this, and ensure that you only
buy the foods you need.

2.  Water or milk instead of soft drinks
You can still enjoy your favorite drinks at a
sporting event or night out, although you should
stick with the smallest size when shopping to save
money and calories.  Children and even adults need
milk or milk products on a daily basis.  Milk will
also help you get strong and provides calcium for
healthy bones and healthy teeth.

3.  Buy fruits in quantity
Whne they are in season, buy fruits in quantity
and freeze any extras.  You can buy several pounds
this way, and freeze extras to have them when the
fruit goes out of season.  Wash the fruit well,
remove any spoiled pieces, dry thoroughly, then
freeze in plastic zipper bags.

4.  Meats and beans
Meats and beans are the best sources for protein.
Lean meat is more expensive than meats with a lot
of fat.  Canned beans are a great deal as well,
as they give you protein at a great price.

5.  Beans as a substitute
You should use beans a substitute for meat on a
frequent occasion.  There are several varieties,
so you can prepare them in a crock pot, so when
you return home they are ready to consume.

The USDA recommends eating beans at least 4 times
per week.  If you experience gas after eating
beans you should try washing them, covering them
with water, bringing the water to a boil, then
draining it off and refilling the pot.

6.  If you live in a coastal area or an area
where fish are around, make that an integral
part of your diet.  You can catch them from the
lakes or rivers, saving money in the process.

7.  Peanut butter is great for those on a budget
as it’s popular with almost everyone.  You can
use it for sandwiches instead of eating hot
dogs.  It does need to be refrigerated, although
bigger jars can last you for weeks.

8.  You should fill up with foods that have a high
content of water.  Watermelon, salads, and even
sugar free gelatin are all great examples.

Eating healthy is always something you can’t go
wrong with.  You can eat healthy for just a few
bucks, which makes it perfect for those on a
budget. Now, you don’t need a lot of money to have
the lifestyle and health you’ve always wanted.

What You Need:

1 medium pink grapefruit, cut into segments

1 medium orange, cut into segments

1 medium pear, sliced

1/4 C olive oil

1/4 C orange juice

2 T rice wine vinegar

1 T honey

How to Make It:

Place the grapefruit, orange and pear into a bowl.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the oil, orange juice and vinegar.

Add the honey to mixture and whisk until all the ingredients are combined well.

Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat just before serving.

Serves: 4

To make this a nice lunch salad, place the fruit over a bed of lettuce. Add some diced cooked chicken and a few pecan pieces. You can also substitute a jar of mixed citrus sections for the fresh fruit to save time.

What You Need:

2 C frozen cranberries, thawed

4 oranges

2 stalks celery, sliced thin

1 small red onion, chopped

1/4 C sugar

2 T lemon juice

1 t fresh ginger, grated

1 (5 oz.) pkg. baby arugula

1/4 C fresh mint leaves, chopped

2 T walnut oil

How to Make It:

Coarsely chop the cranberries either by hand or in a blender.

Place them in a mixing bowl.

Peel the oranges and cut into section over the bowl so the juice flows in with cranberries.

Place the orange sections in the mixing bowl.

Add the celery and onion and toss the ingredients to combine.

Sprinkle the sugar into the mixing bowl.

Pour the lemon juice over the sugar and gently mix both into the mixture.

Add the ginger and mix to incorporate.

Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 1 hour until chilled through.

Place the arugula into a salad bowl.

Add the mint and walnut oil.

Toss to coat the arugula well.

Top the arugula with the cranberry orange mixture just before serving.

Serves: 8

Arugula is a leaf vegetable that closely resembles lettuce. It has a rich peppery taste and is mostly used in salad. Arugula can be cooked and used with pasta or meats in many dishes. It can be found in the salad green section of many grocery stores.

What You Need:

1 pineapple, peeled and cut into chunks

1/3 C sugar

1/2 lb. dark sweet cherries, pitted

1 (5 oz.) pkg. mixed salad greens

! C French dressing

1 C blue cheese, crumbled

How to Make It:

Place the pineapple chunks in the bottom of shallow baking dish.

Sprinkle the pineapple with the sugar.

Cover the dish and place in the refrigerator for 1 hour to chill.

Place the cherries into the pan with the pineapple and stir to combine.

Place the salad greens into a salad bowl.

Place the cherry and pineapple mixture over the greens.

Pour the French dressing over the entire salad.

Top with the crumbled blue cheese just before serving.

Serves: 6

This sweet festive salad goes well with pork or chicken. Placing the pineapple in the refrigerator to chill gives the sugar time to soak into the pineapple giving it a sweet taste. Be sure to mix the pineapple and cherries together in the shallow pan so that both types of fruit are covered with little of the sweet juice.

What You Need:

1 C yogurt

1/2 C fresh mint, chopped

3 T confectioners’ sugar

4 kiwis, peeled and cut lengthwise into 6 sections

8 ruby red grapefruit

1 C coconut, flaked and lightly toasted

1/2 C raw pistachios, shelled and lightly toasted

How to Make It:

Place the yogurt into a small mixing bowl.

Add the mint and sugar.

Whisk the ingredients until completely combined.

Place the kiwi segments into a salad bowl.

Trim the peel and pith from the grapefruit.

Hold the grapefruit over the salad bowl to catch the juice and pull the segments apart.

Place the grapefruit segments into the bowl with the kiwi.

Sprinkle the coconut into the bowl.

Add the nuts and toss gently to combine all the ingredients together well.

Pour the yogurt mixture over the salad just before serving.

Serves: 8

To toast the coconut and pistachios, place them on a rimmed baking sheet in a 375 degree oven for about 2 minutes for the coconut and 5 minutes or the pistachios or until lightly browned. Be sure to stir at least once for even browning.

What You Need:

1 T red wine vinegar

1/8 t salt

1/8 t pepper

2 T olive oil

3 T fresh tarragon, chopped and divided

6 C baby spinach

2 C fresh cherries, pitted and cut in half

1/4 C blue cheese, crumbled

1/3 C almonds, slivered

How to Make It:

Pour the vinegar into a small mixing blow.

Add the salt and pepper and whisk until the salt is completely dissolved.

Slow add the oil and whisking while pouring it into the bowl.

Fold in 2 T of the tarragon.

Place the spinach into a salad bowl.

Add the cherries and toss to combine.

Pour the dressing into the bowl and toss the salad to lightly coat.

Sprinkle the cheese over the salad.

Top with the almonds and serve immediately.

Serves: 4

This fruity salad goes well with both pork and chicken. Better yet make it the main course by adding 2 C of chopped meat and some finely chopped hard boiled egg.