Hot, hot heat: What are we gonna eat?
Heat Dome 2025
Hello all!
It’s funny, I have so many ideas for these newsletters, so many recipes or themes kicking around in the back of my mind. But there always seems to be something spontaneous that elbows its way to the front and makes me pivot.
This week all of my meal planning has been focused on low- or no-cook meals to survive the heat dome settling over us. I had planned to follow through on some baking projects but I’m not crazy enough to fire up the oven when we’re expecting triple-digit temperatures!
We do have the extreme luxury of air conditioning in our apartment, but minimizing how hard it has to work is best for our physical comfort, for the environment, and for our local power grids! I’ve been keeping a list of ingredients and recipes to shop for this week, updating it as inspiration strikes, so that we’ll be prepared when that too-hot, dehydrated sluggishness hits.
The Vibes:
Ideas that I’m keeping in mind as I stock the pantry:
Big Crunchy Salads
Easy and obvious. A bowl of well-dressed raw vegetables! Iceberg, kale, boxed baby greens, whatever floats your boat. I like to be prepared for several different types of salad, so that it doesn’t feel repetitive. I’m planning to pick up supplies for an iceberg house salad type (grape tomatoes, sliced cucumber, shredded red cabbage, ranch dressing), a massaged kale salad (toasted nuts, white wine vinegar, big flakes of shaved manchego, green olives, maybe some sliced fruit), and a fluffy mixed greens salad (fresh herbs like parsley, tarragon, and chives, lemon juice, roasted pistachios, and clouds of finely grated Parmesan). If watermelons and tomatoes are in season where you are (it’s a bit early here), then add them into your salad plans and lean into the juicy goodness!
Slow-Cooker Beans
Canned beans are definitely an option, but if you’ve got a slow cooker you don’t have to write dried beans off just yet! Slow cooking takes a bit longer than on the stove or in the oven, but it’s worth it. FYI: If you are cooking beans in the slow cooker, you’ll need to to a pre-boil on the stove first. Beans contain a toxic chemical that is neutralized by about a 10-15 minute boil. I like to quickly boil them on the stove, then transfer the beans and the hot water into the slow cooker. Pre-heating the water also makes the slow-cooking process more efficient!
Two of my favorite hot weather bean recipes:
Cilantro-Lime Bean Salad with Fresh Corn and Avocado
Lemony White Bean and Avocado Salad with Fresh Dill
If you eat meat, don’t forget that a slow cooker is also a great way to get tender, flavorful proteins without heating up the house. Think pulled pork, poached chicken, or shredded beef for tacos.
“Protein Salads”
Not sure what else to call this category… But what I mean is tuna/salmon salad, chicken salad, egg salad, etc. I like having canned tuna and canned salmon on hand, and poaching chicken/boiling eggs is relatively low-heat. If you cook big batches you can eat leftovers over the course of several days, which means you only have to turn on the stove once! After your fridge is stocked you’re ready for sandwiches and wraps, lettuce cups, or even just a finishing touch on a dinner salad.
Honorable Mention: Dips for dinner!
In addition to my previously published love note to savory yogurt (linked below!), I also love to whip up my nearly no-cook crab spinach-artichoke dip!
♥♥♥
Hey food friend! One of the ways we show love for friends and family is through cooking, am I right? Well, let’s remember that our humanity lies in our ability to have compassion for and care for people beyond our immediate friends and family. So let’s take our love and spread it as far as we can! Especially now, with all the horrors unfolding in the US and continued genocide abroad, let’s make a difference where we can by seeking out nonprofits that help provide resources and legal support to immigrants, and support mutual aid endeavors like community fridges and advocacy for our unhoused neighbors. Donating to organizations that provide support for Trans youth is also critical, as is finding ways to support anti-genocide efforts and relief aid in Palestine, such as through organizations like Anera.
♥♥♥
The Recipes:
Actual recipes I’m shopping for, because we love them or because I’m keen to eat them:
Chilled tofu with a savory dressing
I’ve never made this, but it’s a classic hot weather dish. And I finally have easy access to silken tofu so I’m excited to try it! Some of these recipes call for a cooked element, which I would probably omit to keep it no-cook.
Chilled Japanese tofu to get you through a heatwave (Emiko Davies, Substack)
Asparagus Gomaae With Chilled Tofu (Hetty Lui McKinnon via NYT)
Silken Tofu With Spicy Soy Dressing (Hetty Lui McKinnon via NYT)
Smashed cucumber salad
We use both the Serious Eats recipe and the one from The Woks of Life.
Sichuan-Style Smashed Cucumber Salad Recipe (Serious Eats)
Smashed Asian Cucumber Salad (The Woks of Life)
Chilled Noodles
Noodles do mean boiling water, but sometimes it’s worth it! The following are two recipes I’m excited for:
Cold Noodle Salad With Spicy Peanut Sauce (Hetty Lui McKinnon via NYT)
An effortless, chilled Japanese noodle dish for hot summer days (Emiko Davies, Substack)
(Clearly I’m a fan of Hetty and Emiko! Emiko also just published an entire newsletter that’s relevant: What to cook on hot days. I think it might be behind a paywall, but her newsletter is absolutely worth it!!)
I hope I’ve given you some inspiration for non-cooking your way through the heat wave! If you know anyone else who might need some hot weather meal inspiration, please feel free to forward this email or share the link. Stay cool!
xoxo
Julia