apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Lately I've been into tomatoes (do I really have a choice? ha) and I am very excited for the beginning of fig season here in California. Both tomatoes and figs can be hot or cold. A couple of my no-cook favorites:

Breadless Bruschetta
http://lauraezolnoski.com/2009/08/03/breadless-bruschetta/

Fig, Brie, and Spinach Sandwich
http://lauraezolnoski.com/2009/08/18/fig-brie-and-spinach-sandwiches/

Favorite no-heat meals are bean salads, hummus/veggie plates or sammiches, brick-pressed savory sammiches drizzled with oil, and ceviche (though I have not tried making this one).

This ceviche dinner (at Last Night's Dinner) looks pretty perfect right about now:
http://www.lastnightsdinner.net/2009/08/19/if-you-cant-stand-the-heat/

and Shiv's coconut-basil-mint-udon with shrimp sound cooling and refreshing too:
http://www.pithyandcleaver.com/?p=1065

For a truly no-cook/heat meal it would be cheese, crudite w/hummus, some crusty bread or crackers and some canned sardines along with some grapes or figs. All washed down with a glass of rose or sauvignon blanc.

This is really good: white bean and tuna salad.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/white-bean-tuna-salad-recipe/index.html

It's best with an Italian canned tuna, and cherry tomatoes from the garden. Even my teen and 20-something sons like it, so that's saying something!

A cold chicken sandwich.

While I don't want my kitchen hot, I still crave warm food at dinnertime. A hummus platter just won't do it for me 90% of the time.

My solution is to bake or broil fish in my toaster oven. The cooking time is very short and the toaster doesn't radiate heat through the whole kitchen like the stove would.

I'll serve it with cold sides: homemade salsa with fresh fruit and veggies with fresh greens.

I've tried making a variety of cold soups lately and realized that I have a true, unbridled hatred of cold soups.

Does Take Out count?

Gazpacho, in part because it has such good memories for me: http://seasonal-menus.blogspot.com/2009/07/no-heat-meals.html

Also, BLTs with basil and cheddar-and-chutney sandwiches.

I love this couscous salad: http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/9572?section=

It's a great way to use up my garden full of tomatoes, and the edamame and feta make it hearty enough for a light supper.

I've been digging this uber quick roasted red pepper & tomato gazpacho. Best of all, it only takes about 5 minutes to make! Yep, that's right only 5 minutes. We've all got time for that, right?