3 go-to quick meal ideas for lazy summer days
Written by Carol Harrison, Registered Dietitian
One way I’ve kept the kitchen cool this summer is by cooking with eggs. Especially on hot summer days, you might want to avoid turning on your oven. Although time spent in the kitchen can be a wonderful experience, summer passes much too quickly in Ontario not to go out and enjoy it. So, cue the super-quick, delicious and extremely nutritious dinners that help you satisfy your hunger while letting you go on enjoying those hot summer days. Here are my current 3 favourite, fast and healthy meals!
“Breakfast” for dinner.
French toast topped with fresh Ontario peach slices, blueberries and slivered almonds. Serve with yoghurt smoothies. The almonds and eggs in this recipe give you a kick of protein while the fruits on top provide you with anti-oxidants and fibre. When you add a yoghurt smoothie, you’re throwing calcium into the combo too! This one easy meal checks off multiple food groups. Who says you can’t enjoy a breakfast meal for dinner? Do what floats your boat!
Make-your-own pizza omelettes.
Here’s how: Start with a regular omelette base (you can use your own favourite method). When the eggs are almost set on the surface but still look moist, spread pizza sauce over top. Sprinkle your favourite pizza toppings and cheese over the marinara sauce. Place the lid back on your skillet and cook the assembled omelette for 1 to 2 minutes to melt the cheese. Carefully slide your pizza omelette onto a serving plate (this is tricky, so just take your time). If you didn’t put many veggie toppings on your pizza omelette then you might want to get in a side salad. Enjoy a side of whole grain crispy rolls if you want to add a grain to the meal. This dish is fantastic on a hot day when you’re looking for a lighter alternative to a classic doughy pizza.
Make-your-own egg salad subs.
For kids, I find whole wheat hot dog buns work great. I always keep hard-cooked eggs ready to go in the fridge. They keep for up to a week, which is great. You can boil a batch for the next 7 days to speed up recipe prep throughout the week! In this delicious sub, mix together a quick egg salad (any recipe is fine)! Use it as the base for the other toppings in your sub. But this is where you (and your kids) get to be creative! Some topping ideas for inspiration: shredded carrots, chopped lettuce, thinly sliced mushrooms, red, yellow or green pepper. Serve with raw veggies and dip on the side for extra vitamins. Baby carrots, grape tomatoes and sugar snap peas are convenient and healthy. The best part about this quick dinner idea is that it’s highly customizable! Kids can choose what they’d like to put in their sandwich and assemble it themselves for a little bit of entertainment.
Give these quick recipes a try – you’ll love how nutritious they are and how quick it is to make them. Remember that eggs can be enjoyed any time of day in a variety of recipes to give you energy!