8 Chilling Recipes Perfect For Hotter Weather

Summer is right around the corner, at least that’s what most of us Brits are holding out for. Yet when summer comes, the majority of us don’t know how to cope with the heat. Trying to cook, seems like a chore. This makes it important to have a couple chilling recipes up your sleeve! So whether you’re making dinner for yourself or for the whole family, there’s something here to satisfy your appetite!

1. Fruity Ice Cubes

In summer, you can often find yourself feeling sluggish due to dehydration. Us brits, often fail to up our intake of liquids, making us fall ill to sun stroke. If you need a quick burst of hydration try making these fruity ice cubes. Not only will they make your drink chilly, but they also add some colour and enhance flavour. The refreshing blast gives you a pick me up on a hot day. This recipe is great as it doesn’t involve a lot of effort. It isn’t difficult to slice up some berries and place them in ice cube trays along with some water. The best part about these ice cubes is the versatility. The ingredients are totally up to you. Whether you use blueberries, watermelon or mango you are in total control. Enjoy your sweet treat.

2. The Greek Tuna Salad

Now I know salad for summer – not very original -but hear me out. There is nothing worse than a salad that makes you feel like you’re a rabbit eating leaves. The important thing is to get the flavours right. Taking influence from the Greeks, it makes the boring salad, one of the tastiest lunches you’ll have this summer. This tuna salad is packed full of veggies and drizzled with a tasty dressing. It may not be the healthiest salad but its definitely one of the more scrumptious.

Get the recipe here:

3. Berry/ Dragon-fruit Smoothie Bowl

In the midst of a scorching summer -when the sun rises at 6 am- it means you are waking up sweating. The last thing you’ll want to be doing is standing over a stove cooking a traditional British fry up. So why not opt for a healthier breakfast option. All you need is a blender and a couple of ingredients. This smoothie bowl not only provides you with the cooling sensation, it’s a brighter way to start your day. The lighter breakfast is visually appealing and symbolises summer in a bowl. To make this simply, combine ½ cup of frozen berries, a banana, ½ cup of almond milk and ½ a dragon fruit into a blender. Blend until it’s a smoothie consistency. Transfer to a bowl and top with granola, berries and some coconut pieces.

4. Picnic

Maybe it’s my inner child, but I can’t think of a better way to spend a sunny afternoon than having a picnic. Whether you go to a park, the beach or entertain the kids in your garden it’s a crowd favourite. Not only does it require little effort, it is also very filling. Between sandwiches, yoghurts, party food and lots of snacks, you find yourself grazing the entire time you are there. This helps keep you cool as it requires no cooking and still satisfies everyone’s appetites. As you pack it yourself you can keep picky eaters help as well. Result!

5. Pizza

Summer is a time, where kids are constantly bored. They complain about the heat and what they want to eat. So why not get them involved in the cooking process? All you have to prepare is the dough which is simply some self raising flour, olive oil and milk. After you have rolled out your dough into pizza shapes, let the kids decorate their own pizzas. Then you only have to shove them in the oven and leave them for 20 mins to cook. That’s it! It keeps you having minimum time in the kitchen and the kids happy.

6. Iced Lemonade, Smoothies and Milkshakes

Nothing says summer more than an icy beverage. They are even better when they are made at home with love. They say homemade is always best. You know all of the ingredients that go into it, making it healthier than a store bought option. To make these you’ll need a quality blender. There is nothing better in summer than having a photo worthy drink in your hand and all of these provide a colour pop to your day.

7. Grilled Peach, Prosciutto and Mozzarella Sandwich

Sandwiches have been on the menu for several years. They live in lunchboxes across the world season by season. This grilled sandwich adds a cooling sensation because of the peach. This sandwich is a hybrid as its sweet, salty and savoury all at the same time. This is great for summer as its quite big and the meat is filling.

Get the recipe:

8. Summer Chicken Wrap

Now it doesn’t have to be chicken, pretty much any meat can go in any wrap. They can even be amended for vegetarians who want to use Quorn or Tofu. To make this tasty treat, start with a flour tortilla and empty the contents of your fridge. This is perfect to use up chicken leftovers from Sunday dinner. Pair with some salad and peppers and drizzle in a sweet chilli sauce and you have a yummy lunch.