Hi, I’m Melissa Clark, a food reporter taking over today for Jancee Dunn.
Summer officially starts this weekend, but it’s already underway in my kitchen. Ripe berries and peaches are at their best, and heirloom tomatoes, fresh corn, glossy eggplant and zucchini are just waiting to be invited to the table. But I don’t blame you if you don’t quite know where to start.
At NYT Cooking, we believe the path to healthier eating starts with cooking more at home. And there’s plenty of research that shows the benefits of fruits and vegetables and, for that matter, eating less meat.
My strategy has always been fairly simple: Build meals around the season’s produce; add proteins that don’t need much, or any, cooking; then go all in with the condiments, herbs and spices. You’ll find a few more of my favorite tips below.
1. Turn your favorite dinner into a salad.
Take your preferred protein — rotisserie chicken, canned beans, quick cooking salmon filets — then, instead of sides, add lettuces, herbs, tomatoes and other vegetables to turn it into a vibrant main course. The two recipes below do just that, pairing salmon, chicken and chickpeas with loads of greens.
Grilled salmon salad with lime, chiles and herbs: A pungent dressing — featuring lime, fish sauce, chilies and shallot — is the real jewel of this five-star recipe. You can grill the salmon on a balmy night if you feel like being outside, or roast it in the oven if you don’t. Feel free to add any fruits or vegetables like cucumbers, tomatoes, watermelon, leftover grilled zucchini or corn. This multi-textured dish is a perfect home for any or all of them.
Chickpea-chicken salad with green harissa dressing: Canned chickpeas, briefly crisped in a pan with cumin and other spices, form the foundation of this sprightly salad, which is rounded out with shredded rotisserie chicken and juicy tomatoes. A punchy jalapeño-yogurt dressing pulls it all together.
2. Take your relationship with tofu to the next level.
If you can appreciate the golden exterior and crisp edges of fried or baked tofu, you may think you’ve found the best it has to offer. But the tofu-verse has soft, silky regions that are worth exploring too, especially in summer, when sultry weather encourages shorter cook times and delicate textures. The no-cook recipe below lets tofu’s soft side come through, with little to no effort.
Silken tofu with spicy soy dressing: You can put your own spin on the sesame and soy sauce dressing by adding crunchy roasted peanuts, fresh herbs, or salted fermented elements like kimchi. For an even more minimalist take, you only need four ingredients to make the delightful gochujang sauce that goes with this chilled tofu.
3. Sip your supper.
When it’s too hot to cook, or even chew, a cold soup might be the perfect answer. Cold fruit- and vegetable-based soups are a balm on a steamy day, and they’re relatively fuss-free. Let these drinkable dishes sustain you, even when cooking is the last thing on your mind.
Best gazpacho: This olive oil-imbued recipe requires a few extra steps (straining, chilling) compared to the most basic gazpachos, but this garlicky elixir is well worth it. It also doesn’t call for any bread, making it lighter than many other versions. If you don’t feel like straining, run the blender for a few extra minutes to really liquefy the solids. You’ll get a thicker, slightly more textured soup that’s just as cooling on a hot evening.
Chilled cucumber soup with avocado toast: This near-instant meal can be whirled together in a blender in minutes. The key here is to season the cucumbers with plenty of strong flavors — garlic and anchovies for depth, buttermilk for tanginess, jalapeño for heat. I like to serve this alongside mini avocado toasts. Feel free to skip that though, this creamy, nubby soup stands fine on its own.
As temperatures rise, ticks are flourishing.
As winters get warmer, some species of ticks are becoming more numerous in ways that threaten people’s health. Others are expanding their territory — such as deer ticks, known for transmitting Lyme disease, which are moving farther north. Experts share ways to prevent tick-borne illnesses.
Read the article: The Tick Situation Is Getting Worse. Here’s How to Protect Yourself.
Do you have low back pain? These beginner-friendly yoga poses can help.
A growing body of research suggests that yoga can be an effective way to reduce the intensity of chronic low back pain and make everyday movements more comfortable. Get started with this routine, which takes 10 to 15 minutes.
Read the article: A Gentle Yoga Routine for Low Back Pain
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Melissa Clark has been writing her column, A Good Appetite, for The Times’s Food section since 2007. She creates recipes for New York Times Cooking, makes videos and reports on food trends. She is the author of 45 cookbooks, and counting.
The post 3 Easy (and Delicious) Ways to Eat Well This Summer appeared first on New York Times.
