Don’t sweat summer meals – leave the oven off for these dishes

Cooks in search of quick fixing recipes that require only assembly can try recipes such as our Layered Turkey Sandwich or the Chickpea-Couscous Salad with Lemon and Mint. A good way to get your fill of veggies in a day? Try Gazpacho.

Here are just a few quick meals to make that don’t require an oven:

Light eating: Make rice summer rolls, which at most require boiling water in the microwave to soak the rice paper and rice noodles. Go to this link http://bit.ly/ osDEZG, for a how-to video and recipe from cookbook author Mark Bittman.

Store-bought meals: Use store-bought rotisserie chicken to make chicken salad. This curried chicken salad recipe is from Diane Engles of North Raleigh, N.C.: Combine 4 cups diced chicken, 1 cup diced celery, 1/2 cup chopped pecans and 1/2 cup raisins with this dressing: 1/2 cup low-fat mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon each white wine vinegar, soy sauce and minced onion, 1 teaspoon curry powder, 2 teaspoons honey (optional) and salt and pepper to taste. Stir to combine.

Cooking pasta: Boiling water is fast and easy. Make an orzo salad, combining 1 cup cooked orzo, kernels from three ears of corn, 1 diced avocado, 2 tablespoons each fresh lime juice, cider vinegar and sugar, 1/4 cup olive oil, 3/4 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 pint of halved grape tomatoes. Toss to combine.

Use your grill: Grill enough proteins, such as beef, chicken or fish, to last several meals. Use the side burner to cook vegetables, boil pasta or heat baked beans.

Do most of your cooking on Sunday. Cook several salads to serve throughout the week, such as pickled shrimp, potato and green bean salad, and tuna salad using fresh tuna.

Spicy BLT Soup

Yield: 4 servings

2 pounds assorted tomatoes, roughly chopped

Coarse sea salt and ground pepper

1 small cucumber, roughly chopped

2 medium Fresno chiles or jalapenos, stemmed and chopped

1/2 small yellow onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, smashed and peeled

2 teaspoons white wine vinegar

1 slice white bread, crust removed, torn into pieces

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon sugar

Chopped egg and garlic vinaigrette (recipe left)

Croutons, crumbled cooked bacon and sliced lettuce, for toppings

Sprinkle tomatoes with 1/4 teaspoon salt; let sit for 10 minutes.

Combine tomatoes, cucumber, chiles, onion, garlic, vinegar, bread, oil and sugar in a blender and puree until smooth, about 1 minute. Pour through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl, pressing on solids, and then discard solids. Cover soup and refrigerate about 2 hours or up to 3 days.

Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with a drizzle of vinaigrette and desired toppings.

Source: From chef Andrea Reusing of Lantern in Chapel Hill, appeared in Everyday Food (July/August 2011) Layered Turkey Sandwiches

2 medium cucumbers, cut lengthwise into thin wedges

1/4 cup rice vinegar

2 tablespoons sugar

Coarse sea salt and ground pepper

1 country-style round bread loaf, 8 inches in diameter

1/3 cup olive tapenade

1/2 pound deli turkey, thinly sliced

1 zucchini, thinly sliced

1 large tomato, thinly sliced

4 ounces provolone, sliced

Toss cucumbers with vinegar and sugar in large bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes.

Cut bread loaf in half horizontally and scoop out insides. Spread inside of each half with olive tapenade. Arrange turkey on bottom half of bread. Top with zucchini, marinated cucumbers, tomato and cheese. Place top half of bread on top. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and let sit for 20 minutes. Source: Adapted from Everyday Food (July/August 2011) Chopped Egg and Garlic Vinaigrette

2 hard-cooked eggs

1 garlic clove, minced and mashed into a paste

1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Coarse sea salt

Separate egg whites and yolks. Chop egg whites and set aside.

Mash yolks in a small bowl. Stir in garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice and olive oil. Add egg whites. Season with salt. Serve. Chickpea-Couscous Salad With Lemon And Fresh Mint

Yield: 4 servings

Juice of one large lemon, or more to taste

1/2 medium red onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice

1 garlic clove, minced

1 teaspoon salt, divided

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided

3/4 cup whole-wheat couscous

1-1/2 cups warm water

1 small red bell pepper, cut into 1/4 inch dice

1 stalk celery, cut into 1/4-inch dice

1/4 cup chopped pitted Kalamata olives

1/4 cup raisins

1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1/4 to 1/3 cup tightly packed fresh mint leaves, torn

Combine lemon juice, onion, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl. Set aside.

Place couscous, water and remaining salt and pepper in a large microwave proof glass bowl. Microwave, covered, on high for 2 minutes. Carefully check couscous for tenderness. If needed, give it another 30 seconds to 1 minute cooking time. You will want it slightly firmer than usual because it will finish cooking as it sits.

Add red pepper, celery, olives and raisins to the large bowl with the onions-dressing mixture. Add couscous, chickpeas and mint. Taste for lemon juice, salt and pepper and adjust as needed. Serve the salad cool or at room temperature.

Source: From “Weeknight Kitchen with Lynne Rossetto Kasper” of “The Splendid Table” radio show.