Beat the Heat With These 7 Refreshing Recipes

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Have you reached that late-August point where the summer heat has finally begun to get the best of you? Have you and your guests relegated yourselves to just toughing it out at the picnic table, suffering in the humidity as you attempt to enjoy that heavy barbeque?

If you want a break, it’s time to change the menu!

Foods typically served hot, such as meats and stews, as well as alcohol, and caffeine, can all raise body temperature, or give the illusion of being warmer. When combined with high summer temperatures, these types of foods can make the heat feel more intense, not to mention the time spent cooking over a hot pan all day.

But there’s good news! There are myriad delicious foods which make great, refreshing meals that are easy to prepare and won’t heat you up. Switch out the red meats and salty chips for these 7 easy-to-make recipes that will help you beat the heat this summer.

Blueberry Cobbler

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There’s nothing better than taking advantage of the summer season to obtain fresh, in-season fruit. Blueberries, especially, are healthy additions to any meal, and are full of anti-aging antioxidants, brain-boosting nutrients, and inflammation-stopping proanthocyanidins.

And what’s the only way to make them even better? Put them in a dessert, of course.

Blueberry cobbler has long been a summer staple, and its combination of warm biscuit crust and a scoop of vanilla ice cream is nigh irresistible.

To make blueberry cobbler, you’re going to need the following.

1 1⁄4 cups all-purpose flour

1⁄2 cup sugar

1⁄4 teaspoon salt

1 1⁄2 teaspoons baking powder

3⁄4 cup whole milk

1⁄3 cup butter, melted

2 cups fresh blueberries

1⁄3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Once you have the ingredients, it’s time to get cooking!

1. In a large bowl, combine and stir flour, 1/2 cup sugar, salt, and baking powder.

2. Stir in milk and butter.

3. Spread batter into a greased 8-inch square baking pan.

4. Sprinkle blueberries evenly over batter.

5. Sprinkle with 1/3 cup sugar and drizzle with vanilla.

6. Bake at 350° for about 40 minutes or until a pick comes out clean.

Sweet Iced Tea

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While it’s a beverage rather than a food, what could be more refreshing than sweet tea? This is a favorite in the warmer states, but you don’t have to be from the south to enjoy this treat. Summer doesn’t geographically discriminate!

This is a very simple recipe that can be made quickly the night before a gathering and brought out, nice and cold. Fill a glass with ice, pour in the tea, and enjoy!

To make sweet tea, you’ll need these simple ingredients.

6 Lipton or Luizianne iced tea bags

1 teaspoon of baking soda

¾ cup of sugar

2 cups of boiling water

6 cups of cool water

To make your tea, follow these instructions.

1. Sprinkle baking soda into large (at least 64-ounce) heat-resistant, glass pitcher.

2. Pour in boiling water, add all tea bags, and cover. Allow tea bags to steep for 15 minutes.

3. Remove tea bags and stir in sugar until dissolved.

4. Pour in cool water and refrigerate until cold.

Broccoli Salad

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Broccoli is a double agent. It’s that sneaky vegetable that seems innocent enough, with its innocuous taste and bland personality. But when it meets its buddies—cheese and bacon—it goes wild.

Broccoli salad is a deliciously refreshing summer side dish that will please kids and grown-ups alike, and is served cold, straight from the refrigerator. Feel free to top it with whatever assortment of nuts or seeds strike your fancy.

To make this dish, you’ll need the following ingredients.

1 -2 head fresh broccoli

1⁄2 cup red onion, chopped

1⁄2 lbs. of cooked bacon, crumbled into small pieces

2 1⁄2 tablespoons vinegar

1 cup mayonnaise

1⁄3 cup sugar

1 1⁄2 cups grated mozzarella cheese

The directions are as follows.

Chop broccoli into bite size pieces.

Mix broccoli, onions, crumbled bacon and mozzarella in large bowl.

In separate bowl, combine vinegar, sugar and mayonnaise.

Pour over broccoli mixture and toss to coat.

Refrigerate for one hour, and serve immediately.

Fruit Salad With Pudding

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Fruit salad is a delicious is a delicious way to get your daily serving of nutritious fruit, and because this dish is served chilled, it’s great for hot, summer days.

This particular recipe is easy to make, and is sure to be popular wherever you take it. If you want to be that person whose arrival makes everyone’s eyes light up at the prospect of a delicious dish, try this recipe. You won’t be disappointed.

Here’s what you’ll need.

1 29 ounce can of peach slices, undrained

1 20 ounce can of pineapple chunks, undrained

1 (3 1/8 ounce) box of dry vanilla instant pudding mix

1 lb. of strawberries, stemmed and quartered

1 banana, sliced

1⁄2 pint blueberries

1 bunch of red grapes

1 -2 tablespoon of sugar

And here’s how to prepare your fruit salad with pudding.

In a large bowl, combine your peaches, pineapples (including juice), and vanilla pudding mix.

Mix well to dissolve pudding.

Stir in strawberries, banana, blueberries, grapes, and sugar if desired.

Refrigerate for one hour, and serve chilled.

Pico de Gallo

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When the days are warm, the tomatoes are in-season and ripe, and the cilantro is plentiful, there’s only one thing to do.

Make pico de gallo, of course.

This Mexican favorite, also called salsa fresca, makes a perfect dip for tortilla chips, a topping for tacos, and much more. If you’re unsure about this dish, pico de gallo is similar to traditional salsa, but contains less liquid content—it’s a great new food to introduce to your friends and family. The fresh tang of lime and cilantro will leave you feeling refreshed and cool as you enjoy the results of this recipe.

Here’s what you’ll need to make great pico de gallo.

4 ripe plum tomatoes

1 small white onion

3/4 cup cilantro, chopped

2 jalapeno peppers

1 tablespoon lime juice

Salt to taste

Directions

1. Slice tomatoes, onion, and cilantro finely and place into large bowl.

2. Seed and finely slice jalapenos, and add to mixture.

3. Add lime juice and salt.

4. Mix thoroughly and serve immediately.

Sauteed Yellow Squash

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Yellow summer squash are are harvested while still immature, while the rind is still edible and tender. This tasty gourd is mild in flavor and softer than most varieties of winter squash, such as butternut, and is abundant in the summer.

Sautéed, yellow squash is a tasty treat that’s cheap and easy to prepare, so make sure to add this side dish to your next summer feast. Your guests will thank you.

Here are the ingredients you’ll need.

6 medium summer squash, sliced

1⁄4 cup butter

1 medium onion, diced

Salt and pepper to taste

The directions for preparing sautéed squash are as follows.

Melt butter in a large skillet.

Add onion and cook until tender.

Add yellow squash slices and continue cooking over medium heat, stirring until squash begins to soften.

Cover and continue cooking over low heat until tender (about 20 minutes).

Top with salt and pepper.

Coleslaw

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Finally, no summer foods list would be complete without coleslaw. Commonly found at cookouts, this food is another staple of summer meals, and, when made well, is crisp, refreshing, and delicious. No gathering should be without it!

This is a side dish that is commonly bought prepared, but tastes even better when made fresh.

If you’d like to make your own, you’ll need these ingredients.

1 cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

2 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons black pepper

1⁄2 teaspoon salt

1⁄4 teaspoon dry mustard

1⁄8 teaspoon celery seed

5 cups shredded coleslaw mix, which can include cabbage, carrot, onion, and bell peppers

To make your coleslaw, follow these directions.

Whisk together mayonnaise, sugar, vinegar, pepper, salt, dry mustard, and celery seed in a glass or plastic bowl until sugar dissolves.

Toss with shredded coleslaw vegetables

Refrigerate overnight.

Toss well before serving.