Dip, toss and freeze your way to delicious warm-weather friendly meals.
With the weather finally warming up, it’s time to explore quick, easy and oh-so refreshing recipes. Don’t worry; these appetizers, meals and treats require very minimal (if any) heat to make, plus your fridge, blender and freezer, of course.
Layered Dips
We love dips because they’re like the warm weather-friendly version of a casserole. Plus, they take even less time (and heat) to prepare and pair perfectly with your favourite pita bread, tortilla chips and fresh veggies!
Mix up your own or get inspired by these double-dip-worthy delights!
* We’re kidding about double-dipping unless you have your own bowl, of course!
6-Layer Greek Dip:
- Hummus
- Taziki
- Kalamata olives
- Red onion or green onion
- Diced cucumber and tomato
- Crumbled feta and oregano
Check out these recipes for even more Mediterranian-style dips:
- Cold Spinach Feta Dip
- Creamy cucumber layered dip with greek yogurt and Italian seasoning.
- Mediterranean layered dip with pine nuts, artichoke hearts and sun-dried tomatoes.
You can’t go wrong with a classic 7-layer dip or our favourite
too many layers to count Taco Dip:
- Refried beans
- Softened cream cheese with taco seasoning
- Guacamole
- Pico de gallo or salsa
- Diced tomatoes and bell peppers
- Iceberg lettuce
- Cotija, cheddar or Monterey jack cheese
- Sliced Jalapenos and black olives
We also love these fresh dips bursting with summery Southwest flavours:
Dips are fun and patio-friendly. They serve as a perfect snack, appetizer or casual pool-side meal – so mix your favourite dips up in family-sized bowls, or make individual portions. You’ll want to make enough so everyone can have seconds.
Inspired Salads
Salads can be bland, but they don’t have to be! Toss up your salad routine with these healthy and far from boring choices:
Is coleslaw a salad? We think so! This ramen broccoli slaw brings the crunch up a notch. It’s even dressed with a homemade dressing that makes use of that famous ramen seasoning packet.
To add a kick of sweet heat to the tang of your slaw, check out this recipe for Korean coleslaw from Chef Julie Yoon.
If you’re making your salad into the main event of a meal, you’ll probably want to add some extra protein. Charcuterie is a huge food trend that’s perfect for summer, so why not assemble a delectable charcuterie chef salad with fig white balsamic dressing? Or take some inspiration from this antipasto salad packed with Italian flavours.
Canned fish is another excellent way to add protein to your meal without cooking. For a meal packed with veggies and healthy fats, try Mediterranean tuna salad and salmon salad-stuffed avocados.
We have two options on the menu for bean salad lovers that you can use to make healthy and off-the-beaten-path sandwiches and wraps.
A classic Caesar salad isn’t a bad choice. But these recipes prove that a salad doesn’t have to be lettuce-based or filled with croutons and bacon to be the star of a meal.
Chill Desserts
Give your oven a break and turn to your freezer to help you make refreshing, healthy treats instead!
Traditional dessert bars can be made healthier with raw plant-based ingredients. Try these kid-friendly no-bake vegan PB&J bars or vegan mocha dream bars for a Nanaimo bar-like treat filled with decadent cocoa, creamy coconut and nuts.
Plant-based cheesecakes packed with protein, fibre and fruit like these no-Bake mini blueberry cheesecakes are the perfect way to end a fresh summer meal. Or serve cheesecake for breakfast with strawberry-raspberry oatmeal cheesecake smoothies or raspberry cheesecake smoothie bowls.
Homemade popsicles are an even easier family and budget-friendly dessert. Just blend your choice of fruit with juice or milk. This summer, we’ll be enjoying batches of cherry creamsicles and peaches & cream popsicles.
It also doesn’t feel like summer without ice cream, or gelato, or frozen yogurt. Fortunately, you don’t need to go store-bought or buy an ice cream maker for these heat-busting recipes:
- Vegan watermelon gelato
- Naturally sweetened frozen yogurt pops
- Chocolate peanut butter frozen yogurt
- 1 Ingredient banana ice cream
Looking for frozen fruity treats that don’t require a blender? Try these simple, inspired recipes for chocolate and yogurt-covered frozen raspberries and sour patch grapes!
The best part about these desserts is they’re cool, creamy and refreshing. Plus, you don’t need to overheat your brain with oven temperatures, baking time, or the chemistry of measuring raising agents.
Just because you’re not toiling away over an oven or stove doesn’t mean you can’t make outstanding, nutritious meals for your loved ones. We think warm-weather meal prep should be all about chill vibes with a focus on saving time so you can soak up more of the summer with your family. Enjoy eating these recipes à la carte or pairing them with your famous backyard barbeque.