Ironically, as I’m writing this post, it happens to be a cool day. But lately – at least in NY anyway, it’s been super hot out, with days already into the 90′s and it’s only the beginning of June! It’s only going to get hotter and hotter as we approach July and the dreaded heat of August.

No one like cooking over a hot stove when it’s 98 degrees and muggy, especially not me, but instead of eating out all the time, I simply change the way I use my kitchen. Instead of roasting and baking, and heavy stove-top use, I opt for less sweaty, and less energy intensive ways to feed myself.

Thankfully the foods of summer don’t require as much preparation as the heavy dense foods (think butternut squash, potatoes) of winter. When I do my Seasonal Eating workshop, I always include a visualization of being in sweltering humidity and heat reaching the 100 degree mark. No breeze, sweat on your brow and shirt clinging to your back. You’re hungry and thirsty so you sit down for lunch. You’re served a hot plate of mashed potatoes with gravy, and a heavy dense steak…. still hungry?? Yeah, I didn’t think so. The flip side of this would be to visit someone in the arctic circle – someone who dresses in layers and layers of seal skins and who eats a predominantly meat and fat based diet – and you introduce them to tropical fruit smoothies and nourishing leafy green salads. Brrrr!! I doubt they’d thrive for very long on those foods!

My point here is to illustrate that our bodies have been designed to adapt to the change of seasons. We’re better able to digest heavy, dense foods in the wintertime, and better able to digest light, watery foods in the heat of the summer. In my previous post about rethinking the summer barbecue, I talked a little about the seasonality of meat and that everything has it’s place. In the summer, fruits and vegetables take center stage, and when we’re ready to start making breakfast, lunch, or dinner, the spotlight should be on them.

The beauty of these foods is that they require much less cooking, if any at all! Here are some tips and suggestions to keeping your kitchen (and body) cool this summer while still eating from home:

* Use low to no-heat appliances like blenders, food processors, and toaster ovens to do your food prep.

* Make plenty of leafy green salads and quick cooking grains… think pasta salads, tabbouleh, farro and summer vegetables, Tuscan bread salads (my favorite), and quinoa.

* Increase the amount of raw foods in your diet. People make fun of carrot sticks and hummus, but it’s not only filling, but a quick and cool snack too.

* Start hot mornings with a substantial breakfast smoothie made with fresh fruit and almond milk. Make it a more decadent dessert by adding almond butter and cocoa powder!

* If you are going to cook, try to do it in the morning when it’s the coolest. Cook as much as you can and leave it in the fridge or freezer for use during the week. Make large batches of lentils, beans, and grains and toss them with a light dressing and some fresh greens and veggies for an instant meal.

* Make large pitchers of iced tea to keep in the fridge instead of dehydrating iced coffee.

* Make your pasta sauces raw! Simply chop or tear apart some fresh tomatoes and basil leaves, and top with extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper. Or go the no-cook pesto route instead!

Then there’s always cooking outside (see previous post) which can of course be very hot (it is FIRE after all), but is still better than being stuck indoors glued to your kitchen counter or stove! Plus, the company of friends while you’re grilling will always leave you feeling cool and content! Stay cool my friends!