food for hot weather

10past6

beachbeth wrote: »

Crunchy Pasta Salad

10oz dried pasta shells
1/4 red cabbage, shredded
2 celery sticks, chopped
1 granny smith apple, cored
1 tbs lemon juice
1oz sultanas
4 tbs mayonnaise
4 tbs semi-skimmed milk
salt and pepper
Garnish:
pinch cayenne pepper
celery leaves

Bring at least 1.8 litres (3 pints) water to the boil in a large saucepan. Add a dash of oil and a generous pinch of salt. Cook the pasta for 8-12 minutes until just tender.

Drain the pasta a rinse under cold running water in a colander. Drain again thoroughly and transfer to a large salad bowl. Add the cabbage and celery. Quarter the apple and slice it into another bowl. Sprinkle with lemon juice to prevent it from browning.

Fold the apple slices into the pasta with the sultanas. Mix together the mayonnaise and milk, add salt and pepper to taste and fold into the salad. Garnish with the cayenne pepper and celery leaves.

This sounds yummy, I'm going to give it ago :beer:

KAAT_LADY

me too it sounds delish

10past6

10past6 wrote: »

This sounds yummy, I'm going to give it ago :beer:

Well, I made the salad in post 92 above, WoW. it's one of the best salads I've ever made, I'm so pleased and proud of myself :j

Many thanks to the OP for the recipe.

countrymusicfan

Some ideas from another forum on hot weather meals. Salads are great for using up bits and pieces. Pasta prima, cook up some pasta and any vegetables you have . Put the pasta on a plate and put the veggies on top with some cheese and oil dressing. Devilled egg salad is also quite good.

Penelope_Penguin

We're eating a lot of HG veg atm - coleslaw, potato salad, tomato salad, green salad.

The weather's turned today - spag bol for tea :rolleyes:

I'll add this to the existing hot weather food thread to keep ideas together.

Penny. x

pavlovs_dog

seeing as God's cranking up the thermostat for this coming week i've revisted this old thread for inspiration. it's made my meal planning for the week much easier :j

hope it helps others :beer:

Sarahsaver

tonight's tea: chicken salad made with leftover chicken chopped up, aubergine, pepper and onion roasted with rosemary (from the garden) then cooled, mint from the garden, cherry tomatoes, cold cooked new potatoes also left over from Sunday dinner, chopped and added in, and tomato and herb croutons. Will be finished off with lemon juice and the olive oil from the roast veg.
Very cheap but looks really posh, sort of thing that would cost you a bomb in the supermarket.

competitionscafe

I like this cucumber and avocado soup in hot weather - very refreshing:

Recipe: http://observer.guardian.co.uk/foodmonthly/story/0,,2129227,00.html
I like it with a bit of white crab meat on top.

Also this avocado, tomato and bacon pasta:
"a favorite pasta dish that I make all the time in warm weather: mash a couple of ripe avocados, stir in a clove of minced garlic, half a red onion, chopped, and three or four diced ripe, sweet tomatoes. Stir in a tablespoon or two of balsamic vinegar and a handful of chopped fresh basil. Toss with hot, cooked pasta and top with some cooked, crumbled bacon. "
From: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/food_and_drink/real_food/article6185347.ece

And this radish, mint and feta salad:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2008/apr/27/foodanddrink.recipes
Goes well with bbq food or grilled lamb chops.

Gazpacho is also nice - if I am lazy I buy the M&S one and pep it up with a bit of balsamic vinegar. Should make my own though really, (gazpacho that is not balsamic vinegar!)

blue_monkey_2

So, apart from salads what else are you eating while it is so hot.

I am *supposed* to be eating low fat to get the BP down else it would be pork pie (yum), I am allergic to a lot of spices so our food is pretty bland to be honest, kids and hubby refuse to eat spicy things anyway, but someone please give me some inspiration for something low fat yet yummy when it is 30 degrees + outside that does not include a lettuce leaf, cucumber or tomato.

We are having pasta tonight, it fees wrong to eat hot food when it is this cold.

Thank you

DevonGirl

You can eat pasta cold, depending upon what you serve it with. I see your family don't like tomatoes but will they eat some of the 'stir in' sauces which literally only coat the pasta? Also cold rice salad, cold potato salad or couscous. Again, if the family don't like lettuce, cucumber or tomato, you can still serve these with carrot, beetroot, hard boiled egg, tuna, olives, beans, chickpeas, cooked peas - the list goes on...
Also, although I would normally say life is too short to stuff a mushroom, I must admit as my appetite is smaller in this hot weather, I've been eating large mushrooms with cheese on top and red peppers with savory rice inside. Oh, and cold pizza is quite nice on a picnic!
Hope this gives a few ideas?!