Picture this: It’s the end of a long work day, the thermometer declares that it’s a crisp 87°F (with 92% humidity, of course), and the last thing you want to do is turn on the oven, or even the stove. I FEEL YOU. On top of that, I recently moved into my own place, and have quickly learned how far a college budget goes when it comes to off-campus living (I never thought I would say that I missed my cafeteria meal plan, but here we are…).
To combat the summer heat as a lemonade foodie on a Country-Time budget, I’ve compiled a list of (relatively) cheap and dorm-friendly meals that don’t require any heat, so that you can eat well while staying cool.
COWBOY CAVIAR
Prep Time: 5-10 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Wait Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 5-6
Ingredients:
1 can black beans
1 can pinto beans
1 can sweet corn
1 cup of halved cherry tomatoes (optional)
½ red onion (diced)
½ avocado (diced)
¼ cup cilantro (stemmed and diced)
This recipe makes anywhere from 5-8 servings, depending on the size of the canned goods — it’s a great recipe to make (read: assemble) for an appetizer with chips, meal prep throughout the week, or dinner with a group!
Kitchenware:
Mixing bowl
Spoon
Can Opener
Instructions:
Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. (No really, it’s that easy.) Serve with tortilla chips, or eat with a spoon! Top with sour cream, guacamole, or avocado at time of serving, if desired.
GREEK FLATBREADS
Prep Time: 5-10 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Wait Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 1
Ingredients:
1 individual flatbread
½ cup hummus
¼ cup feta cheese
¼ cup halved cherry tomatoes
¼ cup diced kalamata olives
¼ cup diced
1 tbsp Greek dressing (optional)
My favorite part of this recipe is that it’s totally customizable in terms of quantities. Love hummus? Slather on as much as you want! Not the biggest fan of tomatoes? Leave ‘em off and load up the cucumbers in their place!
Kitchenware:
Small Mixing Bowl (optional)
Cutting Board
Knife
Serving dish
Instructions:
First, halve (or quarter!) the tomatoes and olives, and dice 1/2 cucumber. Mix in a small bowl with Greek salad dressing, if desired.
Next, lay out one piece of flatbread onto the serving dish and spread with the desired amount of hummus. Top with the vegetable mixture and sprinkle with feta cheese.
#SpoonTip looking for some extra protein? Trader Joe’s sells delicious (tried and true) Gyro meat slices. Not only are they microwaveable, they keep for quite awhile when refrigerated, making them a dorm staple for me
CLASSIC TUNA SALAD
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Wait Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 2
Ingredients:
1 can of albacore tuna
¼ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup of Red onion (diced)
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Pepper
1 tsp Lemon juice
Instructions:
Begin by opening and draining the can of tuna before adding it to a large mixing bowl. Next, add 1/4 of mayonnaise (or Greek yogurt, or avocado), diced red onion, a pinch of salt and pepper, and about a tablespoon of lemon juice. Use a fork to mix the ingredients together.
Like most of these recipes, tuna salad is totally customizable. One can of tuna generally makes two servings, but the amount of mayonnaise, onion, etc. is entirely up to you!
For a snack, I might stuff baby bell peppers with tuna salad. For a more complete meal, I make a tuna sandwich with toasted bread, iceberg lettuce, and bread & butter pickle chips.
#SpoonTip Not a fan of mayonnaise? Want an added protein boost? Sub the mayonnaise with plain greek yogurt! If you’re looking for a vegan option, try mashed avocado
PASTA SALAD
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 8-10 minutes (pasta)
Wait Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
1 Box of pasta (I typically use farfalle or penne, and tortellini if I’m feeling ~fancy~)
Cherry Tomatoes
Baby Spinach
Bell Peppers (I use Red and/or Green!)
Black Olives
Red Onions
Salad Dressing**
**I’ve tried Italian, Balsamic Vinaigrette, and Greek dressings and have loved them all! I find oil-based dressings (as opposed to creamier ones such as Ranch or Caesar) to be more refreshing during the hot summer months.
Kitchenware:
Large Bowl
Cutting Board
Knife
Measuring Spoons
Strainer
Instructions:
First, cook the desired amount of pasta according to box instructions. (To make this recipe dorm-friendly, check out on this super helpful article on how to cook pasta in a microwave!) While the pasta is cooking, prepare your add-ins (dice the olives, slice your bell peppers, halve the tomatoes, etc.) and add them to a large mixing bowl.
After your pasta cooks, strain the water and allow cooked pasta to cool before adding it to the bowl with the other ingredients. Pour desired amount of dressing on top of salad and mix.
#SpoonTip Add in mozzarella cheese balls or diced salami, pepperoni, and ham for some extra protein! Looking to kick it up a notch? Add pepperoncinis for some spice!
Hopefully these recipes help you brave the dog days of summer without sacrificing your time, budget, or taste buds. Stay cool, Spoon University!!