Ideas for lovely food in this hot weather that doesn't involve passing out from oven heat

[loveroflife]

I have such a small kitchen with a tiny window and it's SO hot in there from doing gammon, new pots and veg tonight.

Any ideas for lovely, cool food that takes bugger all prep for this hot weather? It has to be healthy too for ds.....so far I am very boring with the following:

Cold quiche and salad
Salmon fillets flaked into pasta with pesto sauce
Cold chicken drumsticks
Smoked Salmon
Chicken in pitta
Salad, Salad and yet more Salad...
Gammon and crusty bread

Thanks so much

Nigella's Mirin Glazed Salmon. Very easy and both DC like it, which is a miracle in this house.

A lovely summery side is grated courgette. With lemon juice and olive oil with salt and pepper. Leave to marinade then have with salmon. Chicken or salad.

Do you have a microwave? If so you could use that to cook a lot of things without the kitchen getting hot. I use mine to cook, salmon, potatoes & veg.

Gazpacho-the tomato one or the almond one-both cool and delicious and require no oven to prepare!

No option for a barbeque? Having a DP from a hot country convinced me that not only was a gas one acceptable for this very reason it's really quite sensible - meat and corn quickly cooked on the bbq outside, salad etc. done inside, everything works, no overheating. Generally served with a variety of salads of different types, potato, bean etc.

I've been doing a lot of tabbouleh, with tomatos, cukes, feta, olives, sometimes some roast chicken. Very filling.

I'm also trying out savoury tarts (cheating by buying pre-made pastry )

Just roll out the pastry in the pan, put a tiny bit of mustard or pesto on it, then layer on tomatoes, blue cheese, pancetta or lardon, stick in the oven for about 20 minutes. Asparagus and goats cheese works well too.

Ooooh thanks so much.

No, sadly no microwave as it was too bulky and we never really used it and needed counter space. No, bbq either as in flats with communal gardens!

I've got a lazy one for tonight:

Bake 2 salmon fillets, boil penne, drain penne, flake salmon into pasta, stir in home made pesto and then chop a handful of cherry toms in half. Loads of black cracked pepper and granary baguette....even nicer cold the next day...

I did pasta carbonara last night. Cook pasta, cook bacon, mix cream and eggs together. Bung pasta in with bacon, stir, add egg mixture, stir until egg is cooked. Add lots of cheese, black pepper and eat. Not huge on the 5 a day score but quick and easy.

Quick-cook things don't heat up the kitchen too much. Fajitas require one pan. Ditto stir-fries.

Couscous.

having halloumi, tomatoe pitta pockets and green salad tonight.

Fakiest fake paella in 5 mins literally
Gently fry thin slices of 1/2 a chorizo (all supermarket now stock & v cheap) no oil req. Add tin Heinz spicy tomato soup (has rice in it). When soup simmering add some packet of prawns/mussels/mixed seafood. Serve in a minute.