Ice cream, ice pops and frozen yogurt are more of the traditional cold treats for the summer. But if you're heading into a heat wave during lunch or dinner, you probably don't want to fill up on any of these.
Anthony "The Big Cheese" Mongiellois, founder of Formaggio Cheese has come up with five easy recipes for cool summer cooking.
And if you're looking forward to another summer long weekend, celebrate Food Day Canada on August 4 by trying one of these dessert recipes.
From mixed bean salads to steak on a bed of mushrooms and spinach, check out Mongiellois's 5 recipes for the summer:
5 Recipes That Will Keep You Cool
Steak And Mushroom Salad:
Ingredients
1lb - Steak - your choice or leftover
2 Boxes - Sliced White Mushrooms
Balsamic Vinegar
Pre-Minced Garlic
1 stick - Salted Butter
1 cup - Crumbled Bleu Cheese
2 Heads - Romaine Lettuce
1 medium - Red Onion
Method:
In a sauté pan melt one stick of butter, add two boxes of mushrooms sliced. The n add pre-minced garlic cook until mushrooms are softened. Turn off heat and add balsamic vinegar to taste.
In a large bowl add romaine lettuce, sliced steak, sliced red onions and crumbled bleu cheese. Then combine dressing and salad. Toss and serve. Serves 4
Cool Spinach Salad:
Ingredients
1LB Bacon
2.5 LB of Pre-Washed Baby Spinach
Pre-Minced Garlic
1/2 cup Balsamic Vinegar
1/4 cup Deli Mustard
Method:
Cut bacon into half-inch pieces and cook until crispy. Add garlic to the pan in the last few minutes before bacon is done. Then add balsamic vinegar and mustard and heat back up to temperature. Place spinach in a stainless steel bowl big enough to fit the frying pan. Immediately pour pan contents over spinach leaves and cover using upside-down frying pan for five minutes and serve. Serves 4.
Kielbasa Kabobs:
Ingredients
2LB 26/30 shrimp, peeled and de-veined (cleaned with no tails)
1LB pkg Kielbasa
Bottled Italian Dressing
Wooden Skewers
Method:
Use two wooden skewers for each kabob instead of one. This helps with turning without spinning. Alternate shrimp and kielbasa until skewer is full. Place skewers on a flat pan and cover with Italian dressing. Allow to marinate for no longer than one hour. Grill until shrimp turns pink and eat.
Cool Bean Salad:
Ingredients
Can of String Beans
Can of Red Kidney Beans
Can of Chick Peas
Can of Whole Black Olives
Bottle - Balsamic Vinaigrette
Method:
Open cans and drain into colander to strain. Rinse with cool water and allow to drain. Add to bowl. Add balsamic dressing, cool and serve. Serves 4.
Cool Caprese Pasta Salad:
Ingredients
Mozzarella balls.
1LB Pasta
1 pint Grape Tomatoes
Fresh Basil
Method:
Cook pasta until al dente and allow to fully cool. Add fresh mozzarella dn all the contents of the container. Add grape tomatoes fresh basil, toss, chill and serve. Serves 4.