When it’s hot outside or when you just want something simple and easy to make, try these no cook recipes for a quick meal. Made with just a few simple ingredients, they don’t require you to heat up the kitchen and can be put together in minutes.

Use low-fat and low-sodium products whenever possible to keep these no cook meal ideas healthy. When using oil, use as little as possible to lower the fat content too.

- Combine chopped tomatoes, black olives, fresh torn basil leaves, and feta cheese chunks with a drizzle of olive oil and lemon juice. Serve on whole grain bread with a side of baked potato chips.

- Combine some canned salmon (drained and flaked) with capers, dried tarragon, avocado cubes, chopped radishes, red wine vinegar, and olive oil and serve over a mixture of shredded cabbage and spinach leaves. Serve some baked pita chips on the side.

- Use some store bought prepared rotisserie chicken for this easy no cook meal. Shred some of the chicken with a fork and combine with chopped red bell pepper, minced fresh dill, lemon zest, and sour cream. Place the mixture in a quartered tomato and top with a sprinkling of pine nuts. Serve with pear slices tossed with a little honey, chopped fresh mint, and some cinnamon.

- For a flavorful sandwich, spread some blue cheese dressing on one side of two slices of whole grain bread. On one slice of bread place a couple of slices of smoked salmon, a sprinkling of dried dill, thin slices of apple, some pitted and sliced green olives, and thinly sliced red onion. Top sandwich with the second piece of bread and serve along with a side of cut up tomatoes tossed with salt and pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice.

- Make a simple and flavorful layered salad of bottled eggplant slices (drained), thinly sliced peeled jicama, canned black beans (rinsed and drained), canned fired roasted tomatoes (drained and chopped), crumbled feta cheese. Top salad with a sprinkling of pine nuts and chopped fresh cilantro. Serve salad with sourdough rolls.

For more healthy and simple meal ideas, like these no cook recipes, visit www.quick-salad-recipes.com. Laura Cokherell, an avid cook, shares a large selection of low-cost recipes for everything from breakfast through dessert, that favor fresh, natural food, short ingredient lists, and simple preparation. Meal planning has never been easier.

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