5 Quick and Easy Summer Meals for Busy Weeknights

 Beat the heat with no-cook dinners.

Chicken Summer Rolls; Food Network Test Kitchens

Chicken Summer Rolls; Food Network Test Kitchens

Photo by: Tara Donne

Tara Donne

Once you start seeing heat waves outside (and maybe even inside), it's harder to even think about standing by a hot stove or oven. On those days, try these no-cook recipes for easy, satisfying meals you can make in under an hour.

What’s summer without summer rolls? These Vietnamese-style rolls are packed with crunchy veggies, refreshing herbs, rice and even some shredded rotisserie chicken for protein. To “cook” the rice paper, dip the sheets in warm water until they soften slightly, enough to form a shell for the rolls.

watermelon-gazpacho-recipe

Photo by: Matt Armendariz ©2013, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved.

Matt Armendariz, 2013, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved.

If you’re halfway to deciding that you’ll have to subsist on ice water to keep cool this summer, make a dinner you can drink. Blend up tomatoes, watermelon, serrano chile and a few vegetables for an easy gazpacho in just 15 minutes.

Thanks to the magic of spiralized veggies, you can have your pick of pasta-free noodle dinners. Carrot noodles and a cool peanut dressing keeps this entire dish heat-free.

Photo by: RYAN DAUSCH

RYAN DAUSCH

This isn't your average mayo-based tuna salad. Take a cue from the sun-splashed shores of Provence and make this vinaigrette-laden, pressed tuna sandwich for dinner.

Food stylist: Jamie Kimm 
Prop Stylist: Marina Malchin

ROAST_BEEF_WRAP_032.tif

Food stylist: Jamie Kimm Prop Stylist: Marina Malchin ,Food stylist: Jamie Kimm Prop Stylist: Marina Malchin

Photo by: Antonis Achilleos

Antonis Achilleos

Keep things light by rolling up a healthy and satisfying sandwich packed with roast beef, Havarti cheese and a brightly-flavored dill slaw.

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