Backyard Summer Meals Made Easy

Quick & healthful suppers (without turning on the stove)

As the temperatures heat up, you likely don’t feel like cooking and turning on the stove to heat up the house. Instead, consider healthful meals that can be prepared on the barbecue outside or without turning on the stove. Here are some ideas for fast weekday supper meals:

Key Takeaways

• Skip the stove with fresh, no-cook or barbecue-friendly meals perfect for hot summer nights.
• Turn appetizers into satisfying suppers with easy options like quesadillas, bruschetta, and loaded nachos.
• Make salads more filling by adding grilled proteins, seasonal fruits, and hearty sides.
• Create effortless picnic-style dinners using store-bought dips, veggies, grains, and protein-rich add-ons.

Turn an Appetizer into a Meal:

We all love finger food and appetizers, so think about turning some of your favourites into a meal:

• Black bean quesadillas on the barbecue: Whole grain wraps with spinach, feta, and thinly sliced onions, or try cheddar, diced red peppers, and corn kernels. Serve with salsa and guacamole.
• Fresh-made bruschetta: Diced tomatoes, minced garlic, and fresh sliced basil served on a whole wheat baguette and topped with grated Asiago or Parmesan cheese.
• Healthful nachos: Tortilla chips with grated cheddar and loads of diced green/red peppers, frozen/fresh corn kernels, and diced green onion. Heat in a glass ovenproof dish on the upper rack of your barbecue. Serve with canned refried beans, guacamole, and salsa.

Supersize Your Salads:

Make salads more substantial by adding heartier ingredients and sides.

• Loaded tossed green salad: Mix lettuce with halved grape tomatoes, cucumbers, and grilled chicken, prawns, or tofu. Add sliced grapes, peaches, strawberries, or mango, along with vinaigrette. Serve with whole-grain crackers or garlic toast.
• Italian caprese salad: Slice good-quality fresh tomatoes on a large platter and layer with fresh basil, sliced bocconcini cheese, a pinch of salt, and a drizzle of olive oil. Serve with fresh bread dipped in balsamic vinegar and olive oil.
• For an interesting variation on a salad, try Grilled Chickpeas with Kale and Red Peppers (see below recipe).

Go For the Grill:

Barbecuing is not only great for a hot day, but also because the clean-up is easy.

• Burgers: Beef/bison/grilled chicken/salmon/veggie burgers are all great options. Serve on a whole grain bun with lettuce, tomato, red onions, and sliced avocado. To add some veggies as a side, toss asparagus or halved red peppers brushed with vegetable oil and a pinch of salt directly on the grill.
• Fish tacos: Barbecue fish seasoned with a small amount of chili powder, oregano, salt, pepper, and vegetable oil. Add fish to corn or flour tortillas along with shredded carrots, shredded lettuce, and sliced red onions. Serve with sour cream mixed with chopped cilantro and green onions.
• Grilled meat/poultry/fish/seafood/tofu: Warm the protein of your choosing with baked potatoes or baby potatoes in tinfoil on the barbecue. Invest in a barbecue basket to stir-fry sliced veggies such as Portobello mushrooms, red pepper, zucchini, and onions that have been tossed in vegetable oil and seasoned with garlic and dried basil.

Make it a Picnic

Start by visiting your local grocery store’s deli and fresh foods section, then pick up a delicious, wholesome selection of ready-to-enjoy items:

Start with a nutritious dip:
Choose from hummus, baba ghanoush (eggplant dip), guacamole, or fresh salsa.

Add a flavorful salad:
Pick up tabbouleh, Greek salad, bean salad, or a quinoa and veggie mix.

Pack fresh, crunchy vegetables:
Go for pre-cut stir-fry veggie mixes or ready-to-eat options like cherry or grape tomatoes, snap peas, baby carrots, and mini cucumbers.

Include wholesome grains:
Bring along whole grain breads or buns or opt for whole grain or rye crackers.

Incorporate a protein:
Add some bean salad, cheese, hard-cooked eggs (homemade or store-bought), leftover meat or poultry, or even a shrimp ring with cocktail sauce.

End with a sweet touch:
Enjoy fresh seasonal fruit such as grapes, berries, sliced watermelon, or other summer favourites.

Grilled Chickpeas with Kale & Red Peppers Recipe

This is a wonderful vegetarian meal for the BBQ. It is a great meal for a speedy weekday supper and works well as leftovers for lunch. This meal is not only loaded with flavour but also nutrition since it is high in vitamin C, iron, calcium, protein, and fibre.

Makes 4 servings

What You Need:

2 cans (19 oz or 540ml each can) chickpeas (garbanzo beans) drained and rinsed
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 large sweet onion, chopped into long slices
4 tbsp olive oil
2 red peppers, chopped into long slices
6 cups kale, chopped into bite-sized pieces
Salt and pepper to taste

How to Prepare the Chickpea & Kale Salad Recipe:

1. Heat BBQ and prepare a greased BBQ basket or pan.
2. Meanwhile mix chickpeas, garlic, onion, red peppers, and olive oil in a bowl and add to BBQ basket and place on the grill. Stir regularly until chickpeas are slightly browned, onions and red peppers are softened and grilled.
3. When almost ready to serve, add kale and stir constantly until the kale is slightly wilted. Serve immediately on its own or with garlic toast, pita bread or over rice.

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Looking for more healthful summer meal tips and recipes? Check out these blog posts below!