Whole Story

Summer has officially arrived and just about everyone around here is looking for simple meals that don't heat up the kitchen…or the cook! Maybe some of the "best meals" below will inspire you. Share your "best" in the comments below. Remember, "best" is highly subjective: healthy, super quick, inexpensive, fabulously delicious - or a combination of all that and more.

From Amanda:

I made WONDERFUL halibut kabobs for my in-laws. Serve with a box of couscous; it is yummy and quick! 2 lb cubed halibut (the seafood guys can cube it for you so you're ready to go) 1 red pepper, cut into squares Pineapple chunks, in produce section Marinade 1/2 cup 365 Organic balsamic vinegar 1/4 cup Wild Oats Apricot preserves 1/4 cup 365 Greek Extra Virgin Olive Oil Marinate for 4 hours, put on skewers, grill for 7 minutes. Serves 4. Note: You can also try our Grilled Tuna Kabobs with Peach and Mango Salsa.

From Barry:

I call this my grilled veggie muffaletta. Thinly slice, season and grill eggplant on medium heat. Melt your favorite melting cheese (mozzarella is good) on one half of a ciabatta roll. Mince your favorite olives into a spreadable paste and place on the other half of bread. Layer with grilled eggplant, tomato, lettuce and any other condiments you like. Combine both sides and serve with chips, fruit salad or green salad.

From Nona:

I'm not sure how the planets are aligned, but something caused my mint to go CRAZY last week. I harvested an ENORMOUS bunch of mint, which meant that some homemade pesto was in order. It's SOOOO easy. 1/2 cup of pine nuts, 3 garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons of feta, 2 tablespoons of parmesan, a big pinch of salt and a good grind of pepper whirred in the food processor until smooth. Add 2 cups of fresh mint leaves and a good squeeze of lemon juice. Whir some more. Drizzle in 1/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil. I sautéed some of the frozen Whole Catch uncooked shrimp in a little olive oil and then tossed them in the mint pesto and served them atop a big green salad. The pesto is also good as a spread for sandwiches, tossed into pasta or served as a dip with hearty tortilla chips.

From Dana:

Last week I made chicken enchiladas with verde sauce and I love, love, love making this meal because it's fast and delicious and totally NOT complicated! Plus, since I'm a single gal, this makes great leftovers. You use a rotisserie chicken, a jar of tomatillo sauce (I'm a huge fan of our 365 Everyday Value variety), a can of green chiles, a bag of shredded jack cheese, a couple of chopped tomatoes, a half of an onion, chopped, and some corn tortillas. Just shred up the chicken and mix in everything else, saving some of the sauce and the cheese for the top. Scoop up the mixture into a tortilla, roll, throw into a baking dish, and line them up tightly side by side. The tortillas curl up better and don't tear as much if you zap them in the microwave for about 15 seconds prior to stuffing them. Spread the rest of the sauce over the top and then the rest of the cheese as well. Bake them at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes. Voila! Easy AND cheesy! And I like to add sour cream and jalapeños for simultaneous heat up and cool down. Note: Looking for a vegan version of enchiladas? Look no further than these superb Sweet Potato and Black Bean Enchiladas. What have you been up to in the kitchen lately? Let us know. If you want to peruse more ideas, check out our Best Meal of the Week archives.