Off Limits

The "feels like" temperature in Toronto today? 42C. That's 107F, in case you weren't able to do the math that quickly. Either way that you look at, its just plain gross.

Blech!

I am all for warm summer days but this is just ridiculous. And unbearable. And I am down right cranky about it. Enter a temper tantrum of epic proportions.

And a few rules.

No food shalt be cooked in the oven on hot, humid days. I don't have central air and that blasted inferno will only add to the sickening heat. Hell to the no!

So what do you do on a too hot for a home cooked meal kinda day when the heat hasn't done any kind of a number on your appetite (just my luck!)? You "build a healthier burger"....naturally.

Oh Chatelaine, I <3 you!

On another mission to sneak infuse health into our lives I whipped up a batch of yummy quinoa veggie burgers. Given that dinner was made and placed in front of him, the meat-atarian otherwise known as The Boyfriend, gobbled not one, not two, but three of them right up!

Healthy eating 2, Bad Eating habits 0

The vegetables combined with the grains was a nice light take on a meat-free burger. Adding the spinach, tomato, avocado, mushrooms and Tahini was the icing on the freshness cake if you ask me!

Quinoa Veggie Burger

adopted from Chatelaine magazine recipes

1/2 cup uncooked quinoa

3/4 cup grated zucchini

1/2 cup chopped carrot and broccoli slaw

1/2 cup finely chopped mushrooms

1/4 cup finely chopped onions

1/2 cup flour (or 3tbsp cornstarch)

1 egg

2 tbsp medium salsa

1/2 tsp salt

1. In a pot add quinoa to 1 cup water. Bring to boil. Cover and let simmer until water is fully absorbed (approx. 15 minutes)
2. In a large frying pan cook vegetables until soft.
3. In large bowl mix cooked vegetables, quinoa, flour, salsa, salt and egg.
4. Mix thoroughly
5. Form mixture into balls, place in pan and flatten into patty
6. Cook on each side until golden brown (5 minutes)
7. Place on bun and add toppings according to taste.

Served with a side of spinach and goat cheese salad this was the perfect meal on a sweaty-hot night.

Well for me anyway. Look what a certain "someone" snuck in:

Bacon! Alright, I'll let it slide. No one likes a total rules obsessed tyrant.....

Now will someone  get me a fan, a glass of ice water and a ticket to the coldest place in the Northern Hemisphere?? !

So tell me, whats your go-to meal when its too hot to cook?