Lazy Summer Dinners

Sometimes it's a drag to cook, especially in summer. After all, when you're playing outside with your kids and before you know it it's 7:30 (hey, it's still light out!) and you haven't thought about dinner yet, you can't expect the family to wait around while you cook a full meal. It's too hot anyway! So I have a repertoire of what I call Lazy Food. Here are some examples:

- Buy a pound or two of marinated, roasted veggies from the deli. Toss them in a big bowl along with 2 bags of salad greens, a can of rinsed and drained white beans, and your favorite vegan dressing (Annie's Goddess gets my vote).

- Throw assorted frozen veggies, a can of rinsed and drained chick peas, and any plain leftovers (grains, potatoes, veggies) into a big pot with a jar of vegan curry simmer sauce (Trader Joes has a fabulous one).

- Make hummus roll-ups: tortillas + hummus + roughly-chopped raw veggies

- Fruit smoothie made with silken tofu, frozen fruit, flax seed, and rice milk... served with fresh whole grain bread from the bakery slathered with nut butter or trans-fat-free vegan margarine

- Middle Eastern Delite: 1 can dolmas + 1 tub hummus + 1 tub baba ghanoush + one tub tabouli, served with fresh whole grain bread and chopped veggies (if you're ultra lazy, run to the store and buy pre-washed, pre-sliced veggies in the produce section or from the salad bar)

- Sandwiches made with tofu eggless salad