Shabbat Surfing: It’s Shabbat, Be Cool

It’s hot in DC–really, really hot. Saturday’s forecasted to be 99 degrees.

And yet, Shabbat must go on. I’ve got friends coming over for lunch, and they’ll be expecting something more elaborate than a cup of ice and a cool towel.

So what’s an overheated chef to do? Here’s a round-up of the best ways to cook cool:

-Mark Bittman’s 101 Simple Salads for the Season is an amazing collection, over half of which are vegan or vegetarian.

-The best cold soups are the ones that don’t require any heat to prepare: try a gazpacho or melon soup.

-If you’ve gotta have chicken, grill it fast and top it cool. I love Jeffrey Nathan’s  grilled chicken with mango salsa.

-Did you know that bulgur doesn’t need to be cooked? This tabouli salad is a winner.

What’s your favorite way to cook cool?