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A fresh approach to vegetarian cooking.
August 10th, 2026
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Spicy cold tofu is a great way to cool down on a warm night.
How to Eat Well and Not Cook a Thing
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Jack Bishop
Author, editor, and vegetable enthusiast
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It’s August and that means there are many evenings when I don’t want to stand over a hot stove. And I definitely don’t want to eat a heavy meal. But I still want to prepare food myself. No-cook suppers are a welcome relief when the temperatures are soaring. Here are three favorites.
Spicy chilled silken tofu is pure comfort food. I love how the creamy tofu wobbles on the plate. More importantly, silken tofu is a champ at soaking up flavorful liquids. For this 20-minute dish, simply stir together kitchen staples—soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, ginger, garlic, and scallions. Sliced chile provides a little heat and a cilantro garnish adds freshness. Refreshing
Chinese tiger salad calls for many of the same ingredients and makes a great partner to the tofu.
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Pro Tip: Most chile heat resides in the seeds and surrounding white pith. Control spiciness by leaving them as is or scraping them out with a small spoon. Your choice!
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A wrap sandwich packed with crisp veggies and creamy feta is just the ticket when I want a
portable no-cook supper. Yes, you should briefly heat the tortillas to make them pliable, but that’s barely cooking, right? Buy feta marinated in olive oil and then use that oil to turn the cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, and dill into a flavorful creamy spread. Pile on the veggies and roll into a tight bundle. The recipe calls for sprouts, shaved carrots, sliced cucumber, jarred roasted peppers, shredded red cabbage, and sliced avocado, but feel free to customize. And no worries if you can’t find marinated feta—simply combine olive oil with traditional feta.
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Pro Tip: Shaving carrots is easy if you have a good vegetable peeler. I appreciate the extra room between the blade and lightweight handle on a Y-shaped peeler. That said, any sharp peeler will get the job done.
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Preparing
Chilled Cucumber-Avocado Soup is so simple. Blend the two starring vegetables with ice water, shallot, jalapeño, salt, sugar, and pepper until smooth. Pour this mixture through a strainer to ensure a silky texture and then whisk in yogurt for body and flavor. That’s it! Because the recipe calls for ice water, the soup is ready to garnish and serve, but it also can be refrigerated for up to 12 hours (and it will taste even better as flavors meld). Why not take 15 minutes to make soup before heading out for the day?
When you’re ready to ladle this soup into bowls, have fun with the garnishes. Possible choices include sliced cucumber, halved cherry tomatoes, fresh herbs, toasted nuts or seeds, crumbled cheese, raw corn kernels, edamame, chopped hard-boiled egg, fried shallots, sliced radishes, and croutons. Two or three garnishes will be sufficient. Top things off with a drizzle of olive oil, pesto, or tahini. Serve with good bread and admire your work of art.
Don’t lose your cool when the hot weather gets you down. Discover the joy of (not) cooking.
P.S. Have you picked up your copy of
The New Vegetarian: 500+ Recipes for a Lifetime of Great Meals? I’m confident this mammoth cookbook will become a trusted kitchen companion.
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Vegetarian for Any Occasion
A frozen treat is a chill way to end a blistering hot day. Here are two favorites.
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Peanut Butter Ice Cream
You can make really good ice cream without cooking a thing. This
ingenious, no-churn ice cream relies on a blender to create a frothy base that you freeze in a loaf pan. Total hands-on work is just 15 minutes. Sweetened condensed milk is key to a scoopable texture. And there’s peanut butter in the base as well as chunks of chopped peanut butter cups. Double delicious.
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Coconut Granita
A blender can turn canned lychees, coconut milk, coconut water, and lime juice into a
refreshing tropical non-dairy ice. Use a fork to occasionally scrape the mixture as it freezes. For deep coconut flavor, you will need to toast unsweetened shredded coconut on the stovetop at the outset. This step takes just 5 minutes and won’t heat up your kitchen.
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