Eating Cool

Living in Minnesota you learn to take advantage of every minute and enjoy any and all outside activities during the summer. At our house we countdown the days until the sun is shining and summer arrives. 

Instead of talking about wind chill our conversations turn to the heat index.  Keeping cool is the top priority. During these days and nights, of extreme heat and humidity, cool crisp salads and chilled beverages are just the ticket.

Yesterday, after a long hot day of working and running around on the golf course, all I could think about was something light and refreshing. I went by Angelina’s Kitchen and picked up a trio of delicious, chilled salads. An Italian salad with their house made vinaigrette, chicken cashew salad, and an orzo pasta salad with spinach and cherry tomatoes. There were several other choices including some nice looking wraps and desserts.  

Angelina's is such a marvelous place to grab a healthy salad or even something to heat up at home. I was happy with my selections and braved the oppressive heat back home. I had some beautiful shrimp that I had purchased the day before at Kowalski’s so I made a quick shrimp cocktail and the meal was complete. 

Since the heat looks like it will be around for a while, I asked a few different people what their favorite food or drink is to beat the heat. Several people mentioned the Cookies and Cream Snowdrift from Caribou, which is not a coffee drink.  It was described as being like a cookies and cream blizzard. 

Of course, many decided that an iced cold beer was the only cure, but a great cosmopolitan made the cut as well. 

Some of my younger friends talked only of the Ice Cream Man and the array of frozen treats that he carries. Their advice was to stock up when he comes by since you can’t count on him swinging by your street each day. Cherry Berry, a new local hot spot, was discussed due to their large selection of frozen yogurt and a massive wall of treats to help create the ultimate frozen masterpiece. I checked with a local chef in Woodbury who said that his Ceviche should rank as the number one pick. 

I have included his recipe, so you will have to decide.  If you have a great summer dish or drink that you would like to share I would love to hear from you!!

• 5 large lemons, juiced
• 1 pound jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, or to taste
• Tomato and clam juice cocktail
• 2 white onions, finely chopped
• 1 cucumber, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 large tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 3 fresh jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
• 1 bunch radishes, diced very fine
• 2 cloves fresh minced garlic
• tortilla chips

Place shrimp in a bowl, add lemon, covering shrimp completely. Cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes, or until opaque and slightly firm.

Add tomatoes, onions, cucumber, radishes, and garlic; toss to combine. Gradually add cilantro and jalapenos to desired taste, remember that the jalapeno will get stronger the longer that it marinates. Stir in tomato and clam juices to desired consistency. Cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour. Serve chilled with tortilla chips.