The No-Cook Meal Idea I Can’t Stop Making

Hi there,

Alex and I recently went to Montreal for a quick getaway without kids, which we haven’t had in quite a long time. It was amazing to be able to be just the two of us with literally nothing to do other than walk, chat, and of course…eat!

(We also went to the Montreal Open to watch tennis, our obsession that keeps growing! More about that in a future post.)

One of the things we love most about traveling is picking up food inspiration along the way. In fact, that’s how many of our recipes are born.

With our past vacations to Italy, Greece, Spain, and France, we’ve brought back so many recipe ideas that we’ve added to our website. Baked feta and bulgur salad, margherita pizza and French fougasse, and even a next-level French bakery cookie.

And that travel eventually led to us writing our upcoming cookbook Mediterranean Every Night!

To me, there’s nothing better than discovering new, delicious foods and trying to recreate them at home.

Anyway, when I tried this delicious next-level avocado toast at a cafe in Montreal, I immediately wanted to recreate it for you.

Avocado toast might be basic, but this is such a fun flavor combination that it’s a legit meal: tomatoes, Kalamata olives, lemony cucumbers, pickled onions and a bit of feta cheese. It looks beautiful and it requires no cooking at all.

Using a great artisan bread is key here. Alex and I have been playing with a simplified sourdough bread recipe (spoiler alert!) so we had that on hand, but any crusty artisan bread will do.

(This “life changing” no knead bread would actually be great here.)

To add protein, eat it with a scoop of cottage cheese, a fried egg, or I created this new cannellini bean salad to serve alongside!

I’m obsessed with this salad: it’s 10 minutes, no cook, protein and fiber packed, and the flavor is so tangy and zingy. It uses similar ingredients, like some of that big batch of pickled red onions.

Both of these ideas prove that you don’t need to turn on your stove or oven to make fresh, healthy, plant-based food — they’re perfect for lunches or a simple dinner this week. Let me know if you try!

It is so hard to fit in all the things in life, from eating well to being part of a community to staying physically active. One way I try to make this easier is using Youtube work-out videos!

I love doing 5 to 10 minute strength-training videos because it’s quick and simple, and most of them don’t need equipment. You can even do them while traveling (I continued them religiously in Montreal!). Two of my favorite Youtube channels are MadFit and GainsbyBrains.

This week’s invitation: If you don’t already have a strength training practice, find a few 5 to 10 minute strength training videos and try them out.

xoxo
~Sonja