Hot, summer months definitely don’t set the mood to want to cook. Whether you’re dealing with dry heat or a muggy, humid mess, there’s no need to suffer while creating a bite to eat. Turning on the oven is just nonsense during blistering hot days, don’t do it to yourself.  Though, if you must, it is best to turn on the inferno in the morning before things start to heat up. Besides crisp salads to munch on, turning on all of the fans, and still trying to survive a stuffy kitchen, there are 3 appliances you can cook with this summer to keep you and your kitchen cool.

1) Toaster Oven

The toaster oven is probably one of the greatest inventions out there. Okay, maybe that’s a bit of an overkill, but still. Depending on the size of your toaster oven, you can fit a small pizza in there, some fries, black bean burgers, reheat leftovers, and pretty much anything else you’d stick in your oven. Not only is a toaster oven super quick at preheating, but you don’t have to worry about heating up your entire home as this handy appliance doesn’t take much energy to get hot. Gosh, if you’re really feeling up to it, you can even plug this guy outside in the shade (when it’s not raining please)—no added heat to your kitchen at all.

2) Slow Cooker

Your slow cooker isn’t just for soups in the winter. Dust off this miracle appliance; it’s time to use it all year long. From delicious dips, potato dishes, bread and more, you can start dinner in the morning and head out to the pool. There are a ton of slow cooker recipes out there that aren’t heavy and hearty. Why not make some zesty and refreshing soup from the garden? Your kitchen will stay cool and clean, as it won’t heat up the house like the oven due to its low heat output. Plus, dinner will be done by the time you’re home from all of your fun, summertime activities. Oh yeah, you’re guaranteed to have leftovers, which means less cooking in the long run.

3) Microwave

Perhaps this kitchen appliance is a bit obvious, but I can attest it is much overlooked and underestimated. From desserts, breakfast, appetizers and more, you can’t get better than that. Who can argue with microwave potato chips, kale chips, peanut brittle, cinnamon rolls, and brownies? Sure, a majority of that’s junk food, but it’s a way to start to get those creative juices flowing of your possibilities. Energy efficient, your microwave won’t heat up your home and gets the job done. It’s perfect for simple meals and reheating leftovers.

4) Rice Cooker

You can cook more than just rice in your rice cooker. Go ahead and steam up some veggies, dumplings, oats, beans and even a ginormous pancake. There’s a ton of recipes out there besides white rice and quinoa. Besides a little bit of steam added into the kitchen, this appliance doesn’t give off much heat especially compared to that of an oven. Steaming your food is generally healthier, too. If you have a timer option, you can make the dish ready when you are. It’s virtually hands-off, allowing you to do what you need to do besides sweating up a storm in the kitchen. How do you stay cool while cooking during the summer?

Photo by: Featured & Cover Image | Vinoth Chandar | Flickr

Skip the Oven with These 3 Appliances to Keep Your Kitchen Cool