Keeping Cool in the Summer Heat

I freely admit it, I am a weather wimp. As a native Seattleite, I am most comfortable when the temperature hovers in the very civilized 68-72 degree range. Sure, I'll cheer for the first few 80 degree days, but when they stretch on and on with no end in sight, I pray for respite. Last night, we had the tiniest sprinkling of rain and I rushed outside to revel in the smell, sound and feel of it. All too soon, it had passed and I wilted again. I was so lethargic, that I couldn't bring myself to read, write or compose my post-camping blog post (which is still forthcoming - imagine, Mt. Rainier with four children ages 4 and under).

Currently, my house is 83 degrees on the main floor. Normally, I would escape to the far cooler basement, where we have bedroom, t.v. room and weight room - however, I'm sitting in the living room with guarding the open door from next door's devil cat (the one who peed on my couch cushion when I was enjoying my front yard and who continues to mark my yard every time I'm out there for more than a few minutes at a time) trying to cool it down before bedtime.

But enough complaining! Here are my top 5 strategies for staying cool even if you don't have air conditioning or an electric fan:

1. Use a paper fan. I still have a paper fan that was given out as a souvenir at our friends' wedding. I pulled it out yesterday and madly started waving it on myself and the surprisingly unannoyed Trent.

2. Wrap a wet handkerchief or scarf around your neck. I learned this trick on my first trip to Japan, when temperatures hovered in the 90s and I lost my appetite for several days. This, combined with drinks from the many vending machines situated in alley ways, at shrines, and every other corner allowed me to enjoy sushi breakfast my last few days there.

3. Enjoy the outdoors. Go swimming in an outdoor area, such as my beloved Green Lake or sit in the shade of a tree.

4. Eat soups or salads for dinner. One of my favorite sandwich recipes is a reconstructed, non-vegan, non-fat-free recipe, modified from a vegan, fat-free recipe for Deconstructed Vietnamese Ba'hn M'i Salad Sandwiches.

Ingredients

• BBQ pork
• 2 tablespoons of low-sodium soy sauce, divided
• 2 tablespoons of hoisin sauce
• 2 teaspoons sriracha sauce (aka Rooster Sauce) Note: use less if you prefer less heat
• 2 tablespoons seasoned or plain rice wine vinegar
• 3 cups of finely shredded cabbage 
• 1 large carrot, shredded
• 1/2 English cucumber, peeled & chopped (optional)
• 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
• 1/4 cup minced green onions
• 1/2 baguette, cut in half, & sliced into 4 serving size

Preparation:

• In a small bowl, combine the 2 tablespoons of soy sauce with the hoisin sauce, sriracha sauce, and vinegar, stirring well to blend. Set aside.
• Spread the shredded cabbage ona large platter, sprinkle evenly with the carrot, cucumber, cilantro, and scallions. Arrange the BBQ pork on the top.
• Serve with sliced baguettes & pass the dressing to spoon on top of the salad. These are messy, so make sure you have napkins handy.

5. When all else fails, follow my great-grandmother's advice - there's nothing like an ice cold beer on a hot day.

How do you beat the summer heat?