Last week at market I brainstormed with one of our CSA members about some no-cook ways to use up her vegetables – her kitchen is being renovated and she doesn’t have access to her stove or oven for more than a month! I joked that she’d chosen a good time of year for the renovation, since the bulk of summer vegetables can be eaten raw and taste wonderful with minimal fuss.

Even if you’ve got a stove these days, it’s probably not roasts and long braises you’re after in the middle of August! Some nights all we need is a bowl of tomatoes, a knife, and a shaker of salt. Maybe a couple melons for dessert. Other nights we’re a little more ambitious — but only a little. Read on for some ideas.

Frog Bottom Farm No-Cook Recipes

• Tomato Sandwiches with Homemade Mayo
• Fridge Pickles (Well, you do need boiling water for these … maybe in an electric kettle?)
• Ali’s Cucumber Salad
• Lacto-Fermented Okra Pickles (Try this technique with cucumbers, onions, squash, carrots…)
• Tzatziki

And Some No-Cook Recipes from Elsewhere

• Cultured Salsa at Simple Bites (Make lots! It’s amazing!)
• Panzanella at Chocolate and Zucchini
• Watermelon Mojito Sorbet at Suburban Sous
• Gazpacho at Slate
• Marcella Hazan’s Pesto at Culinate
• Cantaloupe Salad with Feta and Basil at Kitchen Parade (also tasty with mint!)
• Cheesy Vegan Red Pepper Dip at Choosing Raw
• Veggie Summer Rolls with Spicy Peanut Lime Sauce (Two Ways) at Oh She Glows
• Watermelonade at Food52
• Gordon’s Cup at Orangette
• Eastside Fizz at Bon Appétit
• The Minimalist’s 101 Simple Salads for the Season at The New York Times
• How to Build a Meal-Sized Salad at Choosing Raw

Nope, not pregnant again! This was from summer 2009.

Other ideas? What essentials are we forgetting? Any great no-cook discoveries in your kitchen this year?