Too hot or too tired to cook? I’ve compiled 8 delicious and healthy 10-minute meals that require very little prepping or cooking. The focus, of course, is well-balanced meals with protein and fiber!
These 8 no-heat, protein-packed meals are perfect for the hot summers but could be kept in your meal rotation all year long!
They’re simple yet filling with a good balance of protein and fiber. So, for those really busy nights, at least you’re consuming a relatively nutritious meal – even if it comes together really quickly!
Reasons to Try These Dinners
These meals are perfect for: busy moms, anyone avoiding the stove, or those who want to well-balanced meal without too much effort.
- Quick: 10 minutes or less to assemble = less stress.
- Cooling: No stove or oven needed.
- Filling: Both protein and fiber help to slow down the digestion of our food, assisting with keeping you full, reducing appetite and stabilizing blood sugar.
Tips for Building No Cook Meals
- Use pre-cooked proteins, like rotisserie chicken, canned beans, deli turkey, tuna pouches, or hard-boiled eggs.
- Or, think ahead and batch cook some chicken or lentils (both will be needed for some of these recipes) to throw into these meals. Just remember that leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Stock up on fridge/freezer staples like Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, hummus, tofu, and frozen edamame.
- Think in terms of formulas: protein + fiber + healthy fats + flavor. Flavor can be with a homemade or store-bought sauce, different seasonings and spices or add-ins like cheese.
- Meal prep by chopping vegetables earlier in the week to easily throw some of these meal ideas together.
Quick & Easy Well-Balanced Meal Ideas
When you just don’t feel like cooking, choose one of the options below for a healthy and filling meal. Feel free to customize any of these ideas however you prefer!
Of course, I tried to keep the focus on that good balance of protein and fiber. However, nutritional information is just an estimation and individual ingredients and preparation may lead to slight variations.
1. Tuna Avocado Wrap
Protein: ~31g | Fiber: ~11g
- 1 Whole Wheat Mission Tortilla (4g protein, 5g fiber)
- 1 large romaine leaf
- 1 can of tuna packed in water (20g protein) –> could sub with lower sodium deli turkey or chicken salad!
- 1/2 of an avocado, which is packed with healthy fats and fiber (5g of fiber)
- 1/4 cup of Greek yogurt to mix with tuna (7g protein)
- Sliced cucumber, shredded carrots, a little hot sauce or mustard
You could also pair the tuna salad with whole wheat crackers, like Triscuits, which are high in fiber! Season the tuna with your preferred seasonings. Or, try this Healthy Tuna Salad from Feel Good Foodie.
Mixing Greek yogurt and mayonnaise can add some live, active cultures as well as additional protein.
2. Greek Yogurt Parfait
Yogurt bowls can be customized in so many ways! The photo above is my summer spin on a tropical yogurt parfait with the salty spicy Tajín seasoning. Let’s break it down so you can easily customize!
Protein: ~28g | Fiber: ~8.5g
- 1 cup Greek yogurt (28g protein)
- 1 cup of fruit of your preference – diced mango and pineapple shown above. Mixed berries or raspberries will have a higher fiber content (1 cup of raspberries = 8g fiber).
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds (5g fiber)
- Optional: sprinkle of high-protein granola or hemp seeds
For the entire recipe: Tropical parfait with Tajín. You can create a yogurt bowl with the yogurt on the bottom or make layers in a glass for the “parfait” feel. Increase the protein content by whisking in one scoop of protein powder.
For flavor variations, also read Building a Healthy Yogurt Bowl with 6+ Recipes. Make sure to try the Berry Cheesecake!
3. Rotisserie Chicken Mediterranean Bowl
This is one of my favorite easy meals to make in the summer! Customize with whatever fresh vegetables you like.
Protein: ~32g | Fiber: ~9g
Per one serving:
- 3 ounces cooked chicken (22 grams of protein)
- 1/2 cup of garbanzo beans (8g protein and 6g fiber)
- Diced cucumber
- Feta cheese (2-4g protein)
- 1/4 avocado (3g fiber)
- 1/4 cup grape tomatoes, halved
- 1-2 tablespoons chopped walnuts
- 1-2 tablespoons Olive Garden Italian Dressing
For the full recipe: Mediterranean Chicken, Cucumber and Tomato Salad.
4. Cottage Cheese Taco Bowl
A savory cottage cheese bowl is one of those low effort meals that can really hit the spot. The best part? You could go Mediterranean with cucumbers and olives, Italian with Italian seasoning and mozzarella, or Mexican like this idea below.
Protein: ~32g | Fiber: ~6g
- 1 cup low-fat cottage cheese (28g protein)
- ¼ cup black beans (4g protein and 2g fiber)
- ¼ cup salsa or pico de gallo
- Sprinkle of taco seasoning
- Chopped lettuce, avocado, crushed tortilla chips, shredded Mexican-blend cheese (4g fiber)
You could even try a microwaveable version of this: Cottage Cheese Taco Bowl by Lowcalicious.
5. Rotisserie Chicken Dense Bean Salad
You can essentially make a dense bean salad any variation you prefer. Asian, Mediterranean, Mexican-inspired or even Italian! For more dense bean salad recipes, check out my overview with recipes: A Guide to Easy Dense Bean Salads.
Italian Dense Bean Salad
Protein: ~30g | Fiber: ~12g
- 1/4 cup garbanzo beans (5g protein, 5g fiber)
- 1/4 cup kdiney beans (5g protein, 5g fiber)
- Small mozzarella balls, about 1/4 cup (7g protein)
- Diced Artichokes, about 1/4 cup (2g fiber)
- Sun-Dried Tomatoes
- Bell Peppers, about 1/4 cup
- Basil
- Diced chicken, about 1/2 cup or 3 ounces
- Olive Garden Italian Dressing. Make a homemade dressing if subbing the chicken with deli meat to lower the sodium content.
Yes, there is a lot of chopping involved but you can use the shortcut strategies above and store leftovers for lunches!
6. Lentil Salad
This hearty lentil salad is a filling vegetarian option that takes just minutes to prep. I like to batch cook lentils (I even freeze them) and then use them for this recipe. Or, you could utilize canned lentils for convenience!
Plus, this recipe tastes great as a healthy lunch the next day!
Protein: ~21g | Fiber: ~10g
- 3/4 cup of cooked lentils (12g protein, 4.5g fiber)
- 1/4 cup diced cucumber
- 1/4 cup diced tomato
- 1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
- Kalamata olives
- Crumbled feta (4g protein)
- 1-2 tablespoons of chopped nuts (1-2 g protein and fiber)
- Dressing: tahini and nutritional yeast (see recipe below) or store-bought Italian dressing (4g protein, 2g fiber)
The dressing combines tahini and nutritional yeast, which provides additional protein and fiber. For the full recipe: 10-Minute Lentil Salad with Nutritional Yeast Dressing.
7. Frozen Food Stir-Fry
Protein: ~25g | Fiber: ~10g
- 1 cup shelled edamame (18g protein, 8g fiber)
- Frozen Asian vegetables, about 1 cup
- Frozen cauliflower rice or jasmine rice, about 1/2 cup
- Drizzle of stir-fry or teriyaki sauce
- Sprinkle of chopped nuts for crunch, healthy fats, and additional protein
Increase the fiber content by topping each rice bowl with sliced avocado! Easily customize with canned water chestnuts, diced bell peppers, sesame seeds – or whatever you prefer. Add chicken for a higher protein content.
8. Hummus Plate
Create a hummus bowl or plate or dip and eat it with some whole wheat crackers for an effortless lighter dinner option.
Protein: ~20g | Fiber: ~11g
- 1/2 cup of hummus (8g protein, 8g fiber)
- 1/4 cup feta cheese (4g protein)
- Olives
- Diced cucumber and tomatoes (1g fiber)
- 6 Whole Wheat Triscuits (3g protein, 3g fiber)
- Spinkle of hemp hearts (5g protein)
Layer the hummus at the bottom of a bowl. Then, top with olives, diced veggies, and sprinkle with feta cheese. For more flavor, you could even drizzle with Greek dressing.
Add leftover chicken or diced up turkey or lentils to increase the protein content.
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