Summertime comes with days when you can be too hot to function, much less cook. This cool, flavorful, and refreshing dense bean salad is satiating and quick to make, no stove needed. For the pita, I use whole wheat ones from Trader Joe’s, which you can toast, lightly heat on a grill, or eat cold, which is what I did on the roasting hot day I made this bean salad. With an assortment of summer veggies, a can of rinsed black beans, and some seasoning, you’ll have a nutritionally balanced meal in minutes, and you can continue your summer festivities in peace.

Sometimes you need a quick dinner that feeds a group without too much work. This dish, and variations of this dish, are that for me. Bursting with summery flavors like aromatic fresh tomatoes and addictive garlic, umami from the mushrooms, and bright lemon, this dish cannot miss. For additional fiber and nutrients, I always pair a pasta with veggies, and in this case it was a crisp, flavorful lemon-garlic asparagus, gently sautéed until perfectly tender.