By now, you’ve received almost every tip out there about how to beat the heat and stay cool during this seemingly never-endingly hot summer.

Still, even if you do carry a fan around with you and wear light-colored, loose clothing, I’m guessing the last thing you want to hear right now is how you can venture into the outdoors and be active in your "prime pastime."

I’ll save you the agony. Instead, let me advise that you spend your free time experimenting with new foods.

What type of food you put in your body affects how your body handles the heat. The best types of foods to eat during these hot summer months are raw fruits and vegetables. Not only do they use up less energy within your body when digesting, they also keep your body cool and prevent you from turning on your stove. There is nothing better than enjoying a meal in your kitchen without the remnants of oven heat circulating above your head.

Gather family members or friends for a kitchen experiment, or try this solo. Either way, all you’ll need is a blender, a knife and cutting board, fresh fruits and vegetables and this article. By following these tips on making a smoothie and a salad, you’ll be reenergized and ready for activity in no time.

Smoothie Tips

The great thing about smoothies is that, as long as you have a good blender, you can put virtually whatever you’d like in them.

While fruit smoothies are always popular, one new fad is "green smoothies," which incorporate vegetables like kale or spinach. As long as you add berries or honey, you won’t even taste the vegetables.

Start by purchasing fresh fruit or frozen fruit from the Mokena French Market or a local grocery store. When it comes time to make the smoothie, toss in whatever you think would taste good. It could be mango and pineapple, peanut butter and banana, or blueberries and strawberries.

Add a liquid to thin the smoothie out, such as juice, milk or water. If the fruit isn’t frozen, consider tossing in some ice cubes to make it colder.

Blend it up and you have yourself a smoothie. If it’s too thick, add more liquid. If it’s too thin, add more fruits or vegetables. If you want it creamier, add yogurt, avocado or frozen banana. Experiment until you discover your perfect smoothie.

Once you do, feel free to share the recipe with the rest of us.

Salad Tips

Salads are much like smoothies in the sense that anything can go into them. Since baking is not involved, you can’t mess them up. You just put however much of whatever ingredients you like onto a plate or bowl and mix them up.

According to Jaclyn Sweis, Business Manager at JH Sweis Catering and Bistro, the key to making a good salad is to always use the freshest lettuce, fruits and vegetables as the foundation.

“Pre-cut lettuce does not taste the same as fresh cut romaine or iceberg,” Sweis said.

Sweis said she’s also a big fan of incorporating fruits, such as strawberries and blueberries paired with a bed of spinach, red onion and poppy seed dressing. JH Sweis sells this as their Spinach Berry Salad.

“We love to include fresh fruit to make our salads stand out from the rest,” Sweis said.

In order to remain full and satisfied long after eating the salad, add a protein to the mix. Sweis recommends the ever-versatile grilled chicken breast combined with different seasonings.

“Salads are more of light meal versus eating a burger or a pasta dish that can weigh you down,” Sweis said.

Drizzle your favorite salad dressing over the top, or just drizzle olive oil and vinegar. Toss and you’ve got yourself a deliciously raw salad to enjoy.

Of course, you could also go purchase a premade salad too. Before you know it, you’ll have more energy than you know what to do with.