Keep cool in the kitchen with tips from a Houston chef

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- They say if you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen! It's been a long hot summer, so we have some tips to keep you cool while you cook for your family.

Chef Ben McPherson at Prohibition restaurant in downtown Houston says keeping cool is all about timing. He recommends cooking your meals in the morning when the weather is cooler, and then eating it chilled or at room temperature.

"Any kind of chilled or a food that you would eat at room temperature that way you can make it early and then pull it out of the fridge and eat it later on in the evening," Chef Ben said.

Chef Ben recommends cooking methods that do not use the stove top or oven, since they put off the most heat. He recommends alternative preparation methods like pickling, or serving chilled soups like gazpacho.

The microwave and slow cooker also put off less heat than other kitchen appliances.

Chef Ben says temperatures in the restaurant kitchen can get up to 120 degrees. Home kitchens can get almost that hot as well.

Chef Ben suggests cooking with fresh, light ingredients like olive oil, vinegars and citrus that will keep you from feeling weighed down. He also suggests avoiding complex carbohydrates since they can cause the body to heat up during digestion.