If you haven’t noticed yet, it’s hot this summer.

I’ve been griping about it in the column for the past few weeks, mostly because I believe human beings were not built to live in 100-plus degree temperatures with this high of a humidity level. And when my car turns into a toaster, all I can do is cook.

With my brain slowly melting, and constantly sweating all day every day, I’ve been looking for lighter meals and recipes I can eat throughout the summer months. Typically, before I was married, I may skip a meal or just snack and be done with it. But now I have “responsibilities” and “someone else to feed.”

Instead, I’ve been leaning more into lighter meals. And since Hunter tends to always want protein for dinner, that has included a lot of chicken, turkey and fish.

The fish that is most readily available to us right now is salmon. Even though the cost is going up quickly, most grocery stores sell it, and I always like to eat it. And, at least for now, I’ve found plenty of creative ways to prepare it, so we don’t have to keep eating the same flavor over and over again.

This week, I wanted something that felt a little more casual, both to cook and to eat. I wanted to be able to spend just a few minutes cooking, and then the rest of my time melting. And so, I tried this recipe from a cookbook my dad bought me for my birthday.

Last week, I griped about the cookbook, since it’s one of those with “skinny” in the title. And yes, the first recipe I tried needed a little love in the seasonings department. But I’m glad I decided to give the thing a second chance. Because this time around, Hunter and I both really loved the taste as-written.

All that to say, when we sat down to dinner with these crispy salmon bites, the accompanying quick lemon-dill sauce I whipped up, and a few sides, it felt like we had a new, cool meal to eat. And yes, I say cool even though I used my oven to bake these.

A lot of recipes for summer prioritize keeping the oven off and using other means of cooking, but I haven’t noticed a ton of difference in my house between when I have the oven on or off. Maybe that’s just because I’m already suffering from heat exhaustion.

But if you have an air fryer to use instead, feel free to go that route and stay even cooler. I’ve included both sets of instructions, in case you care about the difference. I just know that I have to keep the fan on in my kitchen, no matter what, these days.

Either way, these crispy salmon bites are a delicious, fun way to get some protein during an otherwise sweltering day. I hope you enjoy cooking them, even as we’re slow roasted by the sun for another month or two.

CRISPY SALMON BITES

Ingredients
12 ounces skinless wild salmon filet, about 1 1/2 inches thick
2 tablespoons light mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning
1/4 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/4 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
1/2 cup seasoned panko bread crumbs
Lemon wedges, for serving
Olive oil spray

Directions
■ Cut the salmon into 16 cubes and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt.
■ In a medium bowl, combine mayonnaise, lemon pepper and paprika. Place the panko in a separate shallow bowl. Add the salmon to the mayonnaise mixture and toss to coat, then transfer to the panko and toss again to coat.
■ Place the salmon on a work surface and spray with olive oil.
■ To cook in air fryer: Spray air fryer basket with olive oil. Add salmon to the basket in a single layer, oiled side down. Spray the other side of the salmon with more oil and cook at 400 degrees until golden, about 6 to 7 minutes, flipping halfway through.
■ To cook in oven: Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Arrange the breaded salmon nuggets on a baking sheet and spray with oil. Bake until the salmon nuggets are golden and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes; no need to flip.

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