Turkish Shepherd Salad, by Diane

This was AMAZING and I cannot believe how simple it was to make! I found this recipe from Zestful Kitchen and although I could not find the urfa pepper it was awesome without it. I made it for some Greek hummus bowls, but wound up eating it on it's own because it was that good! I also think this would be good with chicken. YUM!

1 medium shallot, thinly sliced

1 english cucumber, diced

red and yellow grape tomatoes, halved

1 anaheim pepper, diced (I omitted this)

1/2 cup chopped parsley

3 tbsp chopped mint

2 tbsp chopped dill

1.5 tsp sumac

1 tsp urfa pepper (can sub aleppo pepper)

1/2 cup cubed feta cheese

3 tbsp EVOO

1 lemon, juiced

kosher salt

Directions:

Mix all and combine, adjust to taste. 

Cucumber Gin Spritz, by Cheryl

I was looking for a light and refreshing cocktail to make for when we had friends over the other night. This just hit the spot! I felt like it needed more tonic so I added more than what the recipe called for and it was perfect. Would make it again! Yum!

Ingredients: 

3-5 slices fresh cucumber

fresh mint, diced

1 ounce lime juice

1 ounce simple syrup

1.5 ounces gin

3 ounces tonic water

sugar to rim the glass

Directions: 

1) Add the chopped cucumber slices and mint to the cocktail shaker. Use a muddler to break up the cucumber and mint so that the juices come out.

2) Add the simple syrup and gin.

3) Fill the cocktail shaker with ice and shake for about ten seconds.

4) Rim the glass with lime and sugar.

5) Strain the drink into the glass, with ice, and top the drink with seltzer.

6) Garnish with cucumber slices and mint.

Rojak, by Diane

 

This was the side dish of our Indonesian lunch, and so so good! Rojak is one of my most favorite Indonesian and Malaysian dishes. It is a really unique combo of jicama, green mango, pineapple, and cucumber (this version had apple too) in a really flavorful sauce that is sweet and savory. The crunch of the veggies with the sweet savory sauce and peanut top is really addictive and extra refreshing in the summertime! I had no idea it was so easy to make, so this will be on repeat all summer as a light meal or fun snack! Recipe from my friend's Indonesian Street Food cookbook!

Ingredients:

1 medium jicama, peeled and cubed

1 medium green apple, peeled and cubed

1 green mango, peeled and cubed

3/4 pineapple, peeled and cubed

2 kirby cucumbers, chopped into bite size pieces

1 tbsp dried shrimp paste

3 tbsp sweet soy sauce

1.5 tbsp tamarind paste

1 fresh fresno chili

3 tbsp palm sugar (or sub dark brown)

1/2 cup skinned roasted ground peanuts

Directions:

1. Add all the fruits and veggies to a bowl and toss. Set aside. 

2. Start to make the sauce by placing the shrimp paste in a square of foil, folding inward to make a smaller square. Flatten the square with the palm of your hand. Roast this packet directly over gas flame for 1.5 minutes on each side until the paste begins to smoke and takes on a slightly burnt flavor. Open the packet and let cool.

3. Add soy sauce-sugar, plus the cooled shrimp paste, into a bowl and whisk until mixed.

4. Combine the sauce and fruits, top with peanuts and serve cold. Don't wait longer than 20 minutes to serve or else it becomes less crunchy!

Turkey Cucumber Roll-Ups, by Diane

This has been my go to lunch in the hot summer this year, and they really couldn't be easier. I've found that a combo of smoked turkey and spicy red pepper hummus make these taste best, but you could easily sub in whatever you like. The only note is not to prep these too far in advance because the salt will draw the water out of the cucumbers and you'll end up with a soggy mess. Lately, I've been making these even lazier by simply cutting a cucumber into pickle-shaped spears then spreading hummus on them and wrapping a piece of turkey around it like a cigar. Awesome healthy lunch to go!

Ingredients:

1/2 English cucumber, sliced length-wise with a mandolin or peeler

6 slices turkey

Hummus

Everything Bagel seasoning

Directions:

1. Lay the cucumber slice on a paper towel and dry off excess moisture. 

2. Spread hummus on the cucumber, then slice turkey to fit and lay it along the cucumber.

3. Roll up your cucumber and sprinkle the tops with seasoning.

Korean Cucumber Apple Pickle, by Diane

This was another banchan, or small dish in the cooking through the countries Korea edition. This was meant to be a palate cleanser, and it was nice and refreshing. I would decrease the amount of ginger next time, but overall good and easy to make!

https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/cucumber-apple-pickle-351891

Ingredients:

1/2 lb Kirby cucumbers, sliced 1/8 inch thick 

1 1/4 tsp fine sea salt

1/2 Granny Smith apple, sliced 1/8 inch think

2 cups water

1/3 cup rice or cider vinegar

1 tbsp matchstick ginger

1/4 cup sugar

Pinch of Korean red pepper flakes 

Directions:

1. Toss the cucumbers with salt and let sweat for 30 minutes. Rinse and squeeze the excess liquid out of the cucumbers. 

2. Combine all ingredients and chill for one day, stirring occasionally. 

Korean Cucumber Kimchi (Oi Kimchi), by Diane

This was the second banchan, or small dish, in my Korean cooking through the countries meal. This was really nice and refreshing, and would be a great snack! Really easy to make, too, and you can adjust the spice level as needed. https://mykoreankitchen.com/cucumber-kimchi-oi-kimchi/

Ingredients:

1 lb pickling cucumbers

1 tbsp coarse sea salt

1/4 cup carrots, julienned

1/8 cup garlic chives or regular chives, diced

2 tbsp Korean chili flakes (I used one)

1 tbsp minced garlic

1 tbsp grated red apple or Asian pear

1 tbsp honey or sugar

1/2 tbsp Korean dried salted shrimps, minced

1/2 tsp fish sauce 

1/2 tsp minced ginger 

Directions:

1. Cut off cucumber ends and cut into slim quarters. Mix in a large bowl with salt and leave to sweat for 20 minutes.

2. Rinse and drain the cucumbers, then add remaining ingredients and mix well. Place in a covered glass container.

3. Keep at room temp for 12-18 hours, then refrigerate and serve chilled.

Quickles, by Diane

True story, our family used to be heavy into the pickle making game. My great grandmother escaped from Poland with a barrel of them, and once in the US they had a statue they would place over the spot in the ground where the pickles were buried as they fermented called the Pickle God. Unfortunately, this tradition wasn’t passed down to my mom or I, although I remember playing around the Pickle God in my grandparent’s backyard.

With the success of the Korean pickles behind me, this week I decided to try regular pickles and came across this version of quick pickles, aka “quickles” on from @sophisticatedcaveman. I can feel my grandparents disapproval at the quick part of this process, but it appealed to me for that very reason! Because this was a last minute decision, I had to use a lot of subs like mustard powder for seeds, or cracked pepper for peppercorns (I couldn’t get them out of the jar!), or dried dill instead of fresh (more disapproval I’m sure).

The end result was way too sour/tangy, and tasted a lot like mustard (I guess that’s why mustard powder isn’t a good sub for mustard seeds!!), so next time I would actually just follow the recipe! But overall they were great and way easier to make than I expected!





Ingredients:

2 cloves garlic, sliced
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
5-6 peppercorns
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
3 sprigs fresh dill
1 lb pickling cucumbers, sliced in 1/4 inch rounds
1 cup white or rice wine vinegar
1 cup water
1 tbsp kosher salt or pickling salt


Directions:

1. Place garlic through dill in the bottom of a mason jar, then pack cucumbers in as tightly as possible. Leave an inch of space at the top of the jar.

2. Combine remaining ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring until the salt has dissolved.

3. Pour the brine into the jar until the cucumbers are just submerged, cover with lid and allow jar to cool slightly.

4. Refrigerate for 12-24 hours, and keep up to 6 weeks.

Korean Pickled Cucumbers, by Diane

These were sooooo good and easy!! I love the banchan (little small dishes) that are served at the table before a meal in Korean restaurants, and these tasted exactly like the cucumbers in banchan. They are also a delicious snack to have on a hot day like today, or a great topping for burgers like the Korean Bulgogi Burgers I made to go with them! 

Recipe from: https://www.thespruceeats.com/spicy-korean-cucumber-pickles-2216857


Ingredients:

1 lb. Kirby, English, or Hothouse cucumbers
1.5 tsp fine sea salt
1 tbsp gochujang
2 tsp rice vinegar
2 tsp sesame oil
2-3 tsp sugar
1 clove garlic, minced


Directions:

1. Slice the cucumbers 1/2 inch thick (I used a mandolin) and sprinkle with salt. Mix well and place into a colander to release the water for 30-60 min.

2. While the cucumbers sweat, mix the remaining ingredients well. Taste to adjust ingredients to make the sauce to your preference.

3. Strain the cucumbers well in a tea towel and add to the mixture. Refrigerate for 30-60 minutes. These only get better through the week and retain their crunch!

Antipasto Salad, by Diane

Last night it felt like summer, and all I wanted was a fresh and light dinner. I created this mix of deliciousness and afterwards I realized it kind of reminded me of an antipasto salad- but way better! To make it whole30 compliant, just check the meat doesn’t have any sugars in it. This was delicious, quick, and exactly what I wanted after a hot day in the sun.


Ingredients:

30 baby multicolor heirloom tomatoes, halved
1 small red onion, diced
1 large cucumber, peeled and diced
1 cup black or kalamata olives
1 14.5 oz can hearts of palm, sliced into inch rings
1 14.5 oz can artichoke hearts, cut into bite size pieces
1 package prosciutto, rough chopped
1/4 cup EVOO
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp dried parsley
Sea salt and black pepper to taste
A splash of balsamic or red wine vinegar


Directions:

Toss everything together and adjust seasonings/oils/vinegars to taste. Eat fresh!

Tilapia Fish Cakes with Summer Corn Salad, by Diane

I needed a good protein for dinners this week and had a bunch of tilapia in the freezer. I threw this recipe together and it came out really well! The only problem was that I can never ever get a crust when I pan fry things like fish, they always fall apart. As you can tell from the photo, this is exactly what happened as the golden brown part stuck to the pan each time. Next time I may try baking them. The salad was really great as a side on its own, I’ll definitely be adding it to my cookouts!

Ingredients:

6 tilapia filets
Salt and pepper
1 egg
1 cup almond flour (could sub panko)
1 tbsp dried parsley
5 scallions, sliced thinly
4 tbsp mayo
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
2 tbsp Dijon
1 tsp sweet paprika
Coconut oil

For the salad:

1 small pack grape tomatoes, halved
1 can sweet corn (you can grill 2 ears of corn as well)
1 cucumber, diced
1 bunch scallions, sliced
Salt and pepper
1 lime, juiced
4 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp garlic powder

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400. Place parchment paper over a baking tray, and bake the tilapia for 15 min.

2. While the fish cooks, make the salad and stir well. Place in fridge.

3. Flake the fish in a large bowl (I used a food processor) and add remaining ingredients except coconut oil. Mix well, adjust seasonings.

4. In a large pan, add 2 tbsp of coconut oil over medium high. Form the fish into patties, and fry until
 golden on either side.

5. Remove salad from fridge and stir again, adjusting for flavors if needed.

Mood Changer Juice, by Diane

The local juice shop by me has this delicious juice called the Mood Changer. It has all kinds of ingredients that have mood boosting effects, and it's really good! A few mornings ago, I was prepping to my make typical AM green juice (apple, kale, parsley, lemon, ginger, and cucumber) but I had some strawberries that were about to go bad. I realized that all of the ingredients except the parsley and cucumber were in the Mood Changer juice, so I threw the strawberries into the mix. I kept the parsley and cucumber too, because why mess with perfection and hydration! This combo turned out to be SO good, I will definitely have it on regular rotation now! The apples I've been using are fresh picked from a local orchard, and having them fresh and in season definitely helps as well.

Ingredients:

1 small green or yellow apple, preferably tart or sweet and sour like a Cameo
1 inch ginger (use 1/2 this if you don't like the taste)
10 small-medium strawberries
1 small handful parsley, leaves only
3 large leaves of kale, stalks included
1 small cucumber, peeled
1/2 lemon, rind removed


Directions:

Juice the first three ingredients together, then the greens, then the cucumber and lemon last. Stir and drink immediately!

Summer Salad, by Diane

Last night was so hot, I barely felt like eating anything at all for dinner. So I walked to the whole foods in my neighborhood and bought all sorts of summery veggies, a few extras, and threw them together into this amazing salad!! This was so good as a main dish, and would be a great side dish at a summer bbq too! I can't wait to eat it again today!

A few notes- if it hadn't have been so hot I would have grilled or roasted the corn and it would have been a great extra flavor in this dish. Also, I forgot to buy fresh basil so I used dried, but would like to try it fresh next time in sticking with the summer theme! Finally, I would like to say that these ingredients cost me 8.67 at whole foods- I've never spent that little in that store in my life! What a good deal for fresh organic ingredients!


Ingredients:

3 heirloom tomatoes- I picked a yellow, purple, and red/green type for variety
1 just ripened avocado
1/2 large cucumber, peeled
2 ears of corn, cooked/1 large can of corn (optional- grilled or roasted)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup black and green olives, mixed
1/2 cup feta cheese
Basil and parsley
Drizzle EVOO
Sea salt and black pepper
Balsamic vinegar


Directions:

Chop veggies into bite-sized pieces and mix all ingredients together. Toss to mix, refrigerate for 10-15 minutes to let the flavors meld, toss again and serve!