Tag: cucumber

Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Salad

Cucumber and avocado salad with lime, mint and feta cheese

Belinda

This comes from another great food blog ‘Kalyn’s Kitchen”

Serves 2 – 4

Ingredients

2 cups peeled and chopped  English cucumbers (3-4 medium sized ones or 2 large)
salt, for drawing water out of cucumber
1 – 2 ripe (but not too squishy) avocados, peeled and chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
1 – 2 tsp fresh lime juice, to toss with the avocado pieces
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh mint, measure after chopping
1/2 cup crumbled Greek (not French) feta, make sure you buy the solid block, not the crumbled.

Dressing Ingredients

 2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp fresh lime juice

Directions

Peel the cucumbers and scrape out the seeds, if they are large. Cut the cucumber into half inch pieces and put into a colander. Sprinkle with a generous amount of salt and let it sit for 30 minutes. make sure you put a bowl underneath as there will be a fair amount of liquid that the cucumbers give off.
After 30 minutes use paper towels to blot the moisture and salt from the cucumbers.

While the cucumber is draining peel the avocados and chop into 1/2 inch pieces. Put the avocado into a large salad bowl and gently toss with the 1 to 2 tsp fresh lime juice.
Wash the mint and chop finely.
Whisk together the olive oil and lime juice to make a dressing and measure out 1/2 cup of crumbled feta.

Add the drained cucumbers, mint and dressing to the avocado and combine.
Then gently stir in the crumbled feta into the salad ingredients.
Serve immediately.

This salad doesn’t do well sitting in the fridge for too long

 

Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Salad · Vegetable-related

Middle Eastern Chopped Salad (CleanCuisine)

Belinda1 Comment

My step daughter  Candice, made this last night and everyone fell upon it. After the heavy Holiday  eating it was so refreshing. I would give it 6 out 5! The only thing you could add, maybe, is pitted Kalamata olives, but it was perfect as it was. It’s an Ina Garten recipe.

Serves 4 – 6
10 scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced
1lb ripe tomatoes, seeded, cored and  1/2 inch diced.
1 hothouse cucumber, halved lengthways, seeded and  1/2 inch diced
1 16 oz (or as near as possible) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/3 cup chopped fresh mint
1/3 cup fresh basil leaves, julienned
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 4 lemons)
1 tbsp minced garlic, (3 cloves)
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup good olive oil
8 oz good Greek feta cheese, 1/2 inch diced
Toasted pita bread, for serving
Some optional additions are; halved pitted Kalamata olives or chopped avocado

Place the scallions, tomatoes, cucumbers, chickpeas, parsley, mint and basil in a large salad bowl and toss to combine.
Ina  small bowl or measuring cup whisk together lemon juice, garlic, salt and 1 tsp of pepper.
Slowly whisk in the olive oil to make an emulsion. Pour the dressing over the salad tossing gently to coat all the vegetables. ( You might not even want to put all the dressing on, depending on how much you like. I held some back)
Add the feta, sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss gently.
Serve the salad with the toasted pita bread.

Asian flavors · Gluten Free · Nuts · Poultry · Salad

Thai chicken, cucumber and coconut salad (CleanCuisine)

Belinda

I made this last night and we were blown away by the flavors. It’s light, healthy and full of flavor!
You can buy palm sugar in Asian supermarkets like “99 Ranch” (in Los Angeles)

Serves 4

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast
165 mls coconut milk
40 grams palm sugar, (shave it off with a knife) or if you can’t find any, demerara sugar
3 tbsp fish sauce
1 large English cucumber
2 long sweet red chillies, thinly sliced  (I noticed that Trader Joes has these)
small bunch fresh coriander, leaves picked
1 good sized thai shallot or regular shallot, finely sliced
50 grams roasted peanuts. crushed

Put the chicken between two sheets of cling film and bash with a rolling pin or heavy pan to flatten a little so it is all the same thickness.

Put the coconut milk, palm sugar and fish sauce in a wide, shallow pan. Add the chicken to the cold liquid then gently bring to a simmer. Cook gently for 15 minutes. Take off the heat and leave to cool in the liquid, turning it a couple of times.

Using a vegetable peeler, cut the cucumber into long thin ribbons.

Take the chicken from the poaching liquid and slice as thinly as possible, then mix all the ingredients except the roasted, crushed peanuts.
Serve drizzled with some of the cool poaching liquid and sprinkle with the peanuts.

It’s SO delicious!

Appetizers · Asian flavors · Dairy-free · Fish · Gluten Free

Ahi tuna and avocado tartare

Belinda

This is sensational. It mingles fresh ahi tuna, avocado, cucumber and spice and will impress the most knowledgeable food critic.
The prep time is 10 minutes and it’s ready in about 30 minutes. Serve with small rice crackers.


Serves about 6


3/4 lb sashimi grade ahi tuna, diced
1/2 cup diced cucumber
1 avocado, peeled, pitted and diced
1/4 cup chopped green onion
1 tsp red pepper flakes (or less if you don’t want it too spicy)
1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
1 1/2 tsp lemon juice
2 tsp sesame oil (I use toasted sesame oil)
1/2 cup soy sauce (I use low sodium soy sauce)


Directions


In a medium bowl, combine the tuna, cucumber, avocado, green onion, red pepper flakes and sesame seeds.
Pour in the lemon juice, sesame oil and soy sauce and stir carefully to blend so as not to mash the avocado. Place this bowl into a larger bowl that has been filled with ice. Chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes but no longer, the terrific freshness of the fish will be lost.
Once chilled, remove the bowl from the ice and invert onto a serving dish. Serve

To toast the sesame seeds,
Heat a dry skillet over medium heat, add sesame seeds and cook until toasted and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Stir often to prevent burning