Chickpea & Quinoa Grain Bowl

1 c. cooked quinoa

⅓ c. canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained

½ c. cucumber slices

½ c. cherry tomatoes, halved

¼ avocado, diced

3 T. hummus

1 T. finely chopped roasted red pepper

1 T. lemon juice

1 T. water, plus more if desired

1 t. chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Pinch of salt

Pinch of ground pepper

Arrange quinoa, chickpeas, cucumbers, tomatoes and avocado in a wide bowl.

Stir together hummus, roasted red pepper, lemon juice and water in a separate bowl. Add more water to reach desired consistency for dressing. Add parsley, salt and pepper; stir to combine. Serve with the grain bowl.

Makes 1 serving.

Adapted from Eating Well.com.

Woodstock Peace Salad with Tahini Dressing

Organic mixed greens (romaine, arugula, or spinach)

Diced cucumbers

Red peppers

Shredded carrots

Broccoli florets

Diced red onion

Shredded purple cabbage

Sprouts of your choice (sunflower and mung bean sprouts are recommended)

Avocado

Olives

Hemp seeds

Dressing:

1 c. tahini

1/2 c. lemon juice

1 garlic clove, minced

Purified water (for thinning)

Salt and pepper to taste

Prepare the salad ingredients and toss them together. Whisk together all dressing ingredients in a bowl until combined. Dress the salad and serve.

Adapted from Forks over Knives, p. 107.

Arugula & Cucumber Salad with Tuna

3 T. chopped fresh basil

1 T. white wine vinegar

1-1/2 t. lemon juice

1/2  t. salt

3 T. extra-virgin olive oil

3/4 c. thinly sliced celery

3/4 c. thinly sliced Persian or English cucumber

5 oz. baby arugula

8 pitted Castelvetrano olives, quartered

2 (6.7-oz.) packages no-salt-added tuna filets in water, drained

Whisk basil, vinegar, lemon juice, and salt together in a large bowl. Add oil and whisk to combine. Add celery, cucumber, arugula, and olives; toss to coat.

Divide salad among 4 bowls. Flake tuna on top of each bowl.

Serves 4.

Adapted from 5 Ingredients, 15 Minutes, page 25.  

  

Greek Chickpea Salad

1 15-oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

2 c. diced Persian cucumber

1 green bell pepper, sliced

1-1/3 c. halved grape tomatoes

20 pitted Kalamata or Gaeta olives

1/2 c. sliced red onion (sliced lengthwise)

4 oz. fresh feta cheese, cut into 4 thick slices

Dressing:

Juice of 2 fresh lemons

2 T. extra-virgin olive oil

2 t. minced fresh oregano

1/4 t. kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Divide chickpeas, cucumber, bell pepper, tomatoes, olives, and red onion evenly between 4 salad bowls or 4-cup containers. Top each with 1 slice feta.

In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juices, olive oil, oregano, salt, and pepper to taste.

Serve dressing on the side with each salad.

Makes 4 servings. 

Adapted from Skinnytaste Meal Prep, p. 78.

Cucumber-Olive-Dill Salad

1/4 c. red wine vinegar

2 T. fresh dill, chopped

1 T. canola oil

2 t. sugar

1 t. salt

3 medium English cucumbers, thinly sliced

1/2 c. red onion, thinly sliced

1/2 c. sliced and pitted Kalamata olives

In a large bowl combine vinegar, dill, oil, sugar, and salt. Stir in cucumbers, red onion, and olives. Cover and chill at least 2 hours before serving.

Makes 12 servings.

Adapted from Better Homes & Gardens magazine, May 2024, p. 98. 

Spring Pea Salad

3 strips bacon, diced (optional)

3 T. olive oil

1 T. lemon juice

1-1/2 t. Dijon mustard

1-1/4 t. honey

1/2 t. kosher salt

1 medium garlic clove, minced

2 c. frozen peas, thawed

3/4 c. thinly sliced cucumbers

3/4 c. thinly sliced radishes

2 scallions, green parts only, sliced diagonally

1/2 c. crumbled feta

In a large skillet over medium heat, cook bacon, stirring often, until browned and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and discard (or save) bacon grease.

In a medium jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, honey, salt, and garlic. Shake well to combine.

Arrange peas, cucumbers, and radishes in a serving bowl. Top with scallions, feta, and reserved bacon bits. Drizzle with dressing and toss just before serving.

Serves 4-6.

Yankee magazine, May/June 2021, p. 56. 

Chilled Peach Soup with Goat Cheese & Croutons

4 peeled, sliced peaches
1/4 c. finely diced, peeled, seeded cucumber, plus thin slices for garnish
1/4 c. finely diced yellow bell pepper, plus thin slices for garnish
1/4 c. diced dried apricots
2 T. honey
3 T. crumbled goat cheese, plus more for garnish
1/4 c. white balsamic vinegar, plus more for seasoning
1/4 c. plus 2 T. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
Kosher salt
1 large garlic clove
2 c. diced baguette (1/2" dice)
Basil leaves, for garnish
Freshly ground black pepper

Toss the peaches with the cucumber, yellow pepper, and apricots. Add the honey, 3 T. goat cheese, 1/4 c. vinegar, and 2 T. olive oil. Add the garlic clove. Refrigerate overnight.

Remove the garlic clove and discard. Transfer peach mixture to a blender and puree. Add 1/4 c. water and puree until smooth and creamy; add more water if soup is too thick. Season with salt and vinegar to taste. Refrigerate until soup is very cold, about 1 hour.

Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, heat the remaining 1/4 c. olive oil. Add the diced bread and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until golden and crisp, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel and season with salt.

Pour the soup into shallow bowls and garnish with sliced cucumber, sliced pepper, goat cheese, croutons, and basil leaves. Drizzle lightly with olive oil, season with pepper, and serve.

Serves 4.

Adapted from Food & Wine Annual Cookbook 2012, p. 82.

Quick Carrot Pickle

1/2 c. thinly sliced cucumber
1/4 c. coarsely shredded carrot
3 radishes, thinly sliced
2 T. rice vinegar
1/3 t. pure cane sugar
1/4 t. sea salt

Combine ingredients, cover, and chill until ready to serve. Makes a great burger topping.

Makes about 1 cup.

Adapted from Forks Over Knives, Summer 2019, p. 59.

Sunshine Gazpacho

2 medium apples, peeled and cored
1 T. lemon juice
10 fresh mint leaves, divided, plus extra for garnish
1-2 (1-3/4 c.) cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and roughly chopped
1 lb. yellow heirloom tomatoes, peeled and roughly chopped*
1 2"-thick wedge yellow onion
1 fresh Anaheim chili pepper, seeded and chopped (use gloves and don't touch your face)
1 small clove garlic
1 t. sherry vinegar or white wine vinegar
Tabasco sauce
Sea salt
Cracked black pepper

Thinly slice enough apple for garnish; toss slices in lemon juice. Chop remaining apples. Finely chop 2 of the mint leaves.

In a blender or food processor, combine chopped apples, remaining mint leaves, cucumbers, tomatoes, onion, chili pepper, garlic,  and vinegar. Blend until smooth. Season to taste with Tabasco sauce and salt.

Transfer soup to an airtight container and cover. Refrigerate at least 1 hour. Garnish with sliced apple, additional mint leaves, and pepper.

*Any color tomato will work, but red tomatoes won't be "sunshine"-y.

Makes 4-5 cups.

Adapted from Forks Over Knives, Summer 2019, p. 57.

Strawberry, Tomato & Cucumber Soup

4 medium cucumbers, peeled
4 medium tomatoes
2 lb. fresh strawberries, stemmed
2 T. lemon juice
1 T. finely chopped fresh rosemary

Finely chop two of the cucumbers, two of the tomatoes, and about 20 of the strawberries. (Reserve a few pieces to use as garnish.) Set aside.

Roughly chop the remaining cucumbers, tomatoes, and strawberries. Place in a blender, cover, and blend until smooth.

Transfer pureed mixture to an airtight container. Add finely chopped mixture. Stir in lemon juice and rosemary. Cover and chill 1-24 hours or until cold.

Makes 8 cups.

Adapted from Forks Over Knives, Summer 2019, p. 54.    

Seasonal Broiled Vegetables

General method:

Preheat broiler. Line two 15x10" baking pans with foil.

In a bowl, stir together dressing ingredients. Toss vegetables with dressing and let stand 5 minutes.

Drain vegetables, reserving dressing. Arrange vegetables in prepared baking pan, leaving plenty of space between pieces.

Broil 4-5" from heat until vegetables are just tender, 10-15 minutes. Drizzle with reserved dressing. Cover and let stand 5 minutes before serving with sauce.

Winter:
Dressing: 1/3 c. red wine vinegar; 1/4 c. finely chopped shallots; 2 T. olive oil; 1 T. Dijon mustard; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1/4 t. salt; 1/2 t. black pepper
Vegetables: 8 oz. fresh button mushrooms; 2 small shallots, halved; add other vegetables as desired
Sauce: Purchased blue cheese dressing

Spring:
Dressing: 1/4 c. lemon juice; 2 T. red wine vinegar; 2 t. honey; 1 t. salt; 1/8 t. dried oregano; 1/8 t. black pepper
Vegetables: 1 cucumber, seeded, quartered lengthwise, and sliced 1" thick; 1 small red onion, cut into 1' wedges; add other vegetables as desired
Sauce: Yogurt Sauce*

Summer:
Dressing: Zest and juice of 1 lemon; 3 T. chopped fresh oregano; 2 T. olive oil; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1/2 t. salt; 1/4 t. black pepper
Vegetables: 2 medium zucchini, sliced 3/4" thick; 1 cup grape tomatoes; add other vegetables as desired
Sauce: Fresh Herb Sauce^

Fall:
Dressing: 1/3 c. apple cider vinegar; 2 T. olive oil; 2 T. snipped fresh rosemary; 1 T. Dijon mustard; 2 t. honey; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1/4 t. salt; 1/2 t. black pepper
Vegetables: 2 medium red sweet peppers, cut into 1" pieces; 1 small sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1" pieces (microwave for 2 minutes before cooking); add other vegetables as desired
Sauce: Tomato jam or gourmet catsup

*Yogurt Sauce: Mash 1 garlic clove to make a smooth paste. Mix with 1/2 t. salt, 1-2/3 c. plain Greek yogurt, 2 T. finely chopped fresh chives, and 1 T. lemon zest. Season with black pepper to taste. Cover and chill until ready to use.

^Fresh Herb Sauce: In a food processor combine 2 T. lemon zest,  2 c. chopped fresh Italian parsley, 1/4 c. sliced almonds, and 1/4 c. chopped fresh oregano. Cover and pulse until very finely chopped. Add 2 T. capers and pulse until combined. Add 1/4 c. lemon juice, 2/3 c. olive oil, 1/2 t. salt, and 1/2 t. black pepper. Pulse to make a saucy paste. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper. Store in an airtight container in refrigerator up to 3 days or freeze in 1/4-cup portions in airtight containers up to 1 month.   

Adapted from Fast & Fresh, p. 76.

Gazpacho Verde

2 c. chopped ripe avocado
2 c. chopped English cucumber
1/4 c. lime juice
1/2-2/3 c. green salsa (salsa verde)
3 c. fresh baby spinach
2 c. chopped celery
1 c. water
1 c. ice cubes
Salt and black pepper
Additional avocado or cucumber, or a few small celery leaves, for garnish

In a food processor, combine all ingredients. Cover and process until smooth, adding more water if needed to reach desired consistency. Cover and chill 5-10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Serves 4.

 Adapted from Fast & Fresh, p. 14. 

24 Hour Refrigerator Dill Pickles

Cucumbers
Sliced onions
2 t. pickling spice
Fresh dill
1-2 cloves garlic (optional)
1 c. canning salt (a special salt that has no iodine)
3 c. sugar
2 qts. water
1 t. alum

Wash cucumbers; cut off stem and blossom ends. Cut cucumbers into quarters lengthwise. 

Layer cucumbers in glass jars with sliced onions, pickling spice, and the dill. If you like garlic, put a clove or two into each jar.  (We use a variety of size jars—quart, half gallon and gallon all work fine.  Just remember you will need to put them in your refrigerator so be sure there is room for them.)

Fill enough jars to make about 2 gallons. Set aside.

In a stainless steel or ceramic lined kettle ( aluminum will interact with the salt and vinegar), mix salt, sugar, water, and alum. Bring to a boil. 

Pour boiling hot liquid into jars. Fill to top so cucumbers are covered. Seal. Let cool slightly. Put in refrigerator. Ready to eat in about 24 hours. Will keep for several months in the refrigerator.

Adapted from Kim O.'s family recipe. 

Jei's Famous Cucumber Salad

2 T. Korean Hot Pepper Paste (found in gourmet and Korean food stores)
1 T. sesame oil
1-1/2 T. cider vinegar
2 green onions, minced
1 T. ginger, minced
2 large cucumbers, peeled
1/2 t. roasted sesame seeds

Mix together hot pepper paste, sesame oil, vinegar, green onions, and ginger. Slice cucumbers down the middle lengthwise; scoop out and discard seeds. Cut cucumbers into thin slices. Mix into dressing. Sprinkle sesame seeds over the top. Chill 1/2 hour, stir, and serve.

Serves 6.

Adapted from Girlfriends Forever, p. 79. 

Celery, Cucumber & Grape Salad

4 celery sticks
1/2 cucumber
1-1/4 c. red grapes

Dressing:
1/2 c. natural yogurt
1 t. honey
1 t. Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper to taste

Chop celery, slice cucumber, halve grapes and remove seeds. Place all ingredients together in a bowl. Mix together ingredients for  dressing, and season well with salt and pepper. Pour over salad and toss.

Serves 4-6.

Traditional Vegetarian Cooking: Recipes from Europe's Famous Crank's Restaurant, p. 76.

White Gazpacho

1 c. small seedless green grapes
2 T. chopped fresh dill
1 cucumber, peeled and chopped
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and chopped
2-3 scallions, white and green parts, sliced
1-1/2 c. plain yogurt or buttermilk
1-1/2 c. ice water
Salt and pepper to taste
4 radishes, sliced paper thin

Combine all ingredients except radishes. Remove half the mixture to a food processor; pulse briefly. (Do not use a blender -- soup should remain chunky.) Add back into remaining mixture. Chill for 2 hours. Garnish each serving with sliced radishes.

Makes 5 cups.

Adapted from Recipes from the Night Kitchen, p. 138. 

Orange Gazpacho

1 small red onion, finely chopped
1 tomato, diced
1 yellow pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
1/2 c. tomato juice
1/2 c. orange juice
Salt to taste

Combine all ingredients. Remove half the mixture to a food processor; pulse briefly. (Do not use a blender -- soup should remain chunky.) Add back into remaining mixture. Chill for 2 hours before serving.

Makes 4 cups.

Adapted from Recipes from the Night Kitchen, p. 136. 

Green Gazpacho

1 small onion, finely chopped
1 green pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1 orange, peeled, pitted, and finely chopped
1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2 c. ice water
1 t. salt, or more to taste

Combine all ingredients. Remove half of mixture to a food processor; pulse briefly. (Do not use a blender -- soup should remain chunky.) Add back into remaining mixture. Chill 2 hours before serving.

Makes 5 cups.

Adapted from Recipes from the Night Kitchen, p. 135.

Avocado Gazpacho

1 cucumber, peeled and chopped or thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, pressed
2 shallots, finely chopped
1 green or red pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped
2-3 T. chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2 avocados, pitted, peeled, and chopped
1 T. red wine vinegar
1/4 t. crushed red pepper flakes
2 tomatoes, diced
Juice of 1/2 lime
2 c. water

Combine all ingredients. Remove half the mixture to a food processor; process briefly. (Do not use a blender -- this soup should remain chunky.)

Combine with remaining soup and chill 1 hour before serving.

Makes 5-6 cups.

Adapted from Recipes from the Night Kitchen, p. 134.

Lemony Greek Pasta Salad

Kosher salt
1 lb. orzo pasta
2 cucumbers, halved lengthwise, seeded, and sliced
1 c. Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
6 oz. feta, crumbled
Grated zest of 1 lemon
2 T. freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 t. Dijon mustard
1 shallot, grated
Freshly ground black pepper
5 T. extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 c. fresh dill leaves, chopped

Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the orzo and cook per package directions. Drain and transfer to a large salad bowl.

Meanwhile, make the dressing. Whisk together lemon zest, lemon juice, mustard, and shallot. Add a few pinches of salt and pepper. Gradually whisk in the olive oil until emulsified, then stir in the dill. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

Pour the dressing over the still-warm orzo and toss evenly to coat. Let cool to room temperature, about 25 minutes, then fold in the cucumbers and olives. Scatter the feta over the top and serve.

Leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days. Bring to room temperature before eating.

Serves 4.

Adapted from Mighty Salads, p. 90.