Here are two easy recipes that can be considered cooking by the strings of your apron recipes because you can use any number of spices and dressing with them. Also, there are no specific amounts; just eyeballing them instead.
Cool as a Cucumber Salad
Quick look at nutritional profile of cukes: Cucumbers are good sources of phytonutrients (plant chemicals that have protective or disease preventive properties) such flavonoids, lignans and triterpenes, which have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer benefits, according to World’s Healthiest Foods. Source: https://www.livescience.com/51000-cucumber-nutrition.html.
Cucumber Salad
Utensils: Cutting board & knife, one bowl for mixing and one for serving
Prep. Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: None!
Categories: Vegan, Gluten-Free, No Sugar
Ingredients
1-2 organic cucumber(s), washed and peeled if skin is tough
sliced (red) onion – 2-4 slices
(plum) vinegar or lemon juice (one lemon)
salt and pepper to taste (optional)
(black) sesame seeds
Directions
1. Slice washed (and peeled or unpeeled) cucumber(s) thinly and place in a mixing bowl.
2. Add sliced onion.
3. Add about 1/3 cup vinegar or juice of one lemon
4. Add salt & pepper, if using.
5. Place in a serving bowl and sprinkle on sesame seeds. Allow to marinate in the fridge for at least one hour. Serve chilled.
Variation: Add 2 small pieces of fresh ginger and/or one small minced clove of garlic
Colorful Beet Salad
Utensils: 2-quart saucepan for cooking beets, bowl, cutting board and knife, serving platter|
Prep. Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: About 45 minutes for beets; can be cooked ahead of time.
Categories: Vegan, Gluten-Free, No Sugar Added
Ingredients
1. One large red beet and one large yellow beet (organic)
2. Two slices of large onion
3. Juice of one lemon or Hold Your Horses Dressing+
4. Sea Salt (optional)
5. Sesame seeds
6. Green or Black olives
Directions
1. Scrub beets and place in enough water to cook until they can be pierced with a fork.
2. Remove from water and allow to cool in a bowl. When cool, you can remove the skins with a knife or sometimes by sliding the skin off with your fingers.
3. Slice thinly and place on a large platter. Add slices of onion and sprinkle with salt, if using. Add juice of one lemon, sprinkling it over the platter.
4. Add sesame seeds and olives *and serve chilled.
Note: I love Castlevetrano olives because they are green AND ripe.
+ Hold-Your-Horses-Dressing from a previous posting:
- Everything can be done in the blender or food processor and requires no cooking, so I am skipping my Utensils, Prep Time, Cooking Time, and Categories. It is vegan with no added salt or sugar unless you choose to use them. It is also gluten-free, but not soy free.Ingredientsone container tofu (1/4 container in the refrigerated section)*
one garlic clove, minced or small piece of minced shallot
grated fresh horseradish to taste, about one tablespoon (no sugar added, if from a jar)
deli mustard to taste, about 1 tsp. (optional)
one small pickle (I use Bubbie’s natural pickles with no vinegar)
sesame seeds for garnish
water or veg. stock (Can also use the pickle juice for part of the liquid for a zestier dressing)Directions
- Cut tofu up into smaller pieces. Mince garlic or shallot. Grate horseradish, if fresh. Cut up pickle. Add mustard, if using. Place in blender.
- Start with about 1/4 cup water or stock and buzz until smooth. Add more liquid as needed. (For a dip, use more tofu to thicken.)
- For dressing, place in a small pitcher for pouring. For dip, place in a small serving bowl and sprinkle on sesame seeds. Refrigerate after use.* Regular tofu comes refrigerated in tubs as either firm or extra firm. Silken tofu comes in a box on the shelf and need not be refrigerated until after it is opened. Silken tofu is much softer and smoother and easier to blend, so would probably
work best for the dressing, but either kind works. Because of these differences in texture, the liquid should be added a little at a time to obtain the consistency you wish.
