Cool Cucumber Salad

Cool Cucumber Salad is a refreshing salad you can serve any time of the year.  I grew up eating cucumber salad on special occasions, or as a side to everyday meals. I took our traditional cucumber salad and made it healthier.  To do this I replaced the sour cream with fat-free plain Greek yogurt, added honey and reduced the amount of sugar used.

This recipe is easily doubled to serve a larger group of people.

 Enjoy!

Cool Cucumber Salad

Makes 4 – 5 servings

2 to 3 Tbls. Rice wine vinegar (or white vinegar) – see note

1 Tbls. Honey
1 Tbls. Granulated white sugar
1 Tsp. Grated sweet onion, fine grate
1 Tsp. Canola oil (optional)
1 Tsp. Dried dill (or 2 tsps. of fresh dill, chopped)
1/8 Tsp. Sea salt, fine grind
1/8 Tsp. Ground black pepper
½ Cup Fat-free, plain Greek Yogurt
½ Cup Flat leaf parsley leaves, chopped fine
1 Large English cucumber cut in half lengthwise, peeled (in stripes), seeds removed and sliced into thin slices

Note:  Start out with 2 tablespoons of vinegar and add the additional tablespoon if you feel the need for more tang.  Also, if you would like it sweeter, add some additional honey.  It is best to let this salad rest in the refrigerator for at least one hour before serving.  The longer it rests the more flavorful it will become.  It can even be made the day before you plan to serve it.  The mixture will thin out a bit the longer it sits, do not add additional liquid.

In a large bowl, combine the first 9 ingredients (plus the canola oil, which is optional); whisk until it becomes a smooth creamy consistency.

Add the sliced cucumbers and parsley to the mixture and stir until all is combined.

Cover and store in the refrigerator for 1 hour or more before serving.  Doing this will allow all the flavors develop.

Warm Potato Salad with Grainy Mustard Dressing

Recently, we traveled to Niagara-on-the-Lake, located in Ontario, Canada.  Here we traveled along the wine route stopping at some of the wineries to taste the wines, and of course, stopping to dine at some wonderful restaurants.  My inspiration for this side dish came from a meal I had at one of the local restaurants.  It was a grilled salmon with a maple syrup glaze and served with warm potatoes in a grainy mustard dressing.  The entire dish was love at first bite, especially the potatoes!  I came home from the trip and created this side dish the very next day.  Although not the same as the dish I had in Canada, it is just as good. 

It is a simple and healthy side dish to prepare at home. In this recipe, I use new red skin potatoes and lightly coat them with dressing made of shallots, grainy mustard, creamy Dijon mustard, rice wine vinegar and maple syrup.  And, for an extra punch of flavor, I add crumbled turkey bacon and chopped chives.  This potato dish should be served warm.  The mustards combined with the added rice wine vinegar, make this a tangy side dish, so you will want to serve it alongside something that is either rich, or on the sweeter side. 

This is definitely on my list of favorite sides!

Enjoy!

Warm Potato Salad with Grainy Mustard Dressing

Serves 6 - 8 people depending on the portion size

2 Pounds New red skin potatoes (small), unpeeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

3 Tbls. Extra virgin olive oil; divided use
½ Cup Chopped shallots
¼ Cup Grainy Mustard; I used the Maille Old Style brand
2 Tsp. Dijon Mustard; I used the Maille Dijon Originale brand
2 Tbls. Unseasoned rice wine vinegar
2 Tbls. Pure maple syrup; I used a dark amber maple syrup
2 – 4 Tbls. water
3 Slices Smoked turkey bacon, cooked and crumbled
2 Tbls. Chopped fresh chives

Notes:  I cooked the turkey bacon between paper towels in the microwave, per the instructions on the package.  As for the dressing, if you prefer the dressing slightly sweeter, add additional maple syrup.  But keep in mind this side dish is meant to be on the tangy side.

Add the potatoes to a large pot of cold water and bring to a boil.  Simmer the potatoes for about 12 - 13 minutes, or until tender but still firm.  Drain the potatoes.

Meanwhile make the dressing; place 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat.  Add the shallots and sauté until they become translucent, about 2 – 3 minutes.  Transfer the sautéed shallots to a large mixing bowl.  Add the both of the mustards, vinegar, second tablespoon of olive oil, maple syrup and water (1 tablespoon at a time), whisking until you reach a light creamy consistency. 

Add the potatoes to the dressing and toss lightly to coat each piece of potato.  Finally, add the crumbled bacon and chive and toss gently. 

Transfer to a serving bowl and keep warm until ready to serve.

Potato Salad

This potato salad is a healthier version of the classic picnic salad we all grew up with.  Quite a few years ago I was at a friend’s house for a backyard cookout where this potato salad was served.  It was an immediate hit with me!  In fact, I like this salad so much, that I have never gone back my own family’s traditional potato salad recipe.  The key ingredient in this potato salad is fresh chopped parsley.   The parsley adds such bright fresh flavor to this salad – without it, it would just be a plain-old potato salad.  For that traditional crunch and flavor, I add celery, green bell pepper and green onions.  To make it healthier than a classic salad, I use light mayonnaise (and less of it, so as not to overwhelm the salad), only two eggs (which are optional), and no added sugar. 

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do!

Potato Salad

10 – 12 Servings (½ cup servings)

2 ½ Pounds Red skin potatoes, whole and unpeeled

1 ¼ Cup Chopped celery, ¼ inch chop
½ Cup Chopped green bell pepper, ¼ inch chop
1/3 Cup Sliced green onions (scallions), thinly sliced, both the white and green parts
2 Eggs, hard boiled and chopped
¾ Cup Light Mayonnaise (I use the Hellmann’s brand)
1 Cup Fresh parsley leaves, chopped
1 or 2 Dashes of Garlic powder
Salt and Pepper to taste
Sweet Paprika for dusting (optional)

Place your potatoes (select potatoes that are similar in size) in a 6-quart pot and cover them with cold water.  Cook the potatoes over medium-high heat until just fork tender.  Remove the potatoes to a strainer and immediately rinse under cold water.  Once the potatoes are cooled enough to where you can handle them, gently remove any of the loose skin that has begun to peel off, or if you wish, peel them completely.  Dice the potatoes into ¾ inch size chunks and set aside to cool to room temperature.

Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, combine the next 7 ingredients, eggs included if you are adding them; stir to combine.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Once your potatoes have cooled to room temperature, add them to the mayonnaise mixture.  Stir gently to combine.  Cover the bowl and place in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours, or overnight.

When you are ready to serve, transfer to a serving bowl and dust the top lightly with paprika.

Lebanese Salata

When the weather begins to warm up I look for recipes that are light and refreshing.  My husband and I frequent a local Lebanese restaurant.  Our favorite item on the menu is their Lebanese Salata.  We order it as a starter each time we dine there.  The first time I tasted it I knew that I had to recreate the dish at home, so I combed through many recipes and put together what I though was a great copycat recipe.  Then one day I was talking with a colleague at work and she mentioned that she frequently makes Lebanese food for her family at home and that the salada was one recipe that she made often.  She was kind enough to give me her recipe for salata.  I just made it this weekend and found that hers was a very close match to the dish at our favorite restaurant.  But of course, I did make a few tweaks. I would like to share the recipe with you here. 

In this salata, I use fresh tomatoes, an English cucumber, onions, seasonings, fresh lemon juice, olive oil and fresh mint leaves. The recipe calls for four tablespoons of chopped mint leaves, but if you favor the taste of mint, feel free to add more.  To serve it as a complete meal, serve it over a bed of chopped lettuce, add some garbanzo beans and sunflower seeds, and/or add your favorite grilled chicken or steak with some pita bread on the side (or stuff the salad into the pita pockets).  I prefer to eat it with warm pita bread that has been cut in half, simply spoon the salata on top, fold and eat.  Its a little messy, but it is worth it!

Enjoy!

Lebanese Salata

Makes 6 – 8 Servings

2 Tbls. Extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbls. Fresh lemon juice
1 Tsp. Dried Oregano
1 Tsp. Onion Powder
2 Garlic cloves, minced very fine, or 1 Teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 Tsp. each Salt and Pepper
½ of an English cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced (I leave some of the peal on by peeling it lengthwise in strips)
2 Medium Fresh Tomatoes, partially seeded (I leave some of the seeds in so as to make it saucier)
¼ Cup Scallions (about 3), chopped
2 Tbls. Flat leaf parsley, chopped
4 Tbls. Mint Leaves, chopped; divided use (chop 2 tablespoons when combining, and chop the other 2 tablespoons just before you serve)
Pita Bread, cut in half

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, onion powder, garlic, salt and pepper.  Whisk to combine.  To the bowl, add the cucumbers, tomatoes, scallions, parsley, and 2 tablespoons of the chopped mint.  Mix all to combine. 

Cover and place in the refrigerator for at least one hour or up to four hours.  Stir in an additional 2 tablespoons of chopped mint when you are ready to serve the salata.  Serve with the halves of pita bread on the side.

Sunshine Salad with Balsamic Orange Dressing

Sunshine Salad with Balsamic Orange Dressing

Serves 5 to 6

Salad Dressing Ingredients:

1/3 Cup  Aged Balsamic vinegar
1/3 Cup  Orange juice
1 Tbls.  Honey
1/8 Tsp.  Garlic powder
¼ Cup  Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Salad Ingredients:

4 Cups  Romaine and baby mixed field greens
½ lb.  Fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
2 Navel oranges, peeled and sliced in ¼ inch rounds
1 Champagne mango, peeled and diced (choose a mango on the softer side, not hard) 
¼ Cup  Sliced raw natural almonds, toasted lightly

Combine all salad dressing ingredients in a small bowl and mix with a wire wisk until oil is completely incorporated.  Transfer to a serving container.

Plate the lettuce greens on individual plates, or arrange salad greens on a large serving platter.  Arrange fruit and almonds on top of lettuce.  Drizzle lightly with the salad dressing.  Serve remaining dressing on the side.

Store leftover salad dressing in a covered container in the refrigerator.