RECIPE: Lemon and Oregano Chicken with, Parsley, Radish, cucumber and Feta Salad

A Greek inspired dish, with oregano, lemon and feta. The salad’s bolder flavours complement and enhance the chicken’s lighter taste.

Ingredients for one Person

1 chicken breasts, boneless

2 tsp. lemon juice

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 tbsp. fresh oregano

1/4 tsp. dried oregano

Salad:

1 Kirby or Persian cucumber, sliced and quartered

3-4 radishes, sliced and quartered

Small handful parsley, chopped

1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 tsp. red wine vinegar

1/8 tsp. garlic powder

Kitchen equipment needed:

Skillet for cooking chicken

Bowl for mixing salad

Zip lock bag or bowl

Wine pairing suggestion:

A Sauvignon Blanc will go well with the pepperiness of the radishes, as well as the oregano and chicken.

Preparation and Cooking Instructions

Place the olive oil for chicken, the dried oregano, half the fresh oregano and lemon juice in a zip lock bag or a bowl. Season the chicken liberally with salt and pepper on each side, then place the chicken in the bowl/bag and blend with the marinade to cover chicken. Let sit for 10 minutes.

Chop the cucumber radishes and parsley and combine in bowl with feta cheese.

Place the skillet over medium-low heat. Add the chicken with marinade to the pan. Let cook for 8-10 minutes on each side. Cooking it on a low temperature will ensure the chicken does not dry out.

While the chicken is cooking, whisk together the olive oil and vinegar with a small whisk, or fork, to make a vinaigrette. Add the garlic powder and stir to combine.

Add the vinaigrette to the salad and toss to coat the salad.

When the chicken is done, plate next to the salad and sprinkle with the remaining fresh oregano.

Enjoy!

RECIPE: Hummus Collard Wraps

Easy and healthy hummus collard wraps with crunchy carrots, cucumbers, cabbage and roasted asparagus.

Ingredients:

2 collard leaves

1/2 cup hummus

10 asparagus spears, roasted or raw

1/2 cup cucumber, peeled and sliced into short thin strips

1-2 carrots, peeled and sliced into short thin strips

1/2 cup zucchini, sliced into short thin strips

1/2 cup radish, sliced into short thin strips

1/2 cup red cabbage, sliced thin

1/2 avocado

micro greens, sprouts or baby greens

Directions:

Wash and dry collard leaves and then use a paring knife to shave down the stems. This will make them much easier to fold.

Place collard leaves on a flat surface, spread 1/4 cup of hummus near the top/middle of each leaf, fill each leaf with the remaining veggies, splitting each amount between the two wraps. Wrap the leaves as you would a burrito. Cut each wrap in half and enjoy.

RECIPE: Easy Quick Pickling those left-over veggies

1 cup vinegar (white wine, rice, red wine)

1 cup water

2 Tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 lb vegetables - cucumbers, radishes, cauliflower, carrots, green/purple peppers, garlic, and anything else that sounds delicious to you!

Trim and chop vegetables and pack in mason jar in preparation for pickling.

Heat all ingredients except the vegetables in a small pot over low-medium heat.  Stir and cook until sugar and salt dissolve.  Immediately pour over vegetables.  Let it cool and then cover and put in fridge for 1 day before eating.  Veggies will be best between 1 to 4 weeks.

Photo credit to Sam Mah

RECIPE: Tomato Mint Cucumber Salad

2 large cucumbers, chopped

3l arge tomatoes, seeded and chopped

2/4 red onion, chopped

1/2 c chopped mint leaves

3 tbsp olive oil

1/3 c red wine vinegar

1 tbsp white sugar

1 tsp salt

salt and pepper to taste

1. In a large bowl, toss together the cucumbers, vinegar, sugar and salt. Let stand at room temperature for an hour, stirring occasionally.

2. Add tomatoes, onion, mint and oil to cucumbers and toss to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

RECIPE: Classic Wedge Salad

Ingredients

Iceberg Lettuce, cut into wedges of desired size and additional mixed greens if desired

1-2 large Cucumbers, cut in quarters and sliced

1 medium Red Onion, diced

1 pint Cherry Tomatoes, cut in halves and quarters

4-6 strips of Bacon, diced and rendered in a pan, optional

Crumbled Blue Cheese

Olive Oil

Red Wine Vinegar

Salt and Pepper

Method

1.      Combine blue cheese, olive oil, the juice of one lemon and salt and pepper in a small bowl. Mix with a whisk until combined and creamy dressing begins to form.

2.      Rinse and chop vegetables according to the directions above.

3.      Arrange iceberg wedges on top of mixed greens (if using) and scatter cucumbers, red onion, tomatoes and bacon on top.

4.      Dress with blue cheese dressing.

RECIPE: CSA Summer Salad

Greens of your choosing. A mix of leaf lettuce and arugula or mixed greens works well.

2 golden beets

1 cucumber

1/2 medium red onion, sliced thin

1 ear of corn, cut from the cob and sautéed in pan with butter or olive oil

Goat or feta cheese (optional)

Seeds or nuts of your choosing (optional)

Salt and Pepper

Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Lemon or Red Wine Vinegar

Cut kernels from 1 ear of boiled corn, sautée in pan, preferably cast iron, with butter or olive oil until beginning to brown. Set aside to cool.

If using nuts or seeds, roast in a pan on low heat until fragrant and beginning to brown. Set aside to cool.

Rinse and dry greens and cut to desired size.

Rinse beets, cut into quarters and thinly slice.

Cut cucumber into quarters and thinly slice.

Mix greens, beets, cucumbers and red onion. Season with salt, pepper, olive oil and acid to taste. Add corn, nuts and goat cheese and mix gently until combined.

RECIPE: Cucumber Mint Water

Infused water is a great way to use CSA herbs and vegetables and have something refreshing and delicious to drink on hand in the summer. Cucumber and mint are gray together but use whatever veggies, herbs and fruit you have and like! Water and produce can steep in the fridge for about a day or two before you should throw the produce out and start over.

1/2 Cucumber sliced

15-20 Mint leaves

Pitcher of water

Combine and let sit in fridge. Serve alone or on ice. Pour into an ice try and freeze for fancy ice cubes for summer cocktails.

Quinoa Tabuleh

Ingredients

1 cup quinoa, rinsed well

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 garlic clove, minced or run through a garlic press

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

1-2 large cucumbers or 2-3 persian cucumbers, cut into ¼ inch pieces

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved or larger tomatoes chopped

2/3 cup parsley, chopped

½ cup fresh mint, chopped

2 scallions, thinly sliced

½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more

Freshly ground black pepper

Bring quinoa, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1 1/4 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until quinoa is tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

Meanwhile, whisk lemon juice and garlic in a small bowl. Gradually whisk in olive oil. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper.

Add cucumber, tomatoes, herbs, and scallions to bowl with quinoa; toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Drizzle remaining dressing over.

Green Juice

Green juice

1 medium bunch of dark green vegetables – Kale, Chard, Collards, Leaf Lettuce or combination

6-8 ribs of Celery

2 large Cucumbers

½ bulb of Fennel

1-2 Green Apples, depending on preference of sweetness

½ bunch Italian Parsley

1 inch piece of Ginger, skin on scrubbed

1 small lemon, skin peeled with as much pith left on as possible

1 lime, skin peeled with as much pith left on as possible

1.      Fill sink, rinse vegetables thoroughly and soak until ready to juice.

2.      Roll parsley into dark green vegetables and juice first, followed by celery and fennel. If you do not have any more room in juicer at this point, pour into container and remove pulp from juicer. Set pulp aside.

3.      Juice cucumbers, apples, lemon, lime and ginger. Pour into container to combine.

Alternate:

Use tops of vegetables such as carrots, beats, and radishes. Note that these greens may make the juice very bitter, however, this can often be balanced out with more apple or lemon juice.

Add ½ bunch of mint when juicing the parsley. Remove tough stems.

Substitute or combine apples with pineapple or peeled kiwis for a tangier version.

NOTE:

Makes approximately 6-8 cups of green juice. The vitamins and chlorophyll in green juice begins to degrade only 15 minutes after it is juiced, unless you have a cold-press juicer. I find it hard to juice every day, however, so I have found that freezing it in mason jars immediately is a good way to store green juice for a few days. However, even in the freezer, green juice will not last for more than about a week before degrading in quality.

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Summer Succotash

Summer Succotash

Ingredients

Tomatoes, about 1 lb diced or cut in half and quarters if using smaller varieties - Assorted varieties and colors make the most visually pleasing results

1-2 large Cucumbers, cut in quarters and sliced

1-2 ears of Corn, husked and kernels cut from cob

1 small Red Onion, thinly sliced

Chopped Cilantro, if you do not like

cilantro you can use parsley

Lime Juice

Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper

Crushed Red Pepper, optional

Method

1. Prepare vegetables. To cut corn

from cob, place a small bowl

upside down inside of a larger

bowl. Stand the corn up on the

small bowl and cut from top

down to remove kernels from

corn.

2. Mix tomatoes, cucumbers, corn,

red onion and herbs together

gently.

3. Season with salt, pepper and

crushed red pepper, if desired.

4. Dress with olive oil and lime

juice.

5. Serve with grilled shrimp or

fish.

Cucumber with feta, herbs and parsley

• 2 pounds Persian cucumbers, peeled
•  Salt and pepper
• ½ teaspoon grated garlic
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 ounces feta, cut into rough 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 tablespoon sumac
• 2 tablespoons chopped mint
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
•  Pinch of crushed red pepper
•  Pinch of dried oregano

Halve cucumbers lengthwise and slice into 1/2-inch pieces. Place in a large bowl and season generously with salt and pepper. Add garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, feta and sumac and toss to coat. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Transfer to a serving platter. Just before serving, sprinkle with mint, parsley and crushed red pepper, then dust with oregano.

Greek Salad (three other ways!)

Greek Salad

Ingredients

Tomatoes, about 1 lb diced or cut in half and quarters if using smaller varieties - Assorted varieties and colors make the most visually pleasing results

1-2 large Cucumbers, cut in quarters and sliced

1 medium Red Onion, diced

Kalamata Olives, pitted and roughly chopped

Oregano, fresh or dried

Feta Cheese, crumbled

Salt and Pepper

Olive Oil

Red Wine Vinegar

Method

1.      Rinse and chop vegetables according to the directions above.

2.      Mix in a large bowl. Add oregano, olive oil, red wine vinegar and salt and pepper to taste.

3.      Crumble desired amount of feta cheese on top of salad and mix gently before serving. Crumble more cheese on top if desired.

Greek Salad 3 Other Ways

The above recipe can be used in a number of different ways.

1.      Add above recipe to greens for a leafier option.

2.      Cook 1 cup of pearled barley or farro in 2 ½ cups of water or stock until done. Mix cooked barley with vegetables before dressing. You may need to use more olive oil and red wine vinegar than when just dressing the vegetables.

3.      Cook 1 cup of quinoa in 1 ½ cups water or stock and mix with vegetables prior to dressing.

4.      Mix with 1 lb cooked pasta of a small variety. Add additional dressing or squeeze of lemon as needed.

RECIPE: Zucchini and Avocado Soup

Difficulty Level: Intermediate

Makes 4 (1 cup) servings

Per serving: 108 calories, 7.5 g total fat (1 g saturated fat),

10 g carbohydrate, 3 g protein, 5 g dietary fiber, 285 mg sodium.

Ingredients:

1 cup vegetable broth
3 cups chopped zucchini (about 2-3 medium zucchini)
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onion, divided
1 medium Hass avocado
1/8 tsp. ground cumin, optional
3/4 cup unsweetened plain almond milk

Cucumber Salsa (as topping for soup):

1 cup peeled, seeded, diced cucumber (about 1 medium cucumber)
1½ Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice, divided
Salt to taste

Directions:

In large saucepan over high heat, combine broth, zucchini and 1/4 cup onion. Cover and bring to a boil. Uncover, reduce heat and let simmer 6 minutes or until zucchini is tender. Remove from heat and set aside to cool for 20 minutes.

To make salsa: In small bowl combine cucumber, remaining onion, cilantro and 1 tablespoon lime juice. Season with salt to taste. Toss well, cover and refrigerate.

In blender, combine zucchini mix, avocado, cumin, if using, remaining 1 tablespoon lime juice and almond milk. Cover and purée until smooth. Leaving soup in blender container, refrigerate it for 2 hours.

When ready to serve, re-blend soup. Add additional almond milk for thinner consistency, if desired.

Pour into serving bowls. Top with salsa and serve.

RECIPE: Shamir Yogurt Soup

Difficulty Level: EASY

Note: For those of you who like tzatziki and other cucumber soups, this soup was invented by my Israeli cousins, The Shamirs. It so happens that shamir means dill in Hebrew, so this is a great pun since it uses dill as a main ingredient. Don't forget the walnuts - they are a great addition! -Aliya Cheskis-Cotel

Ingredients:

-Equal proportions yogurt to water (get a big container of yogurt, empty it into a bowl, fill container with ice water and empty the water into the bowl)

-Peeled cucumbers sliced very thinly
-1 tbsp. Oil
-1 tbsp. Vinegar (not Balsamic)
-crushed garlic
-walnuts (whole)
-a big bunch of dill (aka shamir), chopped (or cut up with scissors)
-salt
-pepper

Combine all ingredients, and enjoy!

TIPS: Cucumbers

Cucumbers belong to the same plant family as squash, pumpkin, and watermelon (the Cucurbitaceae family). Like watermelon, cucumbers are made up of mostly (95 percent) water, which means eating them on a hot summer day can help you stay hydrated.

However, there's reason to eat cucumbers all year long. With vitamin K, B vitamins, copper, potassium, vitamin C, and manganese, cucumbers can help you to avoid nutrient deficiencies that are widespread among those eating a typical American diet.  Plus, cucumbers contain unique polyphenols and other compounds that may help reduce your risk of chronic diseases and much, much more.

Cucumbers should be stored in the refrigerator - this will extend their life by a few days as opposed to storing them on the counter.  However, they typically won’t stay fresh for more than 5 days.  One recommended method for storage is to wrap each cucumber individually in a paper towel, then put all cucumbers wrapped in paper towels inside the plastic bag.  Put the plastic bag with the cucumbers in a refrigerator and keep the bag on a  shelf toward the front of the refrigerator, which tends to be warmer.

Best uses: Peel waxed cucumbers; unwaxed ones need only a light scrubbing. Cucumbers are tastiest served raw, as in a side salad.

RECIPE: Sweet and Tangy Pineapple-Cucumber Salad

Serves 4 to 6
Difficulty Level: EASY

 

Serve as a side dish or condiment. It is also delicious rolled into lettuce wraps.

Ingredients:
• 3 cups chopped fresh pineapple

• 2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded and sliced

• 2 green onions, thinly sliced

• 1/4 cup roughly chopped mint

• 1/4 cup lime juice

In a large bowl, gently toss all ingredients together and serve.

RECIPE: Cucumber ginger ale

Difficulty level: Easy 

Makes 2 drinks (can easily be doubled)

Ingredients:

Three 4-inch-long slices English cucumber

2-inch piece ginger root, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 cup raw sugar
Chilled seltzer

Put one of the cucumber slices in the seltzer bottle. Let sit while you make the drink.

Put the ginger, sugar, and 1/2 cup water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes, stirring if needed. Strain and let cool completely.

Fill two tumblers halfway with ice. Add 3 tablespoons ginger syrup to each glass. Fill the glass with the seltzer -- and stir and taste as you go -- add just enough seltzer to make the drink as sweet and gingery as you like. Garnish each glass with a cucumber slice.

RECIPE: Lemon Sesame Cucumber Salad

Difficulty Level: Easy

Ingredients:

1/4 cup rice vinegar

1 tablespoon lemon juice from 1 small lemon
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes, plus more to taste
1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted in a pan over medium heat until fragrant and golden, 4 to 5 minutes
3 medium cucumbers, sliced, salted, and drained (see directions)

Peel, halve lengthwise, and scoop seeds from cucumbers. Stack halves flat side down; slice diagonally 1/4-inch thick. Toss with 1 tablespoon salt in strainer or colander set over bowl; weight with water-filled, one-gallon-sized zipper-lock freezer bag, sealed tight. Drain for at least 1 hour, and up to 3 hours. Transfer to medium bowl; reserve for further use.

Whisk all ingredients except cucumbers in medium bowl. Add cucumbers; toss to coat. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

RECIPE: Orzo, Green Bean, and Fennel Salad with Dill Pesto

Yield: Makes 6 servings
Difficulty Level:

Ingredients:

8 ounces green beans, trimmed
8 ounces orzo (1 1/4 cups)
2/3 cup (packed) chopped fresh dill
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 cups 1/3-inch cubes unpeeled English hothouse cucumber (about 8 ounces)
3/4 cup diced fresh fennel bulb

Directions:

Cook green beans in large saucepan of boiling salted water until just tender, about 5 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer beans to plate. Add orzo to same boiling water. Cook until tender, stirring occasionally; drain.

Blend dill, oil, vinegar, and lemon juice in mini processor until almost smooth to make pesto. Season dressing with salt and pepper.

Cut beans crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces. Place in large bowl. Add orzo, cucumber, and fennel; mix in pesto dressing. Season salad to taste with salt and pepper.

RECIPE: Blueberry-Cucumber Smoothie

Difficulty level: Easy 

Blended cucumbers thicken a lightly sweet smoothie for a low-cal breakfast or a refreshing afternoon snack.

 

2 large cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and cut into chunks (about 2 cups)

1 cup low-fat vanilla yogurt

1 cup frozen blueberries

1-2 Tbs honey or agave nectar

1 Tbs lemon juice

Place all ingredients in a blender, and blend until smooth.