Cucumbers

 Cucumber Radish SaladIngredients
    1  cucumber, seeded and sliced length wise and then into cubes
    1/2 bell pepper cubed
    1 medium carrot shredded
    6 medium radishes shredded
    3 Tablespoons parsley (optional)
    salt and pepper to taste
    1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
    1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
    1 teaspoon honey

Instructions

    Chop/shred the cucumber, carrot, bell pepper, and radishes to a medium bowl. Mix with the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, and parsley. Top with salt and pepper to taste and serve.



Tomato, Cucumber, and Radish Salad with Yogurt and Tahini Dressing
(Makes 2 salads, with enough dressing for another time. This does not keep well, so just make enough for what you'll eat immediately. Recipe inspired by Jerusalem Salad at Old Jerusalem Restaurant in Chicago.)
Ingredients:
2 cups chopped cucumber (about 2 small cucumbers, cut into pieces about 3/4 inch)
1 cup chopped tomato (cut into pieces about 3/4 inch if using whole tomatoes)
1 cup chopped radishes (cut into half-moon slices)
(Any proportion of cucumber, tomato, and radishes can be used, or use just cucumber and tomato if you don't have any radishes. Kohlrabi or turnips would be a good substitute.)
1 tsp. salt (for salting cucumbers) plus more to taste
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
1/4 cup tahini paste, also called tahina (This can be hard to find, but almond butter or natural peanut butter would be a pretty good substitute, especially with a little sesame oil added.)
2 T fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/2 - 1 tsp. ground cumin (start with 1/2 tsp. and taste)
1/2 tsp. finely minced garlic
2-3 pinches Aleppo pepper or cayenne pepper
ground Sumac (optional, for sprinkling on salad)

Instructions:
Wash cucumbers and peel if desired. (If you can get fresh garden cucumbers, they don't have to be peeled.) Cut cucumbers into same-size pieces about 3/4 inch and place in a colander sitting in the sink. Sprinkle with about 1 tsp. salt, mix with your hand so all the cucumber pieces are salted. Let cucumbers stand and release water while you prep other ingredients, or if you have time, let cucumbers drain in the sink for 20-30 minutes. (The salad will be more watery if you skip this salting step, but if you're eating it right away it probably doesn't matter too much.)
While cucumbers drain, put Greek yogurt, tahini paste, lemon juice, 1/2 tsp. ground cumin, minced garlic, and Aleppo pepper in a small bowl or measuring cup and mix together. Taste and see if you want to add more ground cumin or a pinch of salt, then set aside to let ingredients blend.
Wash tomatoes and cut in half (if using cherry tomatoes) or cut into 3/4 inch pieces (if using whole tomatoes.) Wash radishes, cut off stem and root ends, then cut in half and slice into half moon pieces.
Blot cucumbers dry with a paper towel (most of the salt will have rinsed off if you've drained them long enough.) Combine cucumbers, tomatoes, and radishes in a bowl, then stir in enough dressing to moisten (I used about half the dressing, save the rest in the fridge for another salad.) Sprinkle salad with Sumac if desired and serve immediately.
- See more at: http://www.kalynskitchen.com/2009/08/recipe-for-tomato-cucumber-and-radish.html#sthash.B8evL7Rv.dpuf


Cucumber Salad with Tahini Dressing Recipe
by Elise Bauer  Serves 4-6 as a side dish.
 Any variety of cucumber can be used in this salad. You'll want to peel the varieties with thicker peels. Thin-peel varieties can usually be left peel-on.
Ingredients
   1 1/2 pounds cucumbers, preferably thin-skinned such as persian cucumbers  (cut back on the dressing ingredients if you have fewer cucumbers)
    1 Tbsp salt
    3 Tbsp sesame tahini
    1 Tbsp lemon juice
    2 Tbsp warm water (or more depending on how thick your tahini is)
    1/2 clove garlic, minced (about 1/2 teaspoon)
    Zest of a lemon
    1/3 cup chopped red onion
    2 Tbsp chopped mint
    2 Tbsp chopped basil
    2 Tbsp chopped parsley
    Salt and black pepper to taste
1 If the cucumber peels are thick or bitter, peel them. If not, leave them on. Slice the cucumbers lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds with a small spoon. Slice the cucumbers again lengthwise and then cut crosswise into 1/4-inch to 1/3-inch cuts.
2 Toss the seeded, diced cucumbers in a colander with the tablespoon of salt. Let drain in the sink while you chop everything else and make the dressing.  (I leave the seeds in and just let the cucumbers sit with no salt . I use any water that comes out to thin the tahini if needed. )
3 In a large bowl, mix the tahini, lemon juice and warm water until combined. Stir in the garlic, lemon zest and red onion.
4 Briefly rinse the cucumbers under cool water and pat them dry with paper towels in the colander. (Not necessary  if you skipped the salting step.) Add the cucumbers to the bowl with the dressing and gently toss to combine well. Add in the herbs (any of the herbs could also be used alone or in some other combination). Add salt and black pepper to taste. Serve cool.
Yield: Serves 4-6 as a side dish.

 Carrot, Cucumber and Chicken Salad
Ingredients
  2 cups chopped cooked chicken breast (about 1 pound)   Or toasted nuts, seeds of choice
    1 1/4 cups chopped seeded cucumber
    1/2 cup matchstick-cut carrots
    1/2 cup sliced radishes
    1/3 cup chopped green onions
    1/4 cup light mayonnaise or yogurt
    2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
    1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
    1/4 teaspoon salt
    1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
    1/8 teaspoon black pepper
    4 green leaf lettuce leaves $
    4 (6-inch) whole wheat pitas, each cut into 8 wedges
Preparation
    Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl. Combine mayonnaise and next 5 ingredients (through pepper) in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add mayonnaise mixture to chicken mixture; stir until combined.
    Place 1 lettuce leaf on each of 4 plates; top each leaf with about 1 cup chicken mixture. Place 8 pita wedges on each serving.






Rosemary-Infused Cucumber Lemonade
WebMD Recipe from EatingWell.com
Turn fresh rosemary, cucumbers and lemons into grown-up lemonade that will keep you cool on a hot day.

    3    large cucumbers
    1 tablespoon    chopped fresh rosemary, plus 4 sprigs for garnish
    1 cup    water
    1/2 cup   lemon juice
    3 tablespoons   agave syrup, (see Note)

Instructions
    Cut 12 thin slices of cucumber for garnish.
    Peel and chop the rest of the cucumber; transfer to a food processor, add rosemary and puree. Pour the puree through a fine-mesh strainer set over a medium bowl or large measuring cup. Press on the solids to extract all the juice. Add water, lemon juice and agave syrup to the cucumber juice; stir until the agave is dissolved. Divide among 4 ice-filled glasses. Garnish with cucumber slices and rosemary sprigs.

 Note: Agave syrup or nectar is the naturally sweet juice extracted from the agave plant. It has a lower glycemic index than table sugar, but is even sweeter. Use it in moderation when substituting for table sugar.