Jenn’s Cook Book

This recipe was so easy, it was a little ridiculous to call it a recipe. I’ve found that some of the simplest dishes, however, get the best reviews! The idea was simple enough: leftover quinoa with golden raisins, some spinach, cucumbers, and a dash of olive oil.

I used leftover quinoa, warmed up slightly in the microwave. I would suggest making the quinoa ahead of time and cooling, or the spinach will wilt. Unless you like wilted spinach, then by all means make this a warm salad instead. Substitute any salad ingredients you like, utilizing whatever is on hand.

Spinach & Quinoa Salad

1 cup uncooked quiona
1 cup golden raisins
5-6 cups baby spinach or other dark, leafy greens
1 cucumber, quartered lengthwise and sliced
1 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste

Prepare quinoa according to package directions. Stir in golden raisins, then set aside to cool.

Rinse spinach thoroughly, then toss with olive oil. Add cucumber slices and toss. Season with salt and pepper.

Toss cooled quinoa with spinach mixture. Serve!

Above: Yes, it really is that easy.

Economically Friendly: Nothing here broke the bank, especially the creative use of leftover quinoa from an eggplant dish. Cucumbers are reasonably cheap, as is baby spinach. I encourage improvisation in this salad, just about any veggie would work here.

Ecologically Responsible: Quinoa, as I have discussed before, can stand in for the meat product of a dish. Seasonal, local produce can also make this an earth-happy salad.

Excellently Healthy: This really is a nutrient powerhouse, with quinoa and spinach provide some essential vitamins and still tasting great. With golden raisins, cucumber, and some healthy fat from olive oil, this really is a balanced dish.

From chapter 2:30 AM: Late Night Rehab of Midnight Snacks, “try this fortifying concoction to hydrate your system, flush out some lingering impurities, and get your body rebounding with a vitamin booster shot.” The authors certainly don’t lack imagination. 

While the recipe is designed to stave off a hang-over, it’s a great early morning booster as well. Bonus: a full serving of fruit and veggies first thing in the morning, and then some. Normally, I adjust recipes to my liking, but this one was practically perfect. The only snag is the recipe is suppose to serve one, but I had plenty for two.

1 small papaya, peeled, seeded, and cut into chunks
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup apple juice
1/2 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, and cut into chunks
ice cubes (about 5-6)

Author’s instructions:

“Cast all the ingredients, along with any of the evening’s regrets, into the blender and puree.”

I do not advocate the peeling and seeding of fruits and vegetables, but in the case of papaya it is necessary. For the cucumber, it’s more about the texture of the smoothie. The only thing I added to this was a sprig of mint, just for show. If you really want to balance your breakfast, try yogurt or milk in place of the fruit juices.

Ripe papaya are more yellow than green and should yield slightly when you squeeze it.

Here is a “simple option for celebrating the humble cucumber,” from Simply in Season. This tasty dish in quick and easy to make, though I won’t take credit for those neatly sliced vegetables - that was all James! This simple side dish is great on a hot day, and you could easily adjust the seasoning to suit your tastes.

3 small (or 2 large) cucumber, thinly sliced
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup lemon juice (from 1 large lemon)
2 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp sugar
Fresh ground black pepper

Whisk lemon juice, oil, salt, and sugar together. In a large bowl, combine cucumber and onions. Add dressing and toss. Chill slightly before serving (10-15 minutes). Top with fresh ground black pepper as desired.

These cucumbers and onion came from the Farmer’s Market:

Here is another summer thirst-quencher, combining the seasonal flavors of blueberry and cucumber with orange juice and honey. This fresh and fruity recipe comes from Cooking Light magazine.

3 cups fresh orange juice
1/4 cup honey
1 pint fresh blueberries (frozen can be substituted)
1 medium cucumber

Cut cucumber into chunks. Combine with blueberries, orange juice, and honey in a blender. Process until smooth. Cover and chill 8 hours or overnight.

Strain mixture through a cheesecloth-lined sieve into a medium bowl, pressing solids with a wooden spoon or a rubber spatula to squeeze out juice. Discard solids.

Serve in tall glasses over ice. Makes 4 servings.

This tasty side dish comes from Real Simple magazine and uses seasonal vegetables and flavors with minimal prep work and cooking time. Perfect for lunch or dinner on a hot day.

1/4 lb green beans, trimmed
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt
3 tbsp olive oil
Zest of 1 lemon
1 cucumber

Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Cook green beans for 3 minutes. Drain and rinse well with cold water. Whisk together mustard, lemon juice, salt, oil and zest in a large bowl. Halve and seed cucumber length-wise. Combine green beans and cucumbers in bowl with mustard mixture and toss well. Can be served immediately or chilled for 1 hour.

In general, I am against peeling or seeding fruits and vegetables if the skin and seeds are edible. It wastes time and food. I did not peel or seed the cucumber, but you certainly could. I also cut the green beans into 1 inch pieces, which makes them easier to eat.

There were several recipes for this type of beverage online, but this one is most based on one featured by AOL Food. This drink is interestingly refreshing and quirky, definitely something different but tasty. If you are feeling daring, try some Cucumberade!

2 large cucumbers, peeled
2-3 large lemons
2 cups water
1/4 cup sugar, or more to taste
cucumber slices and/or lemon wedges, for garnish

There are several different ways to get juice from a cucumber, the easiest being a juicer or food processor. Another way is to grate the cucumber with a cheese grater and puree the pulp in a blender until smooth. Strain the puree well. 2 large cucumbers should yield 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups of juice.

Juice the lemons to yield 1/2 or 3/4 cup juice. Make sure to have 2 full cups juice between the cucumbers and lemons.

Stir sugar into water until dissolved. Combine 2 cups cucumber-lemon juice with sugar water in a large pitcher and stir well. Chill for at least 1 hour.

Serve over ice and garnish with cucumber slices and lemon wedges. Adjust sugar and lemon juice to taste. Recipe can be doubled.

This is actually a recipe I first discovered years ago, and it is still one of my favorites. It combines fresh cucumbers with bright Asian flavors. Use low-sodium soy sauce to cut salt content. This version of the recipe comes from Southern Living magazine.

3/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup water
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp lite soy sauce
1 tsp sesame seed oil
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 large cucumbers, peeled and thinly sliced
2 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted

Stir together first 7 ingredients in a large bowl. Add thinly sliced cucumbers, tossing to coat. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour. Add sesame seeds and toss. Serve immediately.

If you have plain sesame seeds, you can toast them in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat for 3-5 minutes.

1 cup of this salad only has 52 calories!

Try serving this salad with Cashew Chicken, Asian Chicken and Cabbage, or Beef with Ginger.