Dilly Cucumber Salad

My neighbor is blessing my socks off with overflow from his garden, so how about a simple, easy, fresh cucumber salad.
Serves 4-6

I had dried dill on hand but fresh would be great. There are two choices for the mayo and the sour cream, one for my exceedingly healthy friends and the other with ingredients most people have on hand. 
Ingredients:
2 cucumbers, peeled and sliced
1/2 teaspoon salt (I like Celtic Sea Salt or Realsalt)
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar or cider vinegar
1/4 cup mayo or Veganaise
14 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
1 tablespoon dried dill
2 tablespoons minced onion
Directions:
Mix everything, except the cucumbers in a bowl. 

Add the cucumbers, toss to coat. 

Chill, enjoy.

Now wasn't that simple?
I served this with chicken tonight but it is great to double or triple and take to a picnic or potluck/oneg.
Trim Healthy Mama --S

Juicing, Micro Nutrient Quick Upload

Years ago a friend started me juicing. I purchased a small, cheap (yes, cheap as in flimsy) juicer and started with carrots and apples. After a while I got brave and added in some spinach and other vegetables. My children and I lovingly referred to it as "Mom's swamp juice", they stuck to fruit with an occasional stray carrot, but only under duress. This is also a good way to get fruit and vegetables into your picky eaters, start them on apple juice and add a small chunk of carrot every day until they ask you why their apple juice is orange.
I upgraded my juicer when my friend purchased a newer model and sold her yellow, Champion Juicer to me. One of the wisest purchases I have ever made, I don't remember how long she had it but I have been using it for more than a dozen years without one problem. Truly a superior product.
Despite knowing all the health benefits and feeling them, I would get tired of cleaning the juicer parts and put it back in the pantry for a while. A few weeks, sometimes months, I would begin to feel tired and run down again so out came the juicer. Sometimes I am a bit slow, G-d promises us abundant life but how can we enjoy it if we are not as fit and healthy as we can be?
There are so many benefits to juicing but the "long and short" of it is this, you get a mass quantity of highly absorbable nutrients in one glass of juice. For instance, this is the amount of veggies I had in my glass this morning.

3 cups of kale and spinach
3 carrots
2 apples
1 cucumber
2 stalks celery
2 cloves garlic
1 small piece ginger
Prior to me putting all the green stuff through the juicer, my son juiced 3 apples and a carrot.
That means that before he ate anything else for breakfast he already had the nutrients in three apples and one carrot absorbing straight into his body. Cleansing, physical and mental energy, healing...and so much more.

 This truly tastes so much better than it looks. Isn't it a pretty color?

 I use a straw because I don't want an orange or green mustache.

 Where is my super cape, I feel so good!

 This goes in the composter so the garden is super charged too.

Now, go conquer the world or at least your little part of it!

Creamy Strawberry Smoothie--Great for Breakfast

I found some fresh strawberries at the store yesterday and their fragrance sold me right away, ripe, red, glossy. I made milkshakes last night after dinner and had a few left for breakfast this morning.
Measurements for a smoothie are approximate but it's hard to mess up something so simple and good.
Put some fresh or frozen fruit into a container or blender. I use a smart stick, but if you need a lot a blender would be better size wise.

My photo is blurry, it was very early.
I use kefir or yogurt, whey protein powder, flax seed, a spoon of stevia.

 If the yogurt is very thick you may need to thin this a bit with milk or water.

You can put in a couple ice cubes if you want it icy.

Try blueberries, pineapple or raspberries or any combination of your favorite fruit. I suppose you could use a banana if you have to (ick). It's your smoothie, use what you like.

Refreshing Quinoa Salad

This was really tasty, and packed with nutrition, low fat and mostly raw. Who can ask for more?

You can adjust the vegetables to different seasonal varieties or ethnic flavors, Greek, Italian, Tex-Mex, you choose the possibilities are as endless as the combinations of produce available to you.

The health benefits of quinoa are outstanding not only is it gluten free but it is a complete protein, loaded with magnesium, copper, manganese and fiber. Pair it with lots of fresh veggies and cheese, if you like, and it is one tasty bowl of goodness.

I started with one cup of dry quinoa.

Add 2 cups of water.

 Simmer for about 15 minutes or until all the water is absorbed. Now this looks interesting. My son wrinkled his nose.

Set this aside to cool.
 Chop the veggies, this is what I used this time.
1 cucumber
2 cloves garlic
2 small tomatoes
1 medium tomatilla
1 small onion
1 avocado
3-4 tablespoons cilantro
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons olive oil, more or less
1 1/2 tablespoons lime juice
1/2 cup feta, crumbled, optional

 

Put all in a bowl and toss.

Add the cooked, cooled quinoa.

Top with cheese if desired, cheese is always desired here. And maybe some olives.

Yum!
Next time I am going to try corn, tomato, garlic (always), onion and cheddar.
Good food, good for you!

Cauliflower Salad with Crumbled Bacon

Cauliflower Salad is a summer staple around here. We probably have it every couple weeks. I got the recipe from my friend Holly and there was nothing written down and no measurements, she used words like glob instead of cup but she is one of the best cooks out there so when she said glob I globbed.

1 head of iceburg lettuce

1 head of cauliflower

1 small onion, minced

8 slices turkey bacon, cooked crispy and crumbled

mayo

parmesan cheese

Take out the cutting board, a large bowl,and a knife, no measuring spoons needed.

Layer all the following:

coarsely chop the head of iceburg-put it into the bowl,

coarsely chop the cauliflower-put it into the bowl,

 onion, 

 glob on the mayo (roughly 1 1/2 cups, enough to moisten all),

 parmesan cheese (roughly 1 cup),

turkey bacon on top.

 

Side view in case you need it.

Way too simple to taste this good!!
Toss to serve.
If you would like to make this in a smaller quantity just guess the amounts and mix in a small bowl.