Tag Archives: cucumber

Little Blue Dynamos: My Love Affair with Blueberries Made a Blueberry Cucumber Salad

blueberries

It’s my favorite time of year: peak blueberry season! If you’re anything like me, you can’t get enough of these little balls of deliciousness. Farmers markets, U-Pick berry fields, or from the local produce store, I can’t gobble them up fast enough.

Peak season is anytime from late June through early September, so I’m even known to buy extra large amounts in bulk and freeze* for the rest of the year. Then I add them to smoothies, pancakes (my favorite recipe is this one), oatmeal, you name it! I even found a way to add these little guys to a savory salad. Don’t believe me? We’ll let you try the recipe for yourself!

blueberry cucumber salad

Why the love affair with blueberries? These little blue dynamos… (more…)

8 Things Miss Universe Eats Prove Not all Pageant Beauties are Starving Themselves

Gabriela Isler is two weeks in to her campaign as Miss Universe and recently revealed her diet secrets to Shape Magazine. The vivacious Venezuelan TV anchor is certainly a natural beauty, and her simple diet reveals that a little preventative maintenance goes a long way. The 5’10” South American sweetheart allows certain indulgences in her diet and even enjoys decadent snacks throughout the day.

miss universe

Her relatively liberal diet gives further credence to negative claims about restrictive diets. Gabriela exercises moderately, never overeats, and is always on the go. The above picture is evidence that she must be doing something right. The most beautiful woman in the universe is the picture of health and beauty, and the eight staples of her daily diet set a good example for young women everywhere.

Cucumber Sticks

Gabriela indulges in cucumber sticks with Greek yogurt for a quick pick-me-up snack. You can’t eat a cucumber without feeling like you did your body a favor. Cucs pack a major vitamin punch, as they are high in vitamins A, B1, B6, C, D, and calcium. The fourth most highly cultivated vegetable also hydrates the body, promotes digestion, and even prevents bad breath.

Pancakes

As we’ve proved time and time again, pancakes don’t have to be bad for you. Gabriela enjoys pancakes with fruit, and prefers a light peanut butter spread over traditional sugary syrups. Our Carrot Cake Pancakes are made with coconut milk and whole wheat flour and are low on carbs and calories. Depending on the fruit you choose, you could be getting an easy shot of antioxidants, potassium, cancer fighting carotenoids, and a host of other vitamins. (more…)

Pick a Peck of Homemade Sweet and Spicy English Cucumber Pickles

I will never buy pickles from the grocery store ever again.

I’ve seen the light.

I’ve tasted victory.

Why didn’t I figure this out sooner?

When I remember the summer of 2024, it will be the Summer of the Pickle!

homemade pickles

My grandfather planted a beautiful garden in his backyard this spring. We’ve been reaping the benefits of his hard work all season and I couldn’t be more thankful. My house doesn’t allow for a garden, so when he emailed and asked, “what would you like me to plant?”, I sent him a list that probably took him by surprise.

At the top of that list were English cucumbers. A thinner skin, sweeter taste, and fewer seeds, English cucumbers are a much better eating experience than the ‘ole standard cucumber. While not an issue when grown in the backyard, when bought at the store, English cucumbers typically come without the layer of wax found on regular cucumbers. And they’re prettier. For what that’s worth!

english cucumbers

Grandpa’s harvest has been good, which means we’ve had English cucumbers out the wazoo. A girl can only eat so many before she starts daydreaming about getting rid of cucumbers. So I asked my three-year-old sous chef, and pickle aficionado, if she’d like to spend a Saturday making pickles. She was delighted at the invitation and we set to slicing a heaping pile of cucs. (more…)

Finish Summer with a Tabbouleh-Inspired Freekeh Salad Using Garden-Picked Ingredients

It’s very encouraging that we all continue to demand fresher, simpler, healthier recipes, and that they actually exist! Summer tends to inspire this more than other seasons, with the bounty of fruits and vegetables in season this time of year. As we stand to enjoy a few more sweltering weeks of summer sun before the first day of fall on September 22, we present a recipe that meets all of the aforementioned criteria.

freekeh taboulleh

This Tabbouleh-Inspired Freekeh Salad, crafted by guest chef Adriene Rathbun, is a fantastic way to use up the last of your summer garden harvest, as most of these ingredients could be plucked right out of your backyard (or even the farmers market).

We start with all-natural freekeh, pronounced free-kah, a roasted green wheat with a heartier, nuttier taste than bulgur with a texture and appearance similar to other whole grains like rice. It’s as easy to prepare as a pot of rice – you’ll just need a half-cup for this recipe boiled with water (or broth for more flavor) for about 20 minutes. We like ours on the chewier, al dente side, so we reduce the cooking time by a few minutes.

freekeh

(more…)