If you've only tried rhubarb in sweet applications, it's time to consider the tart vegetables (yes, you read right!) as a welcome addition to dinnertime. It's just the ticket for brightening up chicken thighs, especially when paired with crisp cubes of cucumber, cilantro leaves, and lime for an unconventional yet utterly delightful salsa.
Bust out your knife skills, get chopping, and count down the mere minutes to an elegant and unexpected dinner perfect for busy weeknights.
I grew up eating this light and refreshing salad at my mother's table, and it's still one of my favorite dishes to start off a light meal. The flavor profile is tart, the texture crunchy, and the combination so simple yet so satisfying.
The best part? The longer you let it sit, the better it tastes. After you've made it once, try altering the ingredients to see what works better for you — cider vinegar or white vinegar, more or less soy sauce, and so forth. My favorite cucumbers to use are the Japanese variety, because they're so crisp and firm. When they aren't available, I substitute Persian cucumbers. Read on to check out this easy family recipe.
Cucumbers don't just hydrate — there's more to this nutritious treat. Cucumbers are a good source of vitamin C and fiber, not to mention silica, which is responsible for healthy tissue, bones, and skin. Luckily, Summer is the perfect time to enjoy this refreshing veggie. Check out these 10 cucumber recipes that will help you beat the heat!
It's hard to imagine given their proliferation at supermarkets across the country, but cucumbers actually do have a season, and it's right now. These beautiful green fruits — yes, they're fruits, not vegetables! — belong to the same family as melon and squash, and they're at their peak growing time from early Summer to early Fall.
At the market, look for cucumbers that are firm, vividly colored, and absent of wrinkles, bruises, or discoloration. Store them in a warmer corner of the refrigerator (you don't want them to freeze!) and use them within two to three days. If you want to enjoy them with their skins still on, select thinner-skinned varieties like Kirby, Persian, Japanese, or English cucumbers. If you find a cucumber's skin too thick, waxy, or bitter, simply peel it off.
Read ahead for a few of our favorite ways to enjoy the cucumber.
Since attending a lunch that celebrated Greek wines, I can't stop thinking about Greek cuisine. My favorite Greek condiment is tzatziki, a cooling sauce that's served with grilled meat, souvlaki, and gyros. It's made with Greek yogurt that's been strained, so it has a super thick texture. I use Ina Garten's recipe, but I add a bunch of chopped mint to it. The most important ingredients are the yogurt and cucumbers, otherwise, you can add whatever herbs you have on hand, parsley works well as does dill and basil. Check out the method after the break.
Greening up your St. Patrick's Day meal doesn't have to involve green food coloring. As we continue filling lil ones' plates with green vegetables for this week's holiday, we checked in with kiddie chef extraordinaire Catherine McCord, founder of Weelicious and mother of two, for some tot-friendly recipes. From veggie pops to some crispy, Italian-style asparagus, check out Catherine's green picks for kids.
Post-Halloween, get back into the swing of things by settling in with a decidedly delicious yet healthy steak salad. Although Asian-inspired steak salads can venture into more sophisticated territory, a pared-down version can be equally delicious.
The secret here lies in multitasking: Create a garlicky lime vinaigrette that'll do double duty as both dressing and marinade. Allow the steak to cook in the broiler while you're chopping and tossing the vegetables. Top still-warm steak with a sprinkling of peanuts, and dinner's ready in under 30. Want the recipe? Then keep reading.
I spent the Summer making salads, and while the weather has begun to change, that doesn't mean it isn't a great time for salads full of Fall flavors. At a recent trip to the market, I was thrilled to see one of my absolute favorite Fall fruits: the apple pear.
Apple pears are not a cross between apples and pears, but they have a shape that's similar to an apple with pear-like skin. Apple pears' texture is wonderfully crisp and they have a mild sweet flavor. While they're great eaten alone, they're even better in this Asian-influenced salad.
The fresh mix of cucumbers, radishes, and apple pears pair perfectly with bulgogi-style beef. The salad can easily be prepped ahead of time, then quickly cook the beef and assemble just before serving. If you are ready to embrace Fall, keep reading for the recipe.
Although Labor Day is an American holiday, I'm suggesting that you serve a classic British cocktail, Pimm's Cup, at your barbecue. Why? Because it's a refreshing and wonderful drink! It's fruity, gingery, and not too strong. This punch-like libation requires a special spirit, Pimm's No. 1, that's readily available at most liquor stores. The recipe serves four, but I would plan on doubling it. A Pimm's Cup is so delicious that you and your guests will be craving seconds. Look at a recipe after the break.
Over the weekend, the second annual SF Chefs event took place, and it wasn't just about the food — beer, wine, and cocktails were in full force, too. Case in point: MIX with SF Top Chefs, a happy hour featuring a cocktail shake-off between San Francisco's most memorable Top Chef alums.
Five contenders — Ryan Scott, Jen Biesty, Mattin Nobila, Erik Hopfinger, and Laurine Wickett — made original cocktail recipes that incorporated the use of Fiji Water, a sponsor for the event, and I had the pleasure of guest judging the competition. In the end, Top Chef: Chicago's Jen Biesty came out on top with a well-balanced cucumber cocktail.
Jen Biesty named her cocktail The Fiji Facial after being inspired by a famous San Francisco spa. Her zen-like cocktail incorporates health-minded ingredients like ginger juice and organic cane sugar. To score the refreshing recipe — and check out photos from the event — read on.
