Peanut Lime Cucumber Salad

A simple peanut-lime cucumber salad bursting with Thai flavor!

Roasted Strawberry Balsamic Vinaigrette

One of our favorite berries are strawberries, and we both like balsamic. I'd made a Balsamic Strawberry Galette before, and I wanted something similar. However, we'd just purchased lots of salad materials so a strawberry balsamic vinaigrette sounded good. And since we had a cooler day, I figured I could fire up the oven and make roasted strawberries and a roasted strawberry balsamic vinaigrette. Because roasting just brings out the awesome. Roasting does take a bit longer, so if you'd prefer, you can skip the roasting and go for a fresh strawberry balsamic salad dressing. You might want to cut the strawberries smaller or use a food processor or blender since the fresh fruit won't mash as well as the roasted. Either way, give it a try!

What's your favorite "fruity" salad dressing?

Roasted Strawberry Balsamic Vinaigrette

by CJ Huang

Perfectly pair roasted strawberries and balsamic vinegar in a sweetly tangy roasted strawberry balsamic vinaigrette.

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Total time: 20 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

Materials:

Mass	Weight	Volume	Number	Material	Notes
74 grams			4	strawberries
		1.5 teaspoons		mustard
		2 tablespoons		balsamic vinegar
		2 tablespoons		olive oil
		1/2 teaspoon		five spice

Methods:

	1. Gather all materials.
	2. Roast strawberries at 450F for 15 mintues.
	3. Combine all materials, and mash to desired consistency.

Shared with: Full Plate Thursday, Artsy Fartsy Party, BFF Open House, Handmade and Otherwise, Fiesta Friday, Meal Plan Monday, Saturday Sparks, Traffic Jam, What's for Dinner?, Hearth and Soul, Over the Moon, Tuesdays at Our Home, Inspire Me Monday, Farm Fresh Tuesday, Wine'd Down Wednesday, Your Whims Wednesday, Party in Your PJs, Homestead Blog Hop

Seaweed Cucumber Salad

"Cool as a cucumber" takes on a new meaning with this great dish I "recently" found. As we're heading into warmer weather, I thought I'd make this cucumber salad. Cucumber salads are all more or less the same; though delicious, the formula can get a bit dull. This recipe from Sustainable Pantry, however has a decidedly Asian twist with the incorporation of sesame oil and seaweed. Don't let the seaweed turn you off; in addition to all the nutrients and health benefits seaweed provides, it has a wonderful flavor reminiscent of the ocean's bounty. This flavor, combined with the intoxicating aroma of sesame seed oil, makes for a multi-layered experience. The cucumbers bring their familiar cold crispness, contrasting the slightly chewy texture of the seaweed. Sesame seed oil, sweet cucumber, tart vinegar, and seaweed combine well for a distinct and enjoyable dish.

I used frozen hai dai (海帶) and dried wakame along with a little hijiki when I made this cucumber seaweed salad. Hai dai is a Chinese salted kelp, and the same one I used in Miso Soup and Bean Sprout Soup. (You can see what it looks like in those pictures.) It's the thicker kind you can usually find at the Asian grocery tied in knots or sliced. I'm not sure of the proper English name, but here's the Wikipedia link. Wakame is a Japanese seaweed often used in Miso Soup. For the Hai Dai, I just chopped it up, and for the wakame, I just crunched it up a bit more. I didn't rehydrate the wakame before using since I figured it'd be tastier if I let it hydrate in the cucumbers/rice vinegar/sesame oil instead of water. Plus, then you don't have to worry about draining the salad or having pools of liquid at the bottom since the seaweed will soak it up! Now, there's a multi-tasker. :)

What are your thoughts on seaweed?

Seaweed Cucumber Salad

by CJ Huang

Crisp cucumber, smooth sesame oil, tangy vinegar, and tantalizing seaweed makes for an unforgettable summer dish.

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: none
Total time: 5 minutes + cooling/marinating time
Yield: 2 servings

Materials:

Mass	Weight	Volume	Number	Material	Notes
			1	cucumber, sliced and quartered
		1 teaspoon		sesame oil
		1 tablespoon		rice vinegar
				seaweed	to taste

Methods:

	1. Gather all materials.
	2. Combine all materials and shake together.

Shared with: Full Plate Thursday, BFF Open House, Artsy Fartsy Party, Traffic Jam, Handmade and Otherwise, Meal Plan Monday, Saturday Sparks, What's for Dinner?, Over the Moon, Hearth and Soul, Tuesdays at Our Home, Inspire Me Monday, Your Whims Wednesday, Wine'd Down Wednesday, Party in Your PJs, Homestead Blog Hop

Asian Cole Slaw

An Asian inspired cole slaw with peanuts, ginger, lime, and soy sauce flavorings.

Sweet and Tangy Cucumber Salad

I'm sure just about everyone's had something like this cucumber salad. It's one of those dishes you always hear about mom or grandma passing down. An easy and tasty "no-fail" recipe. Simple enough to make frequently and tasty enough you'll want to! Bring this simple and refreshing cucumber salad to any barbeque, cookout, or gathering, and all your friends will love you even more! (Results not guaranteed.)

You can just throw everything together and serve. I also like to let all the flavors mix and meld so you'll get more flavor in each bite. Just throw everything together like usual, give it a good shake (or stir) and stick it in the fridge for a few hours or overnight.

What's your favorite recipe passed down from mom or grandma? Share with us in the comments!

Sweet and Tangy Cucumber Salad

by CJ Huang

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: none
Total time: 5 minutes + marinating time
Yield: 4 servings

Materials:

Mass	Weight	Volume	Number	Material	Notes
436 grams			1	cucumber, chopped
		1 tablespoon		soy sauce
		2 tablespoons		rice vinegar
		1 teaspoon		sesame oil
		1/2 tablespoon		sesame seeds, toasted	As you can see from the images, sometimes I use white, and sometimes black. :)
		1/4 teaspoon		chili pepper flakes

Methods:

	1. Gather all materials.
	2. Combine all materials and shake together. (Optional - refrigerate for a few hours to overnight to allow flavors to mix and mingle a bit.)

Linked to: Inspire Me Monday, Fabulous Party, Hearth and Soul, Recipe and DIY, Tasty Tuesday, Little Cottage, Wine'd Down Wednesday, Wow Me Wednesday, Party in Your PJs, Homestead Blog Hop, Full Plate Thursday, Thursday Favorite Things, Foodie Friday, Friendship Friday, BFF Open House, Home Matters, Saturday Sparks, Saturday Sharefest, Meal Plan Monday, Our Mini Linky Party, What's For Dinner?, Happiness is Homemade, Dishing It Digging It, Inspire Me Monday, Over the Moon, Melt in Your Mouth Monday, Mix it Up Monday, Inspire Me Monday

Jicama Persimmon Miso Salad

We'd recently bought a jicama since they were on sale, and I thought back to Jicama Slaw, thinking I might make it again. Then I saw the ripening persimmons my parents gave us. I also remembered we had some lettuce since we originally planned on packing sandwiches when we hiked Raven Rock. Except we decided to make Fan Tuan instead, so I thought about combining our odds and ends into some sort of salad.

At first, I wasn't so sure of the flavor combo - jicama and persimmons? One slightly sweet and crunchy, and the other sweet and firm? Maybe a savory and tangy dressing could tie it all together. So I went with miso and lime. Another odd couple, but along with the avocado, it really worked to pull everything together. Next time, I'm thinking I'll also add a bit of red onion. :)

What's an odd sounding flavor combo you like?

Jicama Persimmon Miso Salad

by CJ Huang

Toss some jicama and persimmons into your lettuce salad. Top it off with a citrusy miso dressing for one flavorful and texturally diverse Jicama Persimmon Miso Salad!

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: none
Total time: 15 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

Materials:

Mass	Weight	Volume	Number	Material	Notes
454 grams	1 pound		3	persimmons, cut into eighths or sixteenths
210 grams	7.875 ounces		1/3	jicama, cut into 1/4 x 1/4 x 1 inch pieces
172 grams	6.125 ounces		1	avocado, cubed	Find out how to cut an avocado here.
		1 tablespoon		lime juice
		1.5 tablespoons		white miso
		1/2 cup		olive oil
			1 head	romaine lettuce, cut

Methods:

	1. Gather all materials.
	2. Beat together lime juice, miso, and olive oil. Add in water to thin if desired.
	3. Toss together remaining materials, and add dressing just before serving.

Sesame Cucumber Salad

Since it's been so hot and humid lately, I wanted to make something cool. I figured cucumbers would be good, but I wasn't sure exactly how I wanted to prepare them. When I saw this recipe on Simply Recipes, it reminded me of a similar dish my mother used to make, so I thought I would give it a try. Plus, it's so simple and straightforward giving it at least a try was a no brainer. I threw in some chili flakes, but you could easily eliminate that if you wanted something completely cooling. The sesame oil, vinegar, and of course, cucumbers are what give this dish a cooling and flavorful taste profile. In fact, if you wanted, you could eliminate all the materials except sesame oil, vinegar, and cucumbers. It wouldn't taste as good, but it'd be far from bad. It also tastes just as good, if not better the day after, when the flavors have had a chance to mingle and mix.

What's your favorite version of cucumber salad?

Sesame Cucumber Salad

by CJ Huang

A quick sesame cucumber salad, flavored with sesame oil, enhanced with vinegar, and spiced up with chili flakes.

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: none
Total time: 5 minutes
Yield: 2-4 servings

Materials:

Mass	Weight	Volume	Number	Material	Notes
311 grams	11 ounces		1	cucumber, sliced and quartered
		2 tablespoons		sesame oil
		2 tablespoons		vinegar	I used rice vinegar but any should work, although I would not recommend plain white vinegar.
		1 teaspoon		chili pepper flakes
		1 teaspoon		soy sauce

Methods:

1. Gather all materials. Combine and shake the materials together. Serve cold. This dish can actually taste better after it’s sat around for a bit so all the flavors have time to mingle.

Shared with: Wonderful Wednesday, The Wednesday Showcase, Waste Less Wednesday, What's Cookin' Wednesday, Creative Ways, Foodie Friends, Throwback Thursday, Foodie FriDIY, Pinworthy Projects, Happiness is Homemade, What's For Dinner?, Nifty Thrifty Sunday, Sustainable Sunday, Turn It Up Tuesday

Tomato Salad

Thanks for joining us as we countdown to 2015 with 5 of YOUR favorite recipes this year! Today it’s time for #4 – Tomato Salad! This quick, light, and easy tomato salad tastes so refreshing. And it's so simple to make too! Maybe I should learn something from these popular recipes - simple works. Sometimes I make things too complicated when simple is just better. I hope you enjoy this simple salad. It's especially yummy in the summer. :)

---

It's time for SRC again! Each month, we're paired with another blogger, and we get to pick a recipe from their archives to make. This month, I got Suzanne's blog, Thru the Bugs on My Windshield. As usual, I had difficulty picking out a recipe. She had recipes for Cipollini Onion and Potato Pie, Southwestern Frittatas, and Rosemary Roasted Potatoes. However, I ultimately chose to make the Tomato Salad. Light, refreshing, and quick is just what I need these days! I didn't add in any olive oil, salt, or sugar to this recipe since I didn't think the tomatoes needed it. I also used a red onion instead of a sweet onion and dried basil instead of fresh. (It was all I had, but I do think fresh would improve this salad.) I did not sprinkle any cheese on top, since it wasn't in the recipe, but like Suzanne, I think it'd add another dimension to this tomato salad. Soak it up with some crusty bread or simply enjoy it on it's own!

What's your favorite refreshing salad?

Tomato Salad

by CJ Huang

A quick, light, and refreshing tomato salad with red onions and basil marinated in white balsamic.

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: none
Total time: 5 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

Materials:

Mass	Weight	Volume	Number	Material	Notes
317 grams	11.25 ounces		4	Roma tomatoes, cut in half, then quartered
74 grams	2.61 ounces		1/4	red onion, sliced thinly
		1 tablespoon		white Balsamic vinegar
		1/4 teaspoon		black pepper
		1 teaspoon		basil

Methods:

	1. Gather all materials.
	2. Combine all materials, making sure everything is well coated.

July's Top 5

Well, it's August now! I can't believe how fast this year is going by! And then in 1.5 months, we'll have a little one too. :) Speaking of which, I'm thinking he'll keep me pretty busy, so I'm looking for guest hosts for Five Friday Finds. Let me know if you're interested - it's super easy! :)

Without further ado, here's the Top 5 roundup for July!

	5. Garlic Paprika Shrimp Pin It Quickly cook up shrimp, throw in garlic, some paprika, and pepper, and you've got some delectable Garlic Paprika Shrimp with a slightly crispy crust.
	4. Coconut Shrimp Patties Pin It Shrimp, combined with a bit of garlic and green onions, formed into cakes coated with shredded coconut for some tropical coconut shrimp patties.
	3. Beef Stew Foil Pack Pin It A hearty beef stew with potatoes, carrots, mushrooms, and onions, in foil pack form! Perfect for a campfire meal.
	2. Mango Corn Salsa Pin It Combine mango, corn, and some bell pepper for a sweetly tropical flavored mango corn salsa.
	1. Blueberry Scones Pin It Part of a scrumptious breakfast - try these blueberry scones, full of the goodness of sweet summer blueberries.

Leave a comment telling us your favorite recipe of the month!

June's Top 5

It's happened again - another month's gone by, and this time, the year's half over! It's hard to believe sometimes how quickly time goes by. We actually celebrated our sixth anniversary this past weekend, and we're expecting a little one in just over two months!

Without further ado, here's the Top 5 roundup for June!

	5. Basic Asian Dressing Pin It A quick and simple Asian inspired salad dressing with soy sauce, ginger, and garlic mixed with a bit of oil and lime.
	4. Watermelon Feta Spinach Salad Pin It Combine some sweet watermelon with savory feta cheese, flavored up with some basil in a bed of spinach and make yourself a watermelon spinach feta salad.
	3. Balsamic Strawberry Gelato Pin It My personal favorite! Strawberries, chopped and soaked in a balsamic vinegar reduction, then made into a brightly flavorful balsamic strawberry gelato.
	2. Guacamole Deviled Eggs Pin It A new twist on an old classic - try these deviled eggs with avocado!
	1. Parmesan Crisps Pin It Got some Parmesan cheese and 5 minutes? You can make yourself some Parmesan crisps! Great as crackers or with dip.

Leave a comment telling us your favorite recipe of the month!

Linked to: Treasure Box Tuesday, Share Your Stuff Tuesday

Watermelon Feta Spinach Salad

Combine some sweet watermelon with savory feta cheese, flavored up with some basil in a bed of spinach and make yourself a watermelon spinach feta salad. Drizzle some balsamic on top if you're feeling fancy!

March's Top 5

So it's almost halfway through April, and I'm just now getting to March's top 5 roundup! Let's just say between travelling and life, I've been pretty busy lately. Hopefully things will calm down a bit now. :)

Without further ado, here's the Top 5 roundup for March!

	5. Mango Guacamole Pin It Sweet and juicy mango mixed in with avocados, cilantro, and a bit of green onions for a supremely scrumptious mango guacamole.
	4. Basil Pesto Pin It A simple basil pesto made from fresh basil, garlic, and Parmesan cheese.
	3. Bruschetta Pin It Chopped tomatoes and onion, mixed with basil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, and Parmesan cheese, then piled onto a toasted slice of Italian bread for serving.
	2. Brown Butter Asparagus Pin It Fresh asparagus cooked in a citrusy brown butter sauce and topped with lime zest and Brie cheese.
	1. Tomato Salad Pin It A quick, light, and refreshing tomato salad with red onions and basil marinated in white balsamic.

Leave a comment telling us your favorite recipe of the month!

Pico de Gallo

A light and fresh pico de gallo with all the basics - tomato, onion, cilantro, lime, and garlic!

December's Top 5

It's a new month, so it's time to do a roundup of last month's favorite recipes! For us, December was full of transitions, from moving to starting a new job and unpacking, plus all the usual holiday travel. In the middle of all that, I decided to change up the linky for Five Friday Finds. Instead of only favorite recipe lists, I'm opening it up to all recipes. :) It's not too late to link up here! I'm hoping January will be a bit calmer!

Without further ado, here's the Top 5 roundup for December!

	5. Sweet and Tangy Cucumber Salad Pin It A simple and refreshingly tangy cucumber salad with rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame, and lots of flavor.
	4. How to Chiffonade Pin It Ever wondered what chiffonade means? It's a lot easier than it sounds!
	3. Steak Pin It Want to eat steak without paying steakhouse prices? Try this recipe, and enjoy tasty steak in the comfort of your own home!
	2. Guacamole Version 4.0 Pin It My personal favorite guacamole in the series, now updated. Try it and see how you like it!
	1. DIY Vanilla Extract Pin It Really easy and much more flavorful! Try making your own vanilla extract. :)

Leave a comment telling us your favorite recipe of the month!