Summer is finishing up with a fury here in San Diego, so I made a big heat-reducing salad to go with Friday’s picnic of Thai noodles and curry. Inspiration came from Stephanie Weaver, of Recipe Renovator, who invited me for lunch last week and served, along with a colorful grated beet salad, a fresh green salad of zucchini, snap beans and cilantro. It was refreshing, and a delicious reminder of how lucky I am to have food blogger friends!
I hope you won’t be put off by the extra ingredients in this. It makes for a complete meal in itself, and once your potatoes are cooked, comes together rather quickly. Take your time, though, preparing the vegetables. Small, bite-sized pieces are the key to elegance and forkability.
The value of slowing down to prepare your meals cannot be overstated. It becomes its own kind of meditation, a hearth-loving version of Chop wood, carry water… We might even call it, Chop food, boil water?
Enjoy.
Persian Cucumber Salad
Serves 6-8
10-12 purple majesty and fingerling potatoes (substitute with sweet potato for paleo)
2 quarts water
1 T rock salt (pink or grey salt)
4 medium sized persian cucumbers
2 large handfuls fresh green beans, ends removed
1 hefty handful arugula
1/2 head of romaine lettuce
1 bunch spring onions
1 cup cooked red quinoa
1 bunch dill
1 copious handful cilantro
4-5 leaves basil
1 lime
1 t apple cider vinegar
2 T extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
In a large pot, combine salt, water, and potatoes and bring to a boil. Cook until the potatoes are fork-tender, approximately 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the pot and drain. Let it sit in your colander for 5 minutes. Refrigerate.
Chop the rest of the vegetables into small bite-sized pieces, except the arugula which can be tossed in as is. Layer into a large salad bowl and stir in the quinoa. Once your potatoes are cool, slice, quarter, and add them to your salad. Juice the lime and sprinkle with the apple cider vinegar over your salad. Lightly toss. Finely chop the herbs and add. Finally, drizzle in your olive oil and gently fluff. Taste and adjust your oil-vinegar-lime balance. Season with salt and pepper.
Made it again, sans quinoa, for our Yoga Teacher Training Graduation Celebration Sunday.
This is such good medicine that I’ll be featuring it in our upcoming Autumn Cleanse, which I want to offer you as a giveaway. Just comment below to be included, and we will randomly choose one person on Friday, in time for our free Introductory Call this Saturday.
Thanks to Vegenista Devi Melissa Martin for asking if the recipe is on my blog, inspring me to post it. Congratulations to Kelli and Bridget who will receive the Happy Belly and Hot Belly books offered in last week’s post.
Namaste!
P.S. Congratulations to Jenny Melford who receives the Autumn Cleanse! Thank you friends.
This looks fantastic, Laura. (And congrats on your new show, by the way). But I cannot eat quinoa. Substitute tabbouleh or some such?
sure, kathy. you can substitute with tabbouleh, or even seeds like sunflower or pumpkin. or simply skip as i did (last photo) when i remade it sunday night for our ytt graduation, which you may remember… love to you.
Thanks, Laura. And congrats on your new show. For this recipe, which looks great, what substitute for quinoa, which I cannot eat? Tabbouleh?
Yum…….making it for my family tonight……thank you for the inspiration……jeri
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that makes me happy – knowing our hearts are one in the sharing of sacred meals with our families. love to you, jeri.
“Chop wood, boil water” is my new mantra! Thank you for the recipe.
i can hear your beautiful, soothing voice as i chop food, boil water! the meditative mantra for kitchen devis. xo
This looks great Laura. I can’t wait to try it! Fortunately, organic food is popping up al around us here in Milan, and I’ve just recently seen purple potatoes for the first time! xCharlotte
I am so glad to hear that, Charlotte. Purple potatoes are really waxy so they hold up well in salads, contrasting beautifully with the greens. Called “purple majesty,” they remind me of America the Beautiful with its line “purple mountains majesty,” which might remind you of the beauty where you are and the beauty whence you come. Saluti!
Love this !! Will make tonight . Hugs to you Laura . Xo
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Hugs back! Thanks.
Yum
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“The value of slowing down to prepare your meals cannot be overstated” – it’s so true, I love this statement. Easy to forget in our busy, daily schedules though so thank you for the reminder. I don’t pair potatoes and cucumber together often, but this looks like such a refreshing, flavorful salad.
Potatoes and cucumbers contrast each other in mutually supportive ways and, Ayurvedically speaking, provide the sweet, astringent, bitter tastes that balance Pitta.
Your blog, Katie, is one of the places where we get to slow down and treasure life’s beauty. Thank you.
Fantabulous!
You are fantabulous, Bhava-ji!
Laura, this sounds delicious! And if I deconstruct it for my son, I think there’s a good chance he’ll enjoy it too! Thanks!
Thanks – I’d be interested to hear what you do to make it young boy friendly.
Sounds AMAZING–can’t wait to try it!
let me know what you think, ok? love to you D!
I am happy to say goodbye to summer , and hello to autumn! My favorite month to embrace and ground down into the earth, to enjoy and breathe in the crisp air!
Thank you, Ananda. It is good to hear you are able to enjoy any time at all as a new Mom. We send you love!
Some of the ingredients are in my garden! Now to slowly, carefully, with intention,
put. it. all. together. Love.
plant seeds. harvest food. plant love. harvest joy. you are a divine being. so glad to “know you.” thanks, kate.
Going to Boney’s to pick up the ingredients. Perfect for this hot weather. Thanks for posting the recipe. XO
Simply delicious! I made the whole recipe so there was enough to share with neighbors. The dressing was light and refreshing. It was a fabulous meal after a yoga practice on this hot day!
So glad you liked and had plenty to share. Thanks, Carolynn.
On public TV they had Dr David Perlmutter MD who wrote a book called Grain Brain. I ordered the whole thing and am reading the book. He says Wheat belly is one thing but Grain Brain is another. Being diabetic and Kapha I have to give up wheat but how. When one reads this book you not only can easily give up wheat and gluten but also sugar once you really see what it does to the brain. Check it out.
already checked. love his book and his work. thanks for spreading the good word and for taking good care of yourself. you first!