cucumber Tag

23 Jul

Posted at 11:32h in Recipes by
0 Likes

This refreshing, easy recipe highlights the best of summer produce—crisp cucumbers, juicy tomatoes, peppers, garlic, and fresh cilantro—for a colorful dish that is both bright and flavorful. Light citrus juice brings everything together, creating a vibrant shrimp ceviche that works beautifully as an appetizer, snack, or simple dish to share.

Shrimp Ceviche

Ingredients:
12 oz uncooked shrimp, peeled and deveined*
4 limes, juiced*
3 lemons, juiced*
½ large cucumber
1 large tomato
1 green bell or Cubanelle pepper
2 cloves fresh garlic
½ medium onion
¼ cup packed cilantro leaves
½ jalapeno pepper
1 tsp sea salt
½ tsp black pepper

  • Chop up the shrimp into small pieces and place in a medium glass bowl.
  • Juice the limes and lemons into a bowl. Strain to remove any seeds.  You should end up with about 1 cup of liquid.
  • Pour the juice over the raw shrimp, making sure it completely covers the shrimp, and allow it to marinate for 20 minutes.
  • While the shrimp is marinating, prepare all the other produce.
    • Cucumber- peel, remove seeds, and chop
    • Tomato- chop and strain to remove juices
    • Pepper- remove stem and seeds, dice
    • Garlic- mince
    • Onion- finely chop
    • Cilantro- finely chop
    • Jalapeno- remove seeds and finely dice
  • Place all produce in a large bowl.
  • Once the shrimp is done marinating, it should be pink in color. Add it, along with the juice, to the large bowl.  Add the salt and pepper.  Mix to combine everything.
  • Allow to sit for 10 minutes before serving.
  • Serve with tortilla chips.
  • Enjoy!

*Shrimp ceviche can be a delicious and refreshing dish, but it’s essential to be aware of the potential risks associated with consuming raw seafood. If you would like to use cooked shrimp, reduce the lemon and lime juice by half.  You can skip the step of marinating the shrimp.  Just add everything to a large bowl and mix to combine. OR see below, from https://www.chefsresource.com/faq/is-shrimp-ceviche-safe-to-eat/ :

*What is the safest way to prepare ceviche shrimp?

The safest way to enjoy ceviche is to blanch the shrimp in boiling water before the “curing” process. By quickly poaching the shrimp until they are just opaque, you eliminate the risk of pathogens while maintaining the snap and texture that defines a great ceviche.

Follow these steps for a safer preparation:

  1. Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil.
  2. Drop the shrimp in for 60 to 90 seconds until they curl into a “C” shape.
  3. Immediately plunge the shrimp into an ice bath to stop the cooking.
  4. Toss the chilled, par-cooked shrimp into your citrus marinade.

 

Recipe and photos by Stephanie Borzio.  Stephanie is a mom of three active boys and is an autoimmune warrior.  After battling her own health for several years, Stephanie found healing through food and lifestyle changes, including joining Blooming Glen Farm CSA of which she is a long time member.  She is a Board Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach who is passionate about sharing healthy living tips and real food recipes.  Instagram and Facebook: Tru You Essentials; Website: www.truyouessentials.com

 

28 Aug

Posted at 11:11h in Recipes by
2 Likes

Farm fresh watermelon is such a delicious treat.  We typically just cut it up and eat it, but this week I wanted to use it in a new recipe.  Pairing it with the cucumber, onion, and some fresh mint in a salad creates a unique flavor profile that will make a great side dish for any meal.

Watermelon Salad

Ingredients:
6 cups watermelon, cubed
1 cucumber, skin left on and thinly sliced
1 white onion, cut in half and thinly sliced
3 Tbsp mint leaves, roughly chopped
1 lime, juiced
3 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
½ tsp sea salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
¼ cup crumbled goat cheese or feta cheese

  • Place the watermelon, cucumber, and onion in a large bowl.
  • Add mint leaves to the bowl and mix well.
  • In a small bowl, mix the lime juice, oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Whisk and then pour over the salad.  Toss to coat all of the produce.
  • Sprinkle on the cheese and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  • Enjoy!

Recipe and photos by Stephanie Borzio.  Stephanie is a mom of three active boys and is an autoimmune warrior.  After battling her own health for several years, Stephanie found healing through food and lifestyle changes, including joining Blooming Glen Farm CSA of which she is a long time member.  She is a Board Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach who is passionate about sharing healthy living tips and real food recipes.  Instagram and Facebook: Tru You Essentials; Website: www.truyouessentials.com

 

08 Jul

Posted at 10:46h in Recipes by
12 Likes

Cucumbers are a refreshing and welcome addition to our CSA shares!  There are so many amazing things you can make with cucumbers.  Simply slice them up and enjoy or use them in various recipes.  This week I have two wonderful recipes to share with you.  The first one is a family recipe for our cucumber salad.  It is a salad that has been passed on for generations, but I’m not sure a recipe was ever written down.  The second is an easy refrigerator pickle that can be ready in as little as 24 hours!

Cucumber Salad
Ingredients
5 Kirby cucumbers or 3 regular cucumbers
2 medium sweet onions or regular onions
6 Tbsp white vinegar
¼ cup olive oil
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp honey
¼ tsp black pepper
¾ tsp garlic powder

  • Peel cucumbers. Thinly slice to about 1/16” or 1/8” on mandolin.  Place in large bowl.
  • Use the bulbs of the onions only. Cut bulb in half and then slice on mandolin (same thickness as cucumbers).  Place in bowl with cucumbers.
  • In small bowl, combine vinegar, oil, salt, honey, pepper, and garlic powder. Whisk well.
  • Pour dressing over cucumbers and onions. Mix well to coat.
  • Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Refrigerator Pickles
Fresh cucumbers + dill + garlic = the perfect blend for crisp, delicious pickles.  This recipe is easy and does not require canning.  Feel free to cut in half if you only want to make one quart jar. 

Ingredients
6-8 Kirby cucumbers (you can use other cucumbers, these are just my favorites for this recipe)
3 cups water
1 cup white vinegar
3 Tbsp honey
3 ½ Tbsp sea salt
5 tsp dried dill or 4-6 sprigs of fresh dill (I prefer fresh dill but sometimes only have dried on hand)
4 cloves fresh garlic

  • Clean two quart jars and lids.
  • Cut cucumbers into spears or rounds. Pack into jars.  The number of cucumbers needed varies depending on their size.  Cucumbers should be tightly packed.

  • Slice garlic and add 2 cloves per jar.
  • Add 2 ½ tsp dried dill to each jar or 2-3 sprigs of fresh dill to each jar.
  • In a medium saucepan, combine water, vinegar, honey, and sea salt. Bring to a boil and mix well.  Allow to simmer until honey and salt are dissolved.  Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
  • Pour liquid into each jar. Fill to the top.  Place lid on and gently flip upside down to mix.
  • Refrigerate for at least 24 hours.
  • Keep refrigerated. Best if eaten within 1 month.

**Optional: Add ½ tsp red pepper flakes to each jar or add fresh sliced jalapenos to give your pickles some spice.

Recipe and photos by Stephanie Borzio.  Stephanie is a mom of three active boys and is an autoimmune warrior.  After battling her own health for several years, Stephanie found healing through food and lifestyle changes, including joining Blooming Glen Farm CSA of which she is a long time member.  She is a Board Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach who is passionate about sharing healthy living tips and real food recipes.  Instagram and Facebook: Tru You Essentials; Website: www.truyouessentials.com

18 Jul

Posted at 14:47h in Recipes by
8 Likes

With all the summer veggies coming in I had to make some fresh spring rolls with them! You can add in whatever else you have on hand like fresh herbs or sliced avocado.

Enjoy with my delicious tahini dipping sauce on the side:)

Ingredients for Spring rolls

1 pack rice paper
Bunch of carrots
1 cucumber
1 zucchini
1 red pepper
1 mango
Pea shoots
Scallions
Fresh mint or cilantro

Cut carrots, pepper and mango into thin strips. Slice cucumber and zucchini vertically as thin as you can (I used a mandolin). Dice scallions. Add water to a large plate to use for soaking the rice paper. When the rice paper becomes soft remove from water and add vegetables and mango to center of the paper. Tuck in sides and roll up until everything is secure inside. Continue for rest of rolls.

Ingredients for Tahini dipping sauce

1/4 cup tahini
2 Tbsp coconut aminos
2 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 clove garlic, grated
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt and pepper
Red pepper flakes(if you like spice)

Whisk all ingredients together and serve with spring rolls. Enjoy!!

Recipe and Photos by Olivia Edgar. Olivia’s passion for food and cooking finds focus on recipes using plant based, organic ingredients which make people feel their absolute best. She is a graduate of The Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN) and now meal preps for clients and small events. Olivia is newly married, and when she’s not cooking and sharing her recipes and holistic approaches on her Instagram account, you can find her working on their fixer-upper in Telford.