Five-minute cucumber salad
I don't know about you, but on beautiful sunny days I'm not inclined to spend any longer than I need to in the kitchen.
It seems many people feel the same.
When I asked on the ''Nibl on This'' Facebook page which recipe I should publish next (out of a five-minute salad, a smoothie or a sweet treat), the salad won hands down.
It's perfect to make at this time of year, when cucumbers and capsicums are plentiful.
Ingredients
1/2 a telegraph cucumber, sliced, cubed or chopped (see note)
2 halves of capsicum/peppers of different colours (I used a range of multicoloured mini peppers), sliced or finely chopped
1/2 a red onion, finely chopped
1 Tbsp flaxseed or avocado oil
juice of half a lemon or lime
generous handful of coriander leaves
sprinkling of chilli flakes (optional)
sea salt and black pepper, to taste
Method
Arrange the cucumber and capsicum on a platter (if sliced) or in a bowl (if cubed/chopped). Sprinkle red onion on top. Drizzle with oil and juice, then add coriander, chilli flakes and seasoning as desired.
Best eaten on the day it is made, although it will keep for a day in the fridge. Serves 4 as a side dish.
Date caramel sauce
Here's a recipe that makes a great accompaniment to all kinds of fruit, particularly stonefruit, bananas, apples and strawberries.
Drizzle it over ice cream, dip fruit into it, or (just between you and me) no-one could blame you for eating it straight off the spoon.
Ingredients
8 fresh Medjool dates, pitted and halvedj
uice and rind of 1 large orange
2 Tbsp almond or cashew butter
1cm fresh ginger, finely grated
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp cinnamon
small pinch of sea salt (optional)
1/4-1/2 cup warm water or coconut milk
Method
Place the dates, orange juice and rind in a bowl, cover and leave to soak for at least an hour or overnight.
Place date mixture in a blender with the nut butter, ginger, vanilla, cinnamon, salt (if using) and blend until smooth, scraping down the sides if needed. Add enough water or coconut milk to reach desired consistency.
by Nicola Brown
