Cucumber

These Are Sandwiches?

Today is a brief departure from the usual form of my recipes. Usually I give a specific ingredient list, detailed instructions and nutritional data. Today, I am just going to give you an idea.Where you take it will be solely up to you. The possible ingredients are infinite. I will let you create your own versions.

So many people seem to be careful about their carbohydrate consumption. Others are also trying to eliminate gluten from their diet. Sandwiches, in their traditional form, are not on option on their menu.

Well, these are also not traditional sandwiches, but they are fun, easy, healthy and fit the low-carb, gluten-free needs for those diets.

Yes. Cucumber sandwiches. The first step for each is to cut them in half the long way and seed them. Then you fill them with the ingredients of your preference.

I made three different versions, just to see how they turn out. And the results are pretty good!

On the right is the smoked turkey version. It also had a small wedge of Laughing Cow cheese, some jalapeno and tomato wedges.

In the middle is the more traditional tuna salad. I make my tuna salad with a small can of tuna, two tablespoons (28g) of light mayonnaise, and about a tablespoon of minced onion. I also used some mixed greens for the lettuce.

The left is….odd. It was a challenge from a facebook reader. This is a breakfast sandwich: peanut butter and honey with bacon.

The first two sandwiches are excellent! The peanut butter one needs some work. It’s not bad, but maybe some sliced strawberries instead of the honey and bacon would make it better. I will see if modifications improve it. (Trial and error is one of the foundations of creative cooking!)

Other options:
any type of sandwich meat, or shredded meat from a roast or chicken
smoked salmon or lox
any cheese, spreadable or shredded
hummus
refried beans
egg salad

Smoked Salmon, Cucumber and Yogurt Bites

Smoked Salmon Cucumber and Yogurt Bites
Makes approximately 30-40

1 loaf cocktail rye bread (2″ square slices)
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt (non-fat, if you want, which is what I had on hand)
1 -2 cucumbers, peeled and sliced into thin wheels
Smoked salmon thinly sliced (you can also use Swedish gravadlax)
Dill weed

  1. Lay out the bread slices.
  2. Top with one cucumber wheel.
  3. Top with 1 teaspoon yogurt.
  4. Add small slice salmon (1/4 ounce).
  5. Lightly sprinkle dried dill.
Nutritional data (per piece):
Calories:       45
Fat:            1.1g
Sat fat:       0.1g
Chol:          5mg
Sodium: 66.7mg
Carbs:        4.1g
Fiber:            1g
Protein:      3.5g

Walnut-Pear Bleu Cheese Salad

Walnut-Pear Bleu Cheese Salad with Maple-Mustard Vinaigrette
Serves 2

A double-handful of mixed greens
1/2 of a ripe pear, thinly sliced
1/2 of a cucumber, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon walnut pieces
1 tablespoon bleu cheese crumbles

  1. Place greens in a bowl.
  2. Add dressing, toss to coat.
  3. Divide lettuce and place on two plates
  4. Add equal amounts of pears, cucumbers, walnuts and bleu cheese to each.
  5. Note: You can make this vegan by either removing the bleu cheese completely, or replace it with something else savory. (Maybe wasabi-coated tofu crumbles? I haven’t tried it, but I think it would work.)

Nutritional data:
Calories:        131
Fat:                 9g
Sat fat:         1.9g
Chol:       12.5mg
Sodium: 154.1mg
Carbs:          8.4g
Fiber:           2.4g
Protein:        5.8g

Maple-Mustard Vinaigrette
Serves 2

2 tablespoons white balsamic
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Nutritional data:
Calories:        104
Fat:                 7g
Sat fat:            1g
Chol:            0mg
Sodium:   62.5mg
Carbs:        10.1g
Fiber:              0g
Protein:           0g

Homemade Pickles

Homemade Pickles
Serves: 48 spears

2-4 one quart jars with lids.

12 small pickle cucumbers (approximately 4 inches long)
1 medium onion, peeled and sliced

3 cups white vinegar
4 cups water
1 tablespoon sugar
2.5 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons black peppercorns
2 teaspoon dill seed
2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon celery seed
10 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

Fresh dill

  1. Wash pickles. Slice lengthwise into quarters.
  2. Wash the jars and lids, let air dry.
  3. Combine the vinegar, water, and next 7 ingredients in a 2-3 quart sauce pan. Bring to a boil, let boil for 5 minutes.
  4. While the vinegar mixture comes to a boil, pack the pickles and onions into the jars, evenly divided. (I simply used a 1 gallon jar, put the onions on the bottom and the pickle spears on top.)
  5. Cut the fresh dill into four inch lengths. Slide the dill segments into the jar, between and around the pickle spears. (Use as much as you want. More dill makes more flavor. I used most of a two foot long bundle.)
  6. After five minutes of boiling, pour the hot sauce into the jars. 
  7. Cover and refrigerate.
I based this recipe on one found in Cooking Light, adding a few ingredients and increasing the quantities of other ingredients. 
I can’t give the nutritional data for these pickles, because it would be impossible for me to measure the amount of sugar and salt that is absorbed into the pickles. And since sodium is the only nutritional concern when considering pickles, I will use the values that the magazine found when they had their pickles tested at the lab. (While I made some changes to the ingredients, I kept the same amound of sugar and salt.)
Their lab analysis shows that after 24 hours in the brine each spear had 49mg sodium and after five days, it increased to 66mg. That compares to 220-450mg per spear when you buy pickles in the store.
These pickles are not canned. They must be stored in the refrigerator, but as long as the pickles stay submerged under the brine, they will keep for a long time. (I ate a few after less than 24 hours in the bring and found them to be excellent. My wife and son agree.)

Asian Chicken Salad

Asian Chicken Salad
Serves 2

Remember Last Friday’s recipe? The Grilled Chicken and the Hoisin BBQ sauce?

Well, this recipe uses 2 left over chicken quarters and the remaining Hoisin BBQ sauce.

Skin the chicken and remove the bones. Roughly chop the chicken. Pour the BBQ sauce over the chicken and stir to coat. Warm in the microwave until it reaches the temperature you want.

Make a salad on a base of thinly sliced Napa cabbage (yes, the same as in the Kimchi recipe.) On the bed of Napa, add your preferred vegetables:

  • Peeled, seeded and chopped cucumber
  • Shredded carrots
  • Chopped bell pepper
  • Onion (white or green)
  • Chiles
  • Snow pea pods
  • Mushrooms
  • Bean sprouts
  • Bamboo shoots
  • Water Chestnuts
Think of your favorite Asian dish. If you liked the veggies in it, you will like it on the salad.
Top your veggies with half of the chicken/BBQ mix. If you want more dressing, you can use your favorite Asian-style salad dressing, or simply make more of the BBQ sauce.

Since the calories and other nutritional data will vary based on what you choose and the quantities used, I am not going to give any nutritional data. Like any salad, the calories are concentrated in the dressing. Use as little as you can get away with, and you will have an full-flavored, low calorie meal, that uses up leftover chicken in a way that maybe you never considered.

Grilled Stuffed Lake Trout


Grilled Stuffed Lake Trout (served with a Creamy Cucumber Salad)
Serves 2-4

2 whole trout, cleaned (each about 12-16 ounces)
Fresh herbs

  1. Preheat your grill for 5 minutes on high heat.  Use a wire brush to remove any previous residue.
  2. Prepare your fish. I used fresh sprigs of rosemary and fresh basil in the abdominal cavity, with some sliced onion and lime. (I didn’t have any lemon.) You could also simply sprinkle salt and pepper and any other seasoning in the cavity. I also sprinkled black pepper on the skin (but I don’t think that added anything to the finished meal.)
  1. Turn the heat to low and carefully dip a paper towel in cooking oil (any kind) and with a pair of tongs, wipe the oil on the grill. Repeat that 2-3 times, because you really don’t want the fish to stick to the grill.
  2. Turn the heat back to medium-high.
  3. Lay the fish on the grill. Let it cook until the skin begins to brown (mine got a little too dark, but it didn’t make any difference in flavor, only appearance.) This will take 3-5 minutes.

  1. Turn the fish over for another 3-5 minutes.
  2. Remove from the grill. Let cool for a few minutes so it is easier to handle.
  3. With a sharp knife, I cut the head and tails off, and then peel the skin off from one side (see why it doesn’t matter it the skin gets charred?)
  4. After the skin is off, place the edge of the blade along the spine (parallel to the spine) and ease it into the flesh. Gently pull toward you and the flesh will come off in large pieces.
  5. After you have the flesh off that side, beginning at the tail, pick up the spine and lift it off. The should remove almost all bones from the fish (but be careful, some can be stubborn.)
The flesh was lightly flavored with rosemary and basil. I served it with fresh lime and that was it. No need for any sauce or butter. Fresh trout is delicious!
Note: I bought two 12 ounce trout which yielded a total of 14 ounces of meat after you remove the head, tail, skin and bones. This recipe can be adapted to any fatty fish that you may have available in your region. ALWAYS try to find fresh fish. Before I buy a whole fresh fish, I ask to smell it. If it smells fishy, it will taste even more fishy, because it is already a few days old. The eyes should also be clear and shiny, not dull and hazy. (If you look at the pictures of the uncooked fish, you can see the shiny eyes.) My fish had no fishy aroma, and had been caught and delivered the morning I bought them.
Nutritional data (per 6 ounces of boneless/skinless flesh):
Calories:    323
Fat:          14.4g
Sat fat:       2.5g
Chol:       126mg
Sodium:  114mg
Carbs:          0g
Fiber:           0g
Protein:   45.3g
Creamy Cucumber Salad
Serves 8 (5 ounces by weight)
4 medium cucumbers, peeled and thinly sliced
1/4 small onion, peeled and thinly sliced
1/4 cup mayonnaise (I use the full fat version)
1/4 cup Miracle Whip (I use the light version)
Black pepper to taste
Dill weed to taste (optional)
  1. Combine ingredients. Refrigerate until cold. Overnight is better for more flavor.

Nutritional data (per 5 ounces by weight):
Calories:      67
Fat:             5.1g
Sat fat:        0.8g
Chol:           59mg
Sodium:    159mg
Carbs:        4.6g
Fiber:         0.8g
Protein:      0.7g

Oven Roasted Chicken Thighs, Creamy Cucumber-Olive Salad and Herbed Polenta

Oven Roasted Chicken Thighs
Serve 4

8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup red onion, diced
3 garlic cloves

  1. Combine all ingredients in a Ziploc bag, seal and refrigerate for 2-4 hours, turning occasionally.
  2. Preheat oven to 400.
  3. Place chicken thighs in a shallow baking dish, uncovered, for 18-20 minutes, or until they begin to brown.

Nutritional Data:
Calories:        289
Fat:             18.3g
Sat fat:          4.2g
Chol:            99mg
Sodium:        93mg
Carbs:          2.6g
Fiber:           0.4g
Protein:      27.3g

Herbed Polenta
Serves 4

2 cups skim milk
2/3 cup dried polenta
1/4 cup feta cheese
1 teaspoon Italian or Greek herbs

  1. Prepare polenta according to label instructions.
  2. When it is finished cooking, stir in the feta and herb.
  3. Serve immediately, or spread it flat, 1/2 inch thick and let cool.  Then, pan-fry in a bit of olive oil, flipping it over when the edges begin to brown. 

Nutritional Data:
Calories:        158
Fat:               1.7g
Sat fat:          1.2g
Chol:            8.6mg
Sodium:       126mg
Carbs:          23.2g
Fiber:           2.1g
Protein:           6g

Creamy Cucumber-Olive Salad
Serves 4
2 cucumber, peeled and seeded, cut into 1/8 inch thick crescents.
9 Kalamata olives, sliced
4 banana peppers, cut into rings
3 ounces (by weight) Fage plain Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
Nutritional Data:
Calories:       69
Fat:             2.7g
Sat fat:           0g
Chol:             0mg
Sodium:     206mg
Carbs:         8.2g
Fiber:          3.6g
Protein:       3.9g

Summer Quinoa Salad

Summer Quinoa Salad
Serves 8 (1/2 cup portions)

1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa
1/2 cup red onion, diced
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, minced
1 large bell pepper (any color) minced
1 cucumber, peeled and seeded, then diced
4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon dried basil

  1. Prepare the quinoa according to directions.
  2. While the quinoa is cooking, prepare all vegetables. Ideally, all veggies should be cut to the same size, about 1/4 inch square bits.
  3. Mix the olive oil, vinegar and basil.
  4. When the quinoa is cooked, mix it with all other ingredients. 
  5. Can be served warm or chilled.

Nutritional Data:
Calories:    99
Fat:          4.4g
Sat fat:     0.5g
Chol:          0mg
Sodium:    75mg
Carbs:   11.6g
Fiber:        2g
Protein:  2.4g

You can use almost any vegetable in this (spring peas, tomatoes, green beans, etc).

Also, there are three types of quinoa, white, red and black. I don’t think there is any nutritional difference. I buy the red because it tends to look better when in a dish.

Two Different Bean Salads

Chickpea Salad
Serves 10 (1/2 cup portions)
1 cup dried chickpeas (or 3 cups canned)
1 large cucumber, seeded and diced
1 cup diced red bell pepper
2 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1.  Prepare dried beans according to package instructions. (If using canned beans, pour into colander and rinse with water.)
2.  Place all ingredients into a bowl, and mix.
3.  Refrigerate overnight.

Nutritional data:
Calories:    62
Fat:           2.3g
Sat fat:      0.2g
Chol:           0mg
Sodium:    11mg (This is using dried beans. Canned beans will add about 215mg per serving.)
Carbs:       13g
Fiber:       5.9g
Protein:   3.4g

Four Bean Salad
Serves 16 (1/2 cup portions)

This salas is a bit more sweet than the first salad.

1 cup dried kidney beans (or 1 can kidney beans)
1 cup dried navy beans (or 1 can navy beans)
1/2 cup dried Lima beans (or 1/2 can Lima beans)
2 cups fresh green (or yellow) beans
1 cup onion, diced
3/4 cup table sugar (you can replace some or all of the sugar with stevia or Splenda, if you want)
3/4 cup cider vinegar
2 tablespoon olive oil

1.  Mix sugar, olive oil and vinegar.  Stir until sugar is dissolved. (Warming in the microwave will help.) Set aside.
2.  Prepare all beans according to label directions. (If using canned beans, pour into colander and rinse with water.)
3.  Trim green (or yellow) beans, and cut into 1 inch pieces.
4.  Bing 1 liter water to a boil in a 2 liter pot. Blanch the beans in the boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain water off.
5.  Combine all beans with onion.  Pour dressing over, and mix. Refrigerate overnight.
6.  Add black pepper to taste.

Nutritional data:
Calories:    110
Fat:              1.8g
Sat fat:        0.3g
Chol:             0mg
Sodium:      14mg (This is using dried beans. Canned beans will add about 225mg per serving.)
Carbs:         26g
Fiber:         9.5g
Protein:     5.6g

Other option for this salad:

Add sweet bell pepper, jalapeno or other hot peppers, tomatoes, or corn.

Asian Chicken Salad

Asian Chicken Salad
Serves 2 (as a BIG main course salad) or 4 (as smaller side salads)

4 cups chopped Napa cabbage
1 cup chopped snow pea pods
1 cucumber, peeled, halved, seeded and chopped
1 cup fresh bean sprouts
1/2 cup bell pepper (red or yellow)
3 scallions, sliced (the white and green parts)
2 chicken thighs, chopped (I usually use thighs saved from a previous meal)
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 tsp fresh ginger, minced

1.  Prepare all vegetables, and assemble on a large plate in the order given.
2.  Heat a non-stick skillet with the sesame oil.  When hot, carefully add the chicken and the minced garlic.  Saute until heated through.  Layer on the salad.
3.  Top with your preferred Asian-type dressing, or use the recipe below.  (That recipe is NOT low fat or low calorie, but is high in flavor.)
4.  As an option, add rice noodles for a little crunch.

Nutritional Data for the salad (no dressing or rice noodles):
Calories:        290
Fat:              13.2g
Sat fat:           2.6g
Chol:              49mg
Sodium:          86mg
Carbs:          25.8g
Fiber:             6.5g
Protein:        21.2g

Asian Vinaigrette with Sesame Oil and Peanut Butter
Serves 2

3 tablespoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
2 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
3 tablespoons water (I forgot this today, so my “dressing” looks more like a sauce on the salad–but it was still very tasty.)
2 teaspoons Hoisin sauce
1/4 teaspoon Chinese five spice seasoning

1.  Put the first three ingredients into a small microwave safe bowl, and warm in the microwave.  This will help you mix the peanut butter into the oil.
2.  Add the remaining ingredients, whisking after each addition.
3.  This makes about 1/3 cup per portion. That sounds like a lot, but the salad is big and almost entirely vegetables.  The dressing will add a huge punch of flavor and excellent fats (to keep you full for the evening.)

(Note: This is my preferred dressing. My wife like Kraft’s Asian Toasted Sesame salad dressing. Another option would be Newman’s Own Orange Ginger dressing.)

Nutritional Data for the dressing:
Calories:        422
Fat:              41.4g
Sat fat:           6.9g
Chol:                0mg
Sodium:        314mg
Carbs:          10.6g
Fiber:                2g
Protein:          8.6g