2 Salads in 1

It is still salad season, which is a good thing. We will enjoy our salads out on the deck for as long the weather allows. We know the end of salads on the deck are coming soon.

Awhile ago, I had come across this interesting Asian cucumber salad that I’ve been wanting to try but had never gotten around to until yesterday. It was delicious, but not enough for a meal. So I made that salad first and then added it to our main salad with chicken to make it a meal. It was perfect.

I made the Asian cucumber salad first, which is a great side dish, but not enough for a meal. I used macadamia nuts, but you can use peanuts or almond slices, or chopped walnuts or pecans if you prefer.

Asian Cucumber Salad

1 1/2 lbs English cucumber, sliced thin

2-3 green onions, sliced

1/4 red onion, sliced very thin

1/2 cup fresh basil, chiffonade

1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

1/2 cup nuts of your choice- I used sliced macadamia nuts

3 TBSP lime juice

2 TBSP olive oil

1-2 TBSP lime olive oil, optional

1 TBSP soy sauce

1 TBSP garlic

2 TBSP honey

1-2 tsp red chili flakes in oil, optional

Whisk together all the ingredients for the dressing and set aside.

Slice the cucumbers thin. I like to score mine with a fork first, but this is optional.

Combine all the rest of the dry ingredients and add just enough of the dressing to coat everything without making it all swim in sauce. Reserve the extra dressing for later, especially if you are going to make this into a main salad.

You can leave it just like this and serve it as a side dish to something else, or you can add this to a bigger salad and make it more of a meal like I did. I added shredded Romaine lettuce, shredded carrots and tomato wedges along with some cooked chicken breast. Then I added more of the dressing on top.

It’s a simple salad that’s simply delicious. Have a great day and make everyday great. Stay safe and stay well. ‘Til next time.