Apple and Cucumber Salad
I saw this recipe combination in an online magazine and did my own thing. Their recipe had raw onion and raw jalapeño which I don't like, so I substitute green of green onions and some melted hot pepper jelly. Hot pepper jelly gives you the heat of jalapeño but infused throughout the jelly so you don't bite on a piece of raw jalapeño and it's mellowed by the sweetness of the jelly. This is a crisp, fresh salad with ingredients available probably year around and not expensive. Try as a side dish with grilled meat, part of a taco instead of slaw, topped with feta cheese and some nuts for a vegetarian meal with bread. It's a nice counterpart to salmon in coconut crust. The lime juice helps stop the apple from browning so you can make the salad in advance.
One of my August 20116 recipes for Beyond Celiac - originally National Foundation for Celiac Awareness.
Photo of coconut crusted chicken with apple and cucumber salad.
1 large Gala, Fuji, Braeburn (Cox's orange pippin) quartered, cored, and cut into small dice with peel left on for fiber and color.
1/2 English/European cucumber, peeled, quartered lengthwise, deseeded and cut into small dice.
4 tsp (20 ml) Hot pepper jelly, I use Trappist brand. Make sure it says hot pepper jelly on the label otherwise it's just sweet. To me hot pepper jelly gives a bite of heat mellowed by cooking and the sugar and it's a controllable heat. We tried it with 6 tsp/2 tbsp and it was overpowering for the apple and cue.
2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil, not extra virgin as it will overpower
2 tbsp (30 ml) lime juice
salt and pepper
About 2 tablespoons scissored green of green onions(scallions, spring onions)
1. Melt pepper jelly in the microwave for about 10 seconds.
2. Stir in lime juice, salt and pepper and green onions.
3 Add apple and cucumber, stir well into dressing and let sit for about half an hour for flavors to blend.
