Cucumber Salad

 

This recipe actually isn't my own recipe but more my wife's.  So we can call this one, direct from the Wife's Kitchen.  It is so good that I had to post it.  This is a tangy, lightly sweet cucumber salad.  I remember going to a great Brooklyn, NY diner when I was a child and they put something similar to this on the table.  Ever since I have been trying to match it.  To be honest, I think my wife has made it even better than the diner.  I wish I can take credit for it, but I can't.  It makes an amazing side dish accompaniment to any sandwich for lunch, or a nice night of grilling burgers and dogs. To be honest though, I can eat it with anything.  This will officially be the easiest recipe I have ever posted on The Husband's Kitchen so nobody has any excuse in not trying this recipe.  And even better, its Kosher, Gluten Free, and Extremely Low in Fat.

Ingredients needed for the BEST Cucumber Salad

- 4 Kirby Cucumbers (Cut thin)

- 1/2 Vidalia or Sweet Onion (Cut thin and in quarters)

- 1 cup Apple Cider Vinegar (1/4 cup per cucumber)

- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil

- 1/8 cup cane sugar

- 2 pinches of salt

- 1 pinch pepper

- Fresh or Dried Dill to your liking (I don't like too much)

Put the Cucumbers and Onions with Vinegar, Oil, sugar, salt, pepper, and dill in a bowl.  Mix well.  Put in a air tight storage container or mason jar.  Refrigerate for at least an hour.  Serve Cold.  

Notes on the Recipe:

- Though I am sure regular cucumbers would be just fine, there is something about Kirby cucumbers that make this even better.

- Make sure to use any variation of sweet onion or else it will make dish quite bitter.

- I find that if you cut the cucumbers and onions thin, the texture is better and the cucumbers absorb the flavors of the vinegar better.  I use the thinnest setting on my mandoline slicer to cut these evenly.

Healthy Eating and Good Eats!!!

Cinco De Mayo Ground Chicken Tacos

Feliz Cinco de Mayo!!  Translation, Happy 5th of May!!  For the occasion I have made chicken tacos.  Tacos that are so easy, so low-fat, and so tasty, you would never believe it!!  You just need to try making them for the proof.  Yes some of the ingredients are already made for you but it is still an amazing quick and easy alternative to Taco Bell!!

Ingredients for Ground Chicken Tacos:

99% Fat Free Ground Chicken (What I Use)
Taco Seasoning Mix (What I Use)
Guacamole (My famous Guacamole will be posted at a later date)
Low Fat Mexican Cheese (What I Use)
Salsa
Shredded Lettuce
Corn Tortillas


To make the tacos is very simple.  In a saute pan with a small amount of Olive Oil, cook ground chicken into crumbles.  Mix 1/2 cup of water with seasoning mix.  Add to cooked chicken.  Simmer for 5 minutes.  While simmering, put cheese, guacamole, salsa and shredded lettuce into serving bowls.  Heat corn tortillas until they start to become slightly stiff (Will only happen in oven).  Put the chicken in a serving bowl and you are ready to enjoy your Cinco de Mayo (or easy any night) dinner.  It may not sound like much but they really do fill me up.  All I need is 2.  


A couple of notes on the recipe
-If you cannot find the 99% Fat Free ground chicken, regular ground chicken will work but will increase the fat considerably.  And take it from me the 99% fat free kind tastes great!!
-I use organic seasoning mix, and I recommend it highly.  Regular seasoning mix have all sorts of additives such as MSG, high fructose corn syrup, and hydrogenated oils.  Stay away from them.
-I promise, I will post my famous guacamole that everyone talks about.  Just need to find the right day.  For now you can use any store made guacamole or try making it yourself.  There are many recipes out there.
-Make sure to heat the corn tortillas.
-Usually people would drink a nice cold beer with tacos.  I do something a little different.  I accompanied my tacos with an amazing wine which I will feature in this weeks Wine of The Week.  It is perfect for Mexican food.

Vegetarian BBQ Pizza

Once a week I like to eat vegetarian.  This is good for us as people as well as the earth too!!
 Follow this link to see the many reasons going vegetarian once a week is a positive thing to follow:
http://wannaveg.com/

Today I decided to make a low fat, vegetarian BBQ Pizza.  As simple as this recipe is, it tastes so complex and I must say is a fulfilling enjoyable dinner.  This dish can also be made to serve as an appetizer for a group of people.


Ingredients for BBQ Pizza 
1 Package of Fresh Whole Wheat Pizza Dough
Small amount of whole wheat flour
1 Red Onion
Canola Oil
1 handful of Cilantro (chopped)
BBQ Sauce (Of your Choice - I use Trader Joes Kansas City Style BBQ Sauce)
1 Package Low Fat Mexican Cheese (What I Use)


First thing to do is go out an buy a pizza stone (Pizza Stone with Rack).  Everyone should have one cause they make an amazing crispy bottom pizza.  But obviously if you do not have one a cookie sheet will serve the purpose.

Preheat pizza stone in oven to 425 degrees.  Slice the red onion as thinly as you can and saute in a saucepan with a small amount of canola oil until softened and browning has begun.  While onion is cooking and stone is preheating shape pizza dough into a desirable shape and stretch until dough is as thin as you would like.  You will have to flour the dough from time to time to keep from becoming too sticky.  Put dough on floured pizza stone and spread dough with BBQ sauce.  Spread cilantro evenly on top of BBQ sauce.  Next evenly distribute the cheese on top.  Lastly put onions on top of cheese.  Put the pizza stone back into the oven and cook until cheese starts to bubble and brown slightly.  Enjoy!!

A couple of notes on the recipe
-  Sometimes fresh Whole Wheat Pizza Dough is hard to find.  If so, regular pizza dough is ok to use but does make the dish less healthy.  But, either way, every supermarket should have fresh pizza dough.  It may be in the freezer section.
-  The low fat cheese that I use is amazing.  Some low fat cheeses lose flavor but to me with this particular one, you would never know the difference.
-   Use as much or as little of the Cilantro and Red Onion as you would like.  Even a little of each will add a little something to the pizza!!
-  A perfect accompaniment for the pizza is a nice big salad!!  Those recipes coming soon...