Asian Cucumber Quinoa Salad
Contributed by: News Canada
How To Care, Store & Select Cucumbers
(NC) - Refrigeration before use is not necessary with English seedless greenhouse cucumbers. Ontario Greenhouse cucumbers do NOT require peeling. Their thin, un-waxed skin is completely edible.
English seedless cucumbers are wrapped in plastic to seal-in their natural moisture and prolong shelf life. You can store them in a cool place for up to 10 days. Because of the plastic seal, they do not require waxing, so their edible skin has no bitter taste- just slice and enjoy! You can use as much of the cucumber as you need, then fold the plastic over and save the rest for next time.
How To Care And Store For Mini Cucumbers
Greenhouse grown mini cucumbers are increasingly popular, especially with kids. Up to 15 cm long and weighing 150-200 g, they are sweet and aromatic and have an edible skin. They may be kept about a week in the refrigerator crisper or two weeks if packed in cling-film. Avoid storing cucumbers with fruits that produce the natural ripening agent ethylene, such as apples, pears and bananas.
How To Select
Look for cucumbers that are a deep, vivid green in colour. They should be blemish-free and heavy for their size. Check to ensure there are no soft spots or blemishes, especially at the ends.
This is a refreshing side dish for any grilled poultry or meat.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup (125 ml) quinoa
- 1 cup (250 ml) water
- 1 Ontario Greenhouse Cucumber, chopped
- 1 Ontario Greenhouse Tomato, chopped
- Half sweet Ontario Greenhouse Red Pepper, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup (50 ml) pine nuts, toasted
- 1/4 cup (50 ml) chopped green onions
- 2 tbsp (25 ml) each soy sauce, sesame oil and rice vinegar
- 1 tsp (5 ml) liquid honey
- 1 tsp (2 ml) finely grated gingerroot
Directions:
In saucepan, bring quinoa and water to boil; cover, reduce heat to simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Transfer to large bowl; let cool.
Add cucumber, tomato, red pepper, pine nuts, onions, soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, honey, and ginger; toss to combine.
Serving Size: Makes 4 Servings
Nutritional Information: Per Serving: 323 Calories, 7 g Protein, 12 g Fat, 24 g Carbohydrate
