Lemon Cucumber Salad

If you’ve never experienced lemon cucumbers, I recommend seeking them out. Their name speaks to their yellow-skinned appearance (not their flavor) and they tend to be slightly less bitter than traditional cucumber varieties. Sumac gives this salad a nice bright flavor, without the use of any citrus juice (cucumbers and citrus are considered a poor food combination in Ayurveda).

Prep time: 10 minutes | Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 pounds lemon cucumbers, thinly sliced
1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 Tablespoons finely chopped chives
12 mint leaves, finely chopped
½ teaspoon sumac
2 Tablespoons crumbled goat cheese (optional – see note below for vegan option)
Salt

Preparation:

Place the sliced cucumbers on a serving platter. Drizzle the cucumbers with olive oil, and then sprinkle the chives, mint and sumac over the top, along with the goat cheese (if using). Finish the salad off with a couple pinches of salt and serve immediately. (You can also make this salad by mixing everything together in a large bowl.)

Notes:

• If you can’t find lemon cucumbers, any green cucumber variety will do in their place

• There are some nice plant-based soft cheeses on the market that could be used as a vegan goat cheese alternative

• Sumac can be purchased at Middle Eastern Markets, specialty shops, or online

Spiced Black Lentil Burgers with Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce

These easy, kid-friendly burgers can be spiced any way you like – feel free to substitute different fresh herbs and spices as you wish. Black lentils are sometimes sold as beluga lentils, or use French green lentils in their place if you cannot find them. Leftover burgers are easily re-heated for a quick meal.

Prep time: 55m | Serves 6–8

Ingredients:

¾ cup black lentils
¾ cup rolled oats
½ onion, roughly chopped
1 egg (for vegan version, use 1 Tablespoon ground flax mixed with 2 Tablespoons water)
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon ground cumin
1 handful cilantro, chopped
½ teaspoon salt
Neutral cooking oil (for brushing)

For sauce:
½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, soaked in hot water until soft and drained
½ cup canned tomatoes or blanched/peeled fresh tomatoes (when in season)
1 clove garlic, peeled and quartered
A few sprigs of fresh oregano (remove leaves from stem) or a couple leaves of basil
2 teaspoons olive oil
1–2 pinches salt

Preparation:

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking pad.

Place lentils in a medium pot and add water to just cover them. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat, cover the pot and simmer lentils for 15–17 minutes. They should be cooked through but not mushy. Drain lentils in a fine mesh strainer and rinse with cool water. Let lentils cool slightly before proceeding. 

While lentils cool, prepare the sauce: Place sun-dried and regular tomatoes in a food processor, along with garlic and oregano/basil leaves. Process until sun-dried tomatoes are chopped well. Add in the olive oil and salt and pulse a few times to incorporate. Taste sauce and adjust flavors as you like. Transfer sauce to a bowl for serving.

Place oats in a food processor and process them until they resemble a coarse flour. Transfer the oat flour to a large mixing bowl. Place the onion and lentils in the food processor and use the pulse function a few times until onion is chopped and lentils start to break down (do not overprocess – mixture should not become a paste). Transfer lentils to the same bowl as the oats, and add in the egg, spices, cilantro and salt. Use a wooden spoon or silicon spatula to stir the burger mixture well. Taste and adjust any seasonings as you wish.

Divide the mixture into 6–8 even portions, then use your hands to shape them into uniform patties. Lightly brush both sides of each burger with oil and place on the prepared baking sheet. Bake burgers for 25 minutes, flipping halfway through cooking. Serve immediately, accompanied by the prepared sun-dried tomato sauce.

Kala Chana (Black Garbanzo Bean) Salad

Did you know chickpeas come in multiple sizes and colors? We're familiar with the common garbanzo bean in the West, but in India, the entire chickpea family is much more widely used. This includes a black variety, also known as kala chana or Bengal gram. Relatively unknown in the West, kala chana is an amazing ingredient to work into your diet for several reasons:

• Unlike regular chickpeas, which can be very gas-inducing (in Ayurvedic speak, vata-stimulating), kala chana is much more easily digested. In fact, it actually helps to boost metabolism.
• Like most black foods, kala chana help to alleviate heat stored in the body (i.e., pitta-reducing), making it a great choice for summer eating
• It is high in both soluble and insoluble fiber, providing a heightened sense of lasting satiation after eating, and helping to keep the digestive tract in healthy working order. 

This summertime salad is one of my favorite ways to enjoy kala chana. You can find them at Indian markets (I source mine from Samosa House in Culver City, CA, which carries several organic brands) or order them online. They can be easily substituted for traditional garbanzo beans in many recipes. You can also find chaat masala and amchoor (dry mango powder) at Indian specialty shops or online. I recommend Spice Station for both of these products online.

Prep time: 15m | Serves 6–8

4 cups kala chana, cooked and cooled (see note below)
1 large handful mint, chopped
1 large handful cilantro (leaves and upper stems), chopped
1/2 red onion, finely diced
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
2 Persian cucumbers, quartered lengthwise and sliced
1 stalk celery, diced
3 Tablespoons lime juice
1 teaspoon red chile powder
1 teaspoon amchoor (Indian dry mango powder, see note above)
1 teaspoon chaat masala (see note above)
1 teaspoon salt

Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and stir very well. The flavor is best if salad is prepared a couple hours in advance of serving.

* Kala chana roughly double in size when cooked, so begin with about two cups dried beans. Soak them overnight, removing any beans that float. Place in a pot and cover with water by about 1-inch. Bring to a boil, and scrape off any foam that accumulates. Reduced heat and cover pot, and cook for 30–40 minutes, or until kala chana are tender. Drain and cool. I recommend doing this a day in advance of making the salad and chilling the kala chana in the refrigerator before eating.

Easy Peach Cobbler

A peach cobbler that is simple to prepare, and contains no gluten or added sugars.

Prep time: 15m | Cook time: 35m | Total time: 50m | Serves 8

Ingredients:

3-1/2 lbs ripe peaches, washed, halved and sliced
1/2 lb pitted dates
2 c. quick oats
1/2 c. quinoa flakes (or use an additional 1/2 c. of quick oats)
1/4 c. unsalted butter or vegan butter spread (e.g., Earth Balance), melted
Pinch of salt

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly oil a 9x13” baking dish. Arrange peach slices in even layers in pan.

Add dates to a food processor with S-blade, and pulse a few times to begin to break up dates. Add oats and quinoa flakes and continuing pulsing until dates are uniformly crumbly and incorporated. Transfer date mixture to a medium-sized mixing bowl, and add melted butter and salt. Stir well, then place date-oat mixture on top of the peaches, using a rubber spatula to smooth the topping evenly.

Bake cobbler 35-45 minutes, until topping is golden brown. Let cool at least 15 minutes before serving.