Yield: 1 serving

A nice accompaniment to California Rolls.

Ingredients

• 1 cup peeled, seeded, and diced cucumber
• 1/4 cup peeled and shredded carrot (optional)
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh mint
• 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed garlic
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• Dash ground cumin
• Dash ground pepper

Equipment

• cutting board
• peeler
• spoon
• chef’s knife, 8-inch
• measuring cups
• grater, or food processor fitted with a shredding disk
• measuring spoons
• citrus juicer or reamer
• garlic press
• medium bowl
• rubber spatula

Put all the ingredients in a medium bowl and toss to combine. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld. Stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator, Cucumbers with Fresh Mint will keep for 3 days.

Per serving: calories: 66, protein: 2 g, fat: 3 g, carbohydrate: 10 g, fiber: 2 g, sodium: 283 mg
 

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Yield: 2 cups, 2 servings

In Asian cultures, salads have featured mineral-rich sea vegetables for centuries. Arame, a popular variety in Japan, has a mild semisweet flavor. You can eat it raw—just soak briefly first.

Ingredients

• 1/2 ounce arame, soaked in water for 5 minutes and drained
• 1 carrot, peeled and shredded
• 1/2 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
• 1 green onion, thinly sliced
• 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons tamari
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
• Dash cayenne

Equipment

• medium bowl
• fine-mesh strainer
• cutting board
• peeler
• grater
• spoon
• chef’s knife, 8-inch
• citrus juicer or reamer
• measuring spoons
• rubber spatula

Put all the ingredients in a medium bowl and toss to combine. Serve immediately.

Per serving: calories: 58, protein: 2 g, fat: 2 g, carbohydrate: 6 g, fiber: 2 g, sodium: 334 mg

Wakame Salad: Replace the arame with 1/2 ounce wakame, soaked in water for 10 minutes, drained, and chopped.

Yield: 1 serving

Slightly sweet, crunchy, and aromatic, fennel frequently replaces celery in Mediterranean dishes.

Ingredients

• 2 cups torn red leaf, green leaf, or romaine lettuce
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced fennel (see note)
• 1/2 cup cubed watermelon
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Lemon-Herb Dressing
• 6 cherry tomatoes, halved

Equipment

• salad spinner
• measuring cups
• cutting board
• chef’s knife, 8-inch
• serrated knife, 5-inch
• mandoline (optional, for thinly slicing fennel)
• measuring spoons
• medium bowl
• tongs
• serving plate

Put the lettuce, fennel, watermelon, and vinaigrette in a medium bowl and toss gently. Transfer to a serving plate. Top with the cherry tomatoes. Serve immediately.

Note: To thinly slice a bulb of fennel, trim off the stems and a little of the hard base and cut the bulb in half lengthwise. Put each half cut-side down on the cutting board and thinly slice it crosswise with a sharp knife. For ultrathin and uniform slices, use a mandoline.

 

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Yield: 2 cups, 2 servings

For a tropical presentation, serve this soup in hollowed-out papaya shells, garnished with diced mango and fresh mint.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups chopped papaya (about 1 medium papaya; see note)
• 1/2 large mango, chopped
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
• 2 fresh strawberries, hulled
• Diced fresh mango, for garnish
• 4 leaves mint, cut in thin strips, for garnish

Equipment

• cutting board
• chef’s knife, 8-inch
• measuring cups
• citrus juicer or reamer
• measuring spoons
• blender
• rubber spatula

Put the papaya, mango, orange juice, lime juice, and strawberries in a blender and process on medium speed until smooth. Serve immediately, garnished with diced mango and the mint.

Per serving: calories: 88, protein: 1 g, fat: 0 g, carbohydrate: 20 g, fiber: 3 g, sodium: 5 mg

Note: To chop the flesh of a papaya, first cut the fruit in half lengthwise. Scoop the seeds out with a spoon and discard them. Scoop the remaining flesh out of each half and chop coarsely.
 

Yield: 1 serving

A composed salad provides an elegant presentation, since ingredients are positioned carefully on the plate rather than randomly tossed. In this version, strawberry slices are fanned out, with dressed greens mounded on top.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup thinly sliced strawberries
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Classic Vinaigrette
• 2 cups mesclun

Equipment

• cutting board
• chef’s knife, 8-inch
• serving plate
• measuring spoons
• salad spinner
• measuring cups
• small bowl
• tongs

Fan the strawberry slices out on a serving plate and drizzle with about 1 teaspoon of the vinaigrette. Put the mesclun and the remaining vinaigrette in a small bowl and toss to combine. Mound on top of the strawberries. Serve immediately.