Another light meal for one during my week of being “single” while DH took his first business trip out of town in a year and a half. While he was gone, we had a couple swelteringly hot days (humidity around 90% + temps over 100F) that left me unwilling to fathom eating anything hot. Cucumber salads it is.

gluten-free, paleo, pescatarian

Smashed Cucumber with Dilled Smoked Salmon

1 medium/large cucumber

1/4 red onion, sliced wafer thin

1/2 tsp. sugar

1.5 Tbsp. soy sauce or coconut aminos

1 Tbsp. rice vinegar

1 Tbsp. sesame oil

1 tsp. sesame seeds

1/2 tomato, sliced

Pinch red pepper flakes

1/4 c. your favorite unflavored yogurt

2 Tbsp. fresh dill, chopped

1 tsp garlic powder

1 Tbsp. hot mustard

1-3 ounces smoked salmon

Salt & pepper

First, smash your cucumber with the back of a heavy pan to break into semi-chaotic (and hopefully bite-sized) chunks.

In a small dish, combine the soy sauce, sugar, rice vinegar, sesame oil, sesame seeds and red pepper flakes. Pour over the cucumber and let sit for a bit to marinate.

Slice the onion wafer thin and plunk on top to marinate as well. I let mine sit for about half an hour and then poured off about half the liquid so it wouldn’t be too soupy.

Add your tomato, cut into bite-sized pieces.

In another small bowl, combine the yogurt, dill, garlic powder, hot mustard, and a good pinch salt. Stir and taste for seasoning. Depending on your yogurt, you may need a hit of lemon juice here to wake the flavors up.

Swirl the salmon into little roses in your bowl and top with yogurt. I spread each piece with a little of the yogurt first before rolling, which seemed to work well.

Serves 1 for lunch or dinner

This is a nice snack that can easily be bulked out enough to serve as a light lunch or dinner for one.

gluten-free, low carb

Cucumber Berry Salad

1 medium/large cucumber

2-3 ounces prosciutto

Hand full mixed berries – I used blackberries and strawberries

Few sprigs fresh thyme

Fresh cracked black pepper

Drizzle good olive oil

Drizzle balsamic glaze

To assemble, prep the cucumbers as you like – I thin(ish)ly slicked mine lengthwise for this round, but diced would have been even easier to eat.

Tuck a mix of plain and pan crisped prosciutto in between your cucumber.

Drop cut berries around until you feel like you have enough.

Sprinkle with thyme, black pepper, olive oil & balsamic.

Serves 1 for a snack, lunch or dinner