Beet, Radish, and Cucumber Salad

When I started alisoncooks, I wouldn't have eaten any of these vegetables. Now, I love them!

Beet, Radish and Cucumber Salad

2 large beets, cooked and sliced, or one can sliced beets
6 or so medium radishes
1/2 large cucumber
3 tbsp plain nonfat Greek yogurt
1 tsp ground cumin
2 medium cloves garlic, minced, about 1 tsp
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp red wine vinegar
salt & pepper
1 large sprig fresh mint (I used chocolate mint)

 Thinly slice radishes.  Peel and dice cucumber.  Mince mint.

Cook the minced garlic and cumin in the olive oil over medium heat just 20 seconds past when they begin to sizzle.  Remove from the heat and allow to cool until just warm.  Combine with yogurt, 1 tsp water, and vinegar; mix well.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Arrange the beet slices in concentric rings on your plate. Arrange radish slices in concentric circles on top, and top with diced cucumber.  Drizzle dressing over the top.  Sprinkle with mint.

Serves at least 2, or 1 as a main dish.  Excellent eaten with white bean dip (recipe astoundingly not on alisoncooks yet!)

on small rounds of multigrain baguette.

Chickpea Salad with Herbs and Yogurt Dressing

This makes good use of the herbs that are going absolutely crazy on the sunny side of our house.  Loosely inspired by butternut-squash-and-chickpea salads like this one.
Serve with roasted potatoes with rosemary.

Chickpea Salad with Herbs and Yogurt Dressing

 3 cans low-sodium chickpeas, drained and rinsed
5 tbsp olive oil, divided
several sprigs of lemon thyme, leaves picked off stems
several large or many small sage leaves
2 oz feta cheese, crumbled
1/2 container plain yogurt
1 tsp minced garlic


Heat 3 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Meanwhile, julienne the sage leaves.  Fry them until crisp, just a few minutes, watching the heat closely.

Combine chickpeas, feta, lemon thyme, and fried sage leaves; toss to mix well.  NB: lemon thyme is strong, so start with less than you might think.  Separately, mix together the yogurt, garlic, and remaining 2 tbsp olive oil.  Before serving, spoon the yogurt dressing over the chickpeas.