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12.07.2014

1 ratings, avg : 5.00
15
1-2

A fresh tasting, crunchy and filling salad with ribbons of raw courgette and cucumber. The addition of beans and feta turns it into a meal in itself, but it could also be a great side dish for a barbeque or any type of grilled meat.

One of my favourite things to have on hand in the freezer is a bag of cooked pulses. I usually have stashes of cranberry beans and chickpeas (garbanzo beans) in there, which I mostly use in salads. I cook big batches of them in the slow cooker (a recipe for chickpeas can be found here), bag one-cup portions in little freezer ziplocks and pull one out whenever I want a salad for dinner. Plain lettuce and tomato is great, but if that’s all I have I’ll be rummaging in the fridge within the hour. Adding some pulses is a good way to ensure I’ll be full enough to leave the cheese and crackers alone after dinner. Most times.

It’s been just over a year since I discovered how good courgettes (zucchinis) are when eaten raw (pasta salad and pesto have been my fave), so I thought I’d try them in a salad combined with cucumber, cranberry beans and feta cheese. And since it’s trendy, I thought I’d cut them into Pin-worthy ribbons. As it turns out, I think this was the best way to do them, as the really thin slices are much nicer tasting than chunks. While I was at it I did the cucumber the same way. I used a mini cucumber, but if you can’t find those just choose a regular one that’s as thin as possible. Basically you don’t want it wider than your peeler.

Ingredients

1 medium courgette (zucchini), approx. 250gr, washed well

1 mini cucumber, approx. 110gr, washed well

1/2 cup parsley leaves (you want approx. 3 Tbs finely chopped)

1 cup cranberry beans, cooked

60-100gr feta cheese, crumbled

4 Tbs olive oil

2 Tbs balsamic vinegar

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground

Show me more ideas and suggestions

You can substitute cranberry beans for cooked pinto beans or tinned kidney beans.
Step 1

Hold the courgette in your hand, and peel a bit of skin off one side. Then start making ribbons by slicing down the same side from top to bottom. Just before you reach the middle turn the courgette round and do the same on the other side. Slice the cucumber in the same way. In both cases you won’t be able to do all of it as it becomes increasingly difficult when you get close to the middle. Make julienne sticks (like match sticks) with any leftover bits. Put all the veggie slices in a bowl.

Step 2

Add the parsley, beans and feta to the bowl.

Step 3

In a clean jam jar put the oil, vinegar and seasoning. Shake well to combine and pour half of the dressing over the salad. Toss well till the courgette slightly wilts, and add more dressing as desired. I used it all but you may prefer it a little drier.

1 ratings, avg : 5.00
Link Love

Sunshine Pasta Salad by Elena Is Cooking (I tasted this at a picnic and fell in love with raw courgettes. Thanks Elena!)
Raw Zucchini Salad by Yummy Mummy Kitchen
Raw Zucchini Ribbon Salad with Olives and Mint by Gourmande In The Kitchen
Marinated Zucchini Salad with Olives & Artichokes by Kalyn’s Kitchen

So, what do you think? Leave me a comment!

2 Comments

  • Reply
    12/07/2014

    Wow does this ever sound good! I love this type of food when it’s hot outside. And thanks for the shout-out for my marinated zucchini salad too.

    • Reply
      12/07/2014

      Thank you so much Kalyn! It’s definitely hot enough here to not want the stove on. A filling salad is a great option and yours certainly looks delish!