Tangy Cucumber Radish Salad – 56¢ per serving

Well, Spring is upon us and it’s time for bright, colorful, refreshing, fresh-ingredient salads! This one is cheap and easy too.  I haven’t ever bought radishes before but they were surprisingly crisp and really perfect for a vinegar-based dish.

Start with a handful of cukes and radishes. How many of each is up to how much you want to make and whether you’d like more of each ingredient. I used 6 Persian cucumbers and 8 radishes.

By the way, this will be even cheaper if you use standard cucumbers instead of these small, Persian cucumbers which were a bit more expensive.

 You can simply slice or chop the vegetables in any shape you want. I wanted to try my new mandolin and get perfect, fast slices. Side note: be careful if you use a mandolin! I truly almost sliced the tip of my finger off. Got too cocky. Anyway, this one is one of the highest-rated, least expensive ones on Amazon and I’m very happy with it. 

 Pretty, aren’t they?

 Then I added about 1/4 cup each of finely sliced onions and peppers. Add ANY vegetable or bean you want to this salad. 

 I added a clove of fresh garlic as well. Because we’ll be eating this garlic raw, we should make a paste so that someone won’t get stuck with a big piece of it. To make a paste, coarsely chop it on the cutting board and add a heavy pinch of salt. 

 Then take the blade of the knife and smash the garlic over and over until you don’t see any large pieces. 

 Drop it in the salad. 

 In another bowl I whisked a spoonful of dijon mustard, 2 T. or so of red wine vinegar, 2 T. or so of olive oil, 1 T. honey (or other sweetener if you prefer), salt and pepper. (If you have fresh parsley, throw some of that in there. I didn’t have any though.)

 Mix well and adjust to your taste. It can be eaten immediately but I loved it even more after a few days in the fridge. 

• Persian cucumbers: $3.50
• Radishes: $1.00
• 8 Servings: $4.50