| Prep: 15 mins | Cook: 0 mins | Difficulty: Easy | Serves: 6 |
| kcal | fat | saturates | carbs |
| 152 | 7.6g | 1.1g | 19.7g |
| sugars | fibre | protein | salt |
| 7.2g | 4.3g | 3.5g | 0.2g |
There’s something profoundly comforting about the burst of refreshing flavors in a salad, and that goes way beyond its healthful benefits. One of my favorite dishes I’ve come to love is the vibrant Pennywort and Cucumber Salad, a vegetable-based masterpiece meant to tantalize your taste buds and enrich your body with bountiful health-boosting properties.
Fresh Traditions, Fresh Flavors
Coming from a Texan town where flavor is king, I’ve always appreciated the simplicity and freshness of salads. It’s beautiful how such simple ingredients, when paired correctly, can result in an explosion of taste. For me, this Pennywort and Cucumber Salad represents that magical melding. It utilizes pennywort leaves, an Asian supergreen that’s made its way into numerous health-promoting concoctions. Coupled with the coolness of cucumber, sweetness of cherry tomatoes, and the exciting punch of mint and cilantro leaves, this salad is certainly a feast.
A Salad with a Healthful Spin
The beauty of this vegetable-based recipe subtly speaks about the freshness that encapsulates my take on traditional Southern recipes. The light, refreshing flavors brought in by the cucumbers and tomatoes, combined with the aromatic hints of mint and cilantro, are perfect examples of my Southern culinary roots adapting to a more global flavor palate. Plus, this salad is not just about good taste; it’s loaded with health benefits too.
Pennywort, the supergreen we’re using here, carries numerous health benefits. It can aid in digestion, has anti-inflammatory properties, and works wonders for boosting your memory1. The cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and red onions carry a slew of health-promoting properties as well, from quenching inflammation and boosting your immune system to promoting heart health.
This vibrant salad is best served as an accompaniment to grilled fish or chicken. It would also beautifully complement traditional Tex-Mex dishes like chicken enchiladas or fajitas, adding a pop of fresh, vibrant flavor to balance the rich, hearty tex-mex dishes.
In conclusion, this Pennywort and Cucumber Salad is more than just another vegetable salad. It signifies a culinary intersection – bringing together my Southern heritage, my love for fresh and vibrant flavors, and my knack for conjuring healthy, wholesome food that is delightful to the palate.
What You’ll Need
- 3 cups fresh pennywort leaves
- 2 large cucumbers
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onions
- 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Method
Step One
Start by preparing the vegetables. Clean the pennywort leaves under cold water and let them dry. Peel the cucumbers, cut them in half lengthwise, and remove the seeds with a spoon. Then slice the cucumbers thinly. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half. Slice the red onions into thin slices. Set all the vegetables aside.
Step Two
Next, prepare the herbs. Clean the mint and cilantro leaves under cold water and pat them dry. Give them a rough chop and set them aside.
Step Three
Make the dressing by combining the fresh lime juice, extra virgin olive oil, honey, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl. Whisk everything together until the ingredients are well combined.
Step Four
Assemble the salad. In a large bowl, combine the prepared pennywort leaves, cucumber slices, halved cherry tomatoes, sliced red onions, chopped mint leaves, and chopped cilantro leaves. Drizzle the dressing over the top of the salad and toss everything together so that all the ingredients are evenly distributed.
Step Five
Finally, let the salad sit for about 15 minutes to let the flavors meld together. After that, your Pennywort and Cucumber Salad is ready to serve and be enjoyed!
