I never used mint in my cooking until recently. The previous owners of our home grew mint in a section of the backyard. Thus begin my adventures with fresh mint. I have greatly enjoyed weeding near my mint section because the aroma is simply amazing. But let me tell you. That mint proliferates. As my mint has multiplied, I’ve had to find new ways to use it aside from mint teas. There’s only so much fresh mint tea I can imbibe. So, I figured why not substitute mint for other herbs in salads? Here’s my recipe for cucumber mint salad, which is also packed with protein.
What You’ll Need:
1 English Cucumber
1½ cup of Grape Tomatoes (cherubs or cherry tomatoes are also fine)
1 can of Garbanzo Beans
5 sprigs of fresh mint
Salt
Pepper
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Apple Cider Vinegar
- Half the cucumber vertically. Deseed the English cucumber. This will help decrease water content in the salad. Slice the cucumber into ¼ to ½ inch pieces. Half the grape tomatoes. Separate the mint leaves from the stalk. The stalk can be thrown out.
- Drain the can of garbanzo beans. Rinse the garbanzo beans with cold water.
- In a mixing bowl, combine all of the above ingredients. Use about 1/8 to ¼ cup of extra virgin olive oil. Some people prefer more oil whereas some people prefer less. So, I think 1/8 to ¼ cup is a good estimate. Throw in some splashes of apple cider vinegar (generally about 1 to 2 tablespoons will be enough). Salt and pepper to your liking.
- If you’d like you can also add feta cheese and/or red onion. Although I like feta cheese from time to time, I’m personally not a huge fan of raw onions in salads.
- Combine all the ingredients and enjoy. It makes a refreshing and great summer salad.