ORIENTAL SMASHED CUCUMBER SALSA: small households, dairy free

Cucumbers - wonderful diet food, crunchy, satisfying and economical - took on a new lease of life recently.  Not so boring and  going strong.

Easy-peasy Asian Cucumber Salad

Smashed have been around for awhile but new dressings and marinades elevate the crunchy salad veg.

Lightly smacked with a cleaver, knife or rolling pin, cut into bitesized craggy chunks, the cucumbers allow dressings to cling to its surfaces instead of sliding off.  The technique originates from China where the dressing was made with soy sauce and vinegar. 

This recipe was inspired by Waitrose's Food Magazine; it's punchy but more-ish.  It's for small households but the recipe multiples easily.

Feeds: 2 as a side, multiplies easily

Costs: £1.50'ish

Ingreds:

3 baby cucumbers*

1/2tb soy sauce

scant 1/6 tsp chiu chow oil OR a couple of dashes of tabasco OR 1/4 tsp chilli flakes

1/4 tbsp peanut butter

1/8 tsp fish sauce or lime/lemon juice

1/4 tbsp maple syrup or honey

green of one med spring onion, finely sliced

7g/1/3oz roughly chopped roasted salted peanuts

Method:

1. In a small bowl, whisk soy sauce, chilli of choice, peanut butter, fish sauce or citrus juice and honey; if very thick, add up to 1/2 tbsp cold water.  Set aside
2. Wash cucumber; top and tail, remove stripes of peel; smack lightly with rolling pin, knife or cleaver; cut into bite-size pieces 
3. Place in a bowl with green onions and most of the peanuts; drizzle over most of the sauce; stir gently until evenly coated; refrigerate 30 mins
4. Spoon onto serving plate; taste - if more heated needed/wanted drizzle over a little more chilli oil;  scatter over remaining peanuts 

Comments:

'Nice!!' Retired writer

Tips:

Despite smacking the cucs with the flat of a large knife, they didn't look at all 'smashed'; instead the cucs had to be cut at small uneven angles.  They still looked and tasted quite good;  each piece had a fine and a crunchy edge

*often found at Waitrose; now at M&S; they are easier to digest than standard cucs

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This recipe has been developed by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and is inspired by Waitrose Food magazine. 

PEANUT GINGER CHICKEN WINGS: frugal, easy-peasy, dairy free, prep ahead

Crispy chicken wings with peanut ginger sauce...

Packed with enticing flavour, these Peanut Ginger Chicken Wings are a real change from standard flavours and will fast become a favourite

Peanut butter sauces for protein, plant or animal, are a dime a dozen but this one - adapted from Eating Well - really is special.  It has unusual layers of appeal with flavours that manage to be both intense (but not horribly so) and satisfying.

Chicken wings are a wonderful source of cheap protein and with food prices ever-rising are essdential in some weekly budgets.   You can get get about 20 good sized high welfare wings ones for under £2 (750g/26oz) (2025).  Depending where you shop, they can be wonderfully meaty, succulent and tender; all have that  finger-licking 'yum' quality.  

Chicken wings are not just cheap, they're popular, particularly if you marinade them for a few hours or overnight.  

This blog has several sensational recipes, from simple to sophisticated, nearly all low-fat and dairy free.  Recipes for favourite  BBQ style, lemon-pepper, Oriental & lemon & garlic wings here  (post includes how best to cook them).

67 cooked the peanut ginger wings in an air fryer ; an oven will also do.  

If you're on a diet, serve with wedges of iceberg lettuce in a light yoghurt-mayo dressing (bottom of  page).  Otherwise, serve on or with cooked white or brown rice alongside easy-cook veg.

Other good protein for this recipe includes chicken breasts cut in thick slices across the grain OR chicken thighs or drums (carefully) slashed to the bone.  Pork steaks or ribs,  air-fried or oven-baked, emerge dripping with flavour.  Vegans and vegetarians can use your favourite brand of firm tofu, hopefully one easily digested.  (67 is still looking!!).

Cost:£2.50'ish (2/2025)

Feeds:3-4

Ingred:

Marinade 

3 tbsp water

1.5 tbsp peanut butter, smooth or crunchy

2 tsp vinegar, rice or apple or white wine

1/2 tsp reduced-salt soy sauce

1/2 tbsp fresh peeled grated ginger

1 tbsp Maple syrup

1.5 medium cloves garlic grated (opt) 

500g-750/7oz-26oz chicken wings or choice of protein

1.5 tsp Olive Oil 

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp parsley/ chives/coriander

Sauce

leftover marinade 

1-2 tablespoons stock or water

Lettuce cups or boats OR brown or white rice

Garnish: 

one medium avocado (opt)

lime wedges

finely sliced green of spring onions

Method:

DAIRY-FREE BUTTERNUT-CHEESE SAUCE, dairy-free. fodmap friendly options, lower-fat cholesterol

 Fabulous dairy-free Butternut Cheese Sauce ...so good many prefer it!

first posted 2020; updated 10/2024

Brown Rice & Butternut Cheese Sauce, mini beef meatballs & green of spring onion 

Going dairy-free with cheese sauce isn't easy but with so many decent-tasting vegan dairy products available now your taste buds will consider it worthwhile.

After all, less dairy is better for your cholesterol levels and overall health.  If you can reproduce the richness and flavour of a proper cheese sauce with vegan products, why not?  Even better if you can do it without any E-numbers!

Cheese Sauce enhanced with Butternut Squash is surprisingly easy to prepare. The previously posted recipe with dairy is here

Obviously the no-dairy option costs more but the recipe makes enough for several servings and leftovers freeze well.  If you're vegan anyway the cost-quantity ratio works out fine. 

The sauce goes beautifully with pasta (photo below), rice (as in  photo above), cauliflower, baked potatoes, cheesy dips, bread-bowl appetisers, omelette fillings and Welsh rarebit.

One note of caution: Cathedral City vegan cheese replaced conventional cheese in this recipe and really does taste like proper cheddar.  Our tester liked the fact that the sauce wasn't overwhelmingly cheesy but some might want an extra few handfuls of cheese in the sauce or scattered over the top for a deeper cheesy flavour.  

Cost: £5.50'ish

Makes: 5 cups or 7-8 x 2/3 cup portions

Ingredients:

   1 medium butternut squash (5'ish cups)

   1 large brown onion, about 100g/3.5oz (fodmap: replace with equiv trimmed fennel) 

   2 cloves garlic, peeled (fodmap: roast garlic & squeeze out puree OR leave out)

   1.25 cups vegetable broth (granules ok)

   min 1 cup-max 1.5 cups plant milk (67 used 1 cup almond milk)

   

   2-3 tsp Dijon mustard   

   1.25 tsp celery salt

   1/2 tsp salt

   1.25 tsp pepper

   1/4 tsp turmeric

   1.25 tsp smoked paprika

   1/2 tsp cayenne powder

   1.25 tsp nutmeg

   2 tbsp lemon juice

   113.5g/4oz vegan cream cheese 

   min 141.75gm/5oz plant cheddar (67 used Cathedral City plant cheddar) 

   3g/1oz grated dairy/plant Parmesan

scant cup of packaged breadcrumbs OR pulse stale bread in food processor until coarse crumbs form (opt))

   

Method:

SMALL HOUSEHOLD'S SKINNIER GREEK HUMMOUS, UPDATED vegan, Low fat, no dairy, easy, beetroot opt.

No more half-eaten tubs of hummous mouldering in the fridge with this recipe..

updated 7/25; first post 2020

Use tinned or reconstituted dried chickpeas for a fabulously easy, tasty, skinnier hummous that's 'Creamy, tasty & thankfully not too garlicky'; 'different - in a good way - between yours and shop bought.'

This gorgeous low-fat, dairy-free hummus is designed to provide enough to satisfy a singleton/couple's craving but not to bore.  

But by simply doubling or tripling the ingredients, it morphs into a party or picnic piece.  

Because it's such an easy recipe,  67 strongly recommends using dried chickpeas which have been soaked overnight and boiled.  (See Cooking Clever with Pulses)   The flavour and texture are so worth it.   Dried chickpeas are also so much cheaper than tinned, especially the organic ones.  Leftover whole chickpeas freeze and defrost easily.  

Of course, if time is of the essence, tinned chickpeas will be absolutely fine but the hummous will likely be thinner.  

For those concerned about Fodmaps, this recipe is for two people. Leftovers will be fine the following day. 

Cost: low, maybe a pound

Feeds: 1-2: recipe, multiplies easily 

Ingredients:

1/2 cup drained chickpeas, tinned or reconstituted

1 small clove garlic, peeled (optional)

2 tbsp tahini

1 tbsp olive oil (opt - 67 didn't bother) or garlic infused olive oil

Juice of half a lemon or lime (or 3/4 tbsp concentrated bottled juice) 

1/8-1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp cumin

1/8-1/4 tsp cayenne

          1/4 to 1/3 cup water, plant milk or veg stock - guesstimate to begin with

       Garnish: toasted sunflower or/and pumpkin seeds

Method:

JANUARY WHITE BEAN SOUP: dairy-free, low cost, high-protein, vegan, vegetarian or carnivore

Money-saving dairy-free white bean soup, wonderful in its basic form but easily tweaked for sassy variations

White Bean Soup: Tummy & wallet soothing, for vegans, vegetarians or carnivores
(This one with vegan 'bacon bits' and chives) 

67 makes no apologies for re-posting this recipe from 2017 because White Bean Soup is the perfect dish for money-conscious times.

It's comforting, healthy, high in protein but wallet-friendly. The small effort required to put the soup together is strangely comforting and more than repays the effort. 

The recipe is ever-adaptable, providing a thick satisfying main course or a silky sensational first course.  It can be served on its own or with added vegetables or shredded protein -- lots of stress-free variations.

Ideally one would use reconstituted dried white beans (see Cook Clever with Pulses) but tinned are also fine.

Cost: £2'ish (9/2025)
Feeds: 4-6; recipe easily doubles

Ingred:
   2 tbsp good olive oil
   1 yellow onion (about 1 coffee mug), finely diced or lightly processed
   a couple of carrots (a generous half mug), finely diced or lightly processed
   2 sticks celery in med dice (a generous half mug)

   generous 2 tbsp fresh chopped parsley
   1 small clove garlic, minced or grated
   1 tbsp fresh or 1/3 tbsp dried rosemary
   1 tbsp fresh or 1/3 tbsp dried thyme
   3 cups good stock (veggie for vegetarians but chicken is fine for carnivores)
  
   240 gm reconstituted dried white beans, cooked and drained  OR drained, rinsed tinned white beans

   3-4 tbsp grated parmesan (opt) 

Garnishes:

Vegan alternative to Bacon Bits
   1/3 cup wholemeal breadcrumbs (spelt for wheat-free)
   olive oil
   1/2-1 tsp salt
   1 tsp smoked paprika

Fried gently in olive oil until crispy and gorgeous smelling
   
   garnished with finely chopped fresh chives or spring onions

OR

•  goats cheese or feta 
•  crispy bacon bits 
• 0-fat strained yoghurt
• raw spinach, French beans, tender stem broccoli 
• shredded ham hock or chicken, tiny raw meatballs of beef, pork or minced chicken  

Method:

SPELT WHOLEMEAL LOAF, with Yeast: vegan, very low fat, higher fibre &protein

THIS RECIPE IS BEING UPDATED 

TO TAKE ACCOUNT OF THE AVAILABILITY OF COMMERCIAL YEASTS

SMOOTHIE FOR STOMACH UPSETS, medicinal, no added sugar, vegan

Having a dicky tummy whatever the time of year is no joke...

3-ingredient Smoothie that soothes summer stomach upsets
'This tasted really good and the ginger helped my stomach settle within an hour.' Taster

...here's something that will help.

Hot weather/seasonal festivities can lead to stomach ailments of various intensity.  

According to the NHS, common symptoms are:

• feeling sick to the stomach
• stomach cramps
• tummy pain
• lack of energy & weakness
• low or no appetite
• fever

and in worst cases:

• vomiting
• diarrhoea

The most important treatment is to drink plenty of liquids but also:

• don't eat until you feel up to it and stick to small non-fatty meals
• bland foods like toast, crackers, rice & bananas are good choices
• avoid alcohol, caffeine, fizzy drinks & spicy and fatty foods
• if things haven't improved within 3 days, see your doctor

In the early stages of stomach discomfort, this smoothie is perfect.  It is also an ideal remedy during a heatwave: it's liquid, tasty, naturally sweet, soothing and refreshingly cold.  

Cost: pennies
Serve: 1

Ingred: 
    2 generous handfuls frozen strawberries
    1 ripe banana, peeled
    1/2-1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger 
    1/2 cup water

Method:
Blend in a smoothie maker or food processor; add a slice or 2 of banana for garnish.

                                              More smoothies, on Nav Bar: Recipes I/Drinks...

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This recipe has been developed by B M Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises.  It may not be reproduced without the author's written permission.