Turnip No-Potato Salad

servings: 3 cups of salad, serves 4

Ingredients:

5 small to medium turnips (about 1½ pounds), cut into ¾-inch cubes (about 5 cups)
1½ tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 slices thick-cut bacon
¼ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon pickle juice
1 teaspoon whole-grain mustard
½ teaspoon paprika, more for a garnish
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced into half-moons (about ¾ cup)
3 scallions, thinly sliced (about ¼ cup), more for a garnish

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425°F. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the turnips with the balsamic vinegar, oil, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and ¼ teaspoon of the pepper. Bake the turnips until they are tender and lightly colored—20-25 minutes.
While the turnips bake, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook it until it is crispy—6-7 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel to drain, then coarsely chop it and set it aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, pickle juice, mustard, and paprika. Add the turnips, celery, scallions, and three-quarters of the bacon. Toss this mixture to combine, and season it with the remaining ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
Garnish the salad with the remaining bacon, along with more scallions and paprika.

: @NikkiDinki

: @NikkiDinkiCooking

A friend of mine wrote an article about having a ton of zucchini in her family's garden when she was growing up.

So much, in fact, that her family resorted to dressing their excess of squashes in "outfits" and leaving them on a "lucky" neighbor's doorstep (read more).

I suppose that is one (uh...ahem) effective way to deal with an excess of zucchini in your garden.

However, may I gently suggest another?

To bring another vegetable into the conversation, cucumbers are similar to zucchini.

For instance, both vegetables are delicious raw as well as cooked.

With this in mind, I'd like to point out that anything cucumbers can do, zucchinis can do also!

So instead of making the same old cucumber salad (don't get me wrong, those cucumber salads can be delicious!), I decided to bring our mutual friend, Mr. Zucchini, to the pickling party.

The best think about this Cucumber Zucchini Salad is that it takes only a few minutes to make and only a few more to marinate.

In the end, you have a light, refreshing salad with crunchy cucumbers and zucchini that are seriously a match made in heaven.

And as a bonus, it’s like -20 calories (okay, not really, but I'm sure it's close)!

Cucumber Zucchini Salad

servings: 4 cups

Ingredients:

1 English cucumber (about 12 ounces)
1 medium zucchini (about 8 ounces)
½ small red onion (about 2 ounces), very thinly sliced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Directions:

Using a mandoline or a sharp knife, cut the cucumber and zucchini into very thinly sliced rounds. When you are finished slicing, you should have about 2 cups of cucumber and 1½ cups of zucchini.
In a medium size bowl, toss the cucumber and zucchini slices with the onion and salt, allow this mixture to sit for 30 minutes, then transfer it to a colander to drain off the excess liquid. Return the veggie mixture to the bowl and set aside.
Next, combine the vinegar, sugar, and red pepper flakes, whisking or stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Then pour this mixture over the veggie mixture, tossing the veggies to coat them evenly.
Chill the salad for at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator. Be sure to drain off any excess liquid once again, before serving.

: @NikkiDinki

: @NikkiDinkiCooking