Last week our house was over run. By cucumbers. By tomatoes. All fresh from the farm.
Bright green. Deep red. Colors that dreams are made of.
Of course they needed to be eaten that same day. Or close to it.
Because veggies this fresh don’t stay fresh for long.
So I made fresh salsa (mmmmmmmm). Pickles. Cucumber and tomato salad.
And this, a recipe I modified from AllRecipes.com. Cucumber and Dill pasta salad.
Oh. My. Goodness. Pure heaven. If heaven involved fresh cucumbers and tomatoes. Which I like to think it does.
This is the perfect salad for this time of year, when farmer’s markets are over run with end-of-summer veggies. It’s light, filling, and full of intense flavor. Pair it with a good garlic bread, and you have dinner.
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Cucumber and Dill Pasta Salad
- 2 cups cooked pasta (whole wheat for an extra healthy meal)
- 2 cups cucumbers, chopped
- 1 cup tomato, chopped
- 1/2 cup onion, chopped
- 1/2 cup sliced black olives
- 1.5 cup low-fat sour cream
- 3/4 cup skim milk
- 1.5 teaspoons dried dill weed
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
Cook pasta according to the package directions. Rinse under cold water. Transfer to a large bowl.
In a small bowl, mix together sour cream, milk, dill weed, pepper, salt and vinegar.
Add chopped veggies to pasta. Pour dressing over pasta and veggies. Mix to combine. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or over night, for the best flavor.
Stir before stirring.
P.S. Thanks to Mike and June for donating their ginormous supply of veggies to our grumbling tummies.
Meal Plan
We have an abundance of farm fresh tomatoes, cucumbers and baby potatoes from some very generous friends. Who also let us borrow their steam cleaner after the toddler undies incident. {More on that later this week}. Which is oh so nice for our grocer budget, since we’ll be living off of those for a while. Plus, not I get to practice stocking up. It’s a win win!
Toddler Lunches
Monday: Peanut butter and banana grilled sandwiches (Wholesome Toddler Food)
Tuesday: Grilled cheese and fresh fruit.
Wednesday: Yogurt with granola and berries.
Thursday: Tortilla Roll Ups. Side of sliced apples.
Friday: Veggie Quesadilla.
Saturday: Chicken nuggets. Side of peas and corn.
Sunday: Leftovers
Dinner
Monday: Black Bean and Mango Chicken Salad (Kraft Foods)
Tuesday: Italian Sausage on the Grill
Wednesday: Black Bean Fajitas ($5 Dinners)
Thursday: Baked Chicken Chimichangas
Friday: Dinner with the parents-in-law
Saturday: Last Days of Summer Party, we’re bringing…no idea.
Sunday: Labor Day dinner with my family. We’re bringing Ooey, Gooey Brownies
I’ll also be putting together some of my Super Energy Granola Bars, Crackers and Graham Crackers, and Wheat Germ, Flax Seed Bread.
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What is your favorite thing to make with fresh produce from the farmer’s market?
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{ 17 comments… read them below or add one }
I’m always so impressed with your meal plans! You are so organized!
Once you start, it’s really pretty easy to keep going. And so much easier when grocery shopping.
Great looking menu! That grilled peanut butter and banana sandwich looks too delish even though it is a toddler recipe.
Thanks for sharing and have a great week!
Sherry
The grilled peanut butter and banana IS good, for kids and adults alike.
Less the olives it looks absolutely perfect! Something I would LOVE…unfortunately my children would not.
You might be surprised, my son loves it. Not the veggies, but the noodles and creamy sauce.
I really like that you included the meal plan for your toddler’s lunches. That is really helpful! I looks like a great week you have planned.
Toddle meal plans are a must. It’s either that, or he would end up eating PBJ everyday. I’m lazy like that.
I love a good pasta salad!! YUM! My favourite thing to make with fresh produce is desserts. Crumbles, pies, etc…!
I love crumbles. Actually, I think that I like the crumble part more than the rest of it.
Your cucumber dill pasta salad looks mouthwatering! I love pasta salads and the flavours and ingredients you have used look so fresh and delicious.
Thank you! I hope you have a chance to try it out.
omg that looks so good. when i was gardening regularly, there was nothing like fresh tomatoes and cukes in my salad. awesome.
Every year I dream of having my own garden, but I never have the energy to actually keep up with one. Thank goodness for Farmer’s Markets and friends with too much produce on their hands.
Wow…looks delicious! And aren’t you organized??? I need to get cracking on meal planning or I see some very harried days now that both will be in school. You may have inspired me, and that’s tough to do when it comes to cooking!
Wahoo! I hope you find some new recipes to try. Once you get in the habit of meal planning it really isn’t too bad. 10-15 minutes for planning and making a grocery list. Pretty easy.
that salad sounds good love cold pasta salads when it is so hot outside. Thanks for sharing