Wellness@Work: How to beat the heat in the kitchen
This smashed cucumber, avocado and shrimp salad is refreshing, and it requires very little heat, so your kitchen stays cool.
By Robert Israel, M.D.
USA Health Integrative Health and Wellness
The dog days of summer — the hottest days of the season — are most definitely here! That makes it hard for me to get excited about exercise, cooking, or much of anything but a trip north.
However, a recipe in the New York Times cooking section captured my attention, so I tried it. Voila! It not only was delicious, but it also lifted me out of the doldrums. (Don't worry — faculty and staff at the University of South Alabama and USA Health can redeem a free subscription to NYTimes.com.)
I highly recommend this Smashed Cucumber, Avocado and Shrimp Salad as a cooling and tasty way to enjoy the benefits of summer. It’s loaded with great flavor and multiple health benefits.
Cucumbers make the base of this salad, as they do in many parts of Asia. They are a source of hydration and vitamin K, ideal for strengthening bones. Avocados, a healthy fat, boost the feeling of satiety, which helps keep you full longer. Shrimp provides a lean source of protein, so it’s low in calories but high in nutrients.
It comes together with minimal effort, and it looks as amazing as it tastes. That’s enough to make it quickly jump up my list of go-to summer dinner entrees.
Smashing the cucumbers as the recipe suggests was satisfying, and the ragged edges do pick up the vinaigrette and seal in the flavors.
Some modifications come to mind if you want to experiment with the recipe. I think you could add more chile crisp or lime juice to pump up the flavor. Adding spinach leaves, sprouts or lettuces like a typical salad also would work.
Overall, it’s very refreshing, and it requires very little heat, so the kitchen stays cool. That means the air conditioner runs more efficiently!
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