Ashley Gish

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5 Minute Sesame Cucumber Salad 

Meal prep doesn’t have to be boring! 

This 5 minute salad is part of this week’s meal prep menu and one of my all-time favorite snacks!

It’s super simple, packed full of nutrients and oh so flavorful! 

BENEFITS OF CUCUMBERS 

Cucumbers are over 95% water so they are helpful for staying hydrated and a serious superfood for your skin! 

They’re rich in phytonutrients, vitamin K and potassium and help with everything from digestion to detoxification and regulating blood sugar. 

It’s best to eat them unpeeled, as the skin is rich in fiber and other vitamins and minerals.

BENEFITS OF SESAME SEEDS 

Like many seeds, sesame seeds are tiny nutrient powerhouses! 

They’ve been used in traditional medicine for thousands of years, and are an excellent source of phytoestrogens (plant based compounds that act similarly to estrogen in your body) selenium and calcium, making them important for healthy hormones, thyroid health and your bones. 

They’re one of the seeds used in seed cycling and research shows they may even protect against heart disease, diabetes, and arthritis. 

This salad is quick, healthy and full of flavor! Here’s what you need to make it! 

INGREDIENTS 

  • 6-8 mini cucumbers (thinly sliced) 

  • 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar

  • 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

  • 1 T honey 

  • Juice from 1 lime 

  • 1/2 tsp red pepper 

  • 1/4 tsp sea salt 

  • 3 T sesame seeds 

  • 3 green onions, thinly sliced (both white & green parts-optional)

  • 1/2 cup roasted peanuts (chopped) 

DIRECTIONS 

Place sliced cucumbers and green onions into a large bowl. 

Mix the rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, honey, lime juice, sea salt, red pepper flakes and sesame seeds in a small bowl until well combined. 

Toss the cucumber mixture with the dressing and sprinkle chopped peanuts on top. 

Stir until well combined and let sit for at least 5 minutes before serving.

TO SERVE 

Add a scoop of brown rice and baked tofu (that you already made earlier in the week) and some sliced avocado on top for more of a complete meal that comes together faster than you could order uber eats!