Greetings, readers! Man, it has been awhile since we’ve posted on here, huh? Quick life update: Hope recently enjoyed an amazing vacation in Mexico between school ending and summer camp starting, and I recently moved in with my boyfriend (still in Philly, though!). Lots of fun and exciting life stuff keeping us busy lately. That’s what summer is all about, right?

Speaking of summer, has anyone else just been craving straight up fruits and veggies with all of this heat we’ve had lately? Cucumbers are one of the most refreshing ingredients out there, and we’ve been craving them like crazy recently. From dipping them in hummus, to putting them in our Spicy Watermelon Salad, and now, introducing our Spicy Cucumber Noodle Salad—we just can’t get enough of the cuke.

This recipe was somewhat inspired by the spicy cucumbers at Han Dynasty and Dan Dan—two of my favorite spots for delicious Asian food in Philly. Their spicy cucumbers are simply to die for. So, in typical PFF fashion, we decided to make our own version of this beloved app/side dish. And since we’re such fans of zoodles, we thought, what the hell, let’s spiralize these things. 

A little note about these ingredients: Chili paste, or sambal oelek, is a great source of heat in Asian dishes. When I did Whole30, I used it in place of Sriracha in a few recipes, because unlike Sriracha, it does not contain sugar. Coconut aminos is another ingredient I discovered while doing Whole30, and now, I use it in place of soy sauce whenever a recipe calls for it. It’s soy-free and gluten-free, making it a great alternative for anyone with food sensitivities.

So… who else is whipping out their spiralizer this weekend!?

Spicy Cucumber Noodle Salad

Ingredients:

• 4 medium cucumbers
• 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp coconut aminos (or reduced sodium soy sauce)
• 1/2 tbsp chili paste (sambal oelek)
• 1/2 tbsp sesame oil
• 1/2 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Instructions:

1. Using a spiralizer, make noodles out of cucumbers. Place cucumber noodles in a colander with a pinch of salt and allow to sit for about 30 minutes to drain out moisture.
2. Using a cheesecloth or paper towel, squeeze as much moisture out of cucumber noodles as possible. Note: This step is key, unless you want your salad to be swimming in cucumber juice.
3. Place cucumber noodles in a bowl with remaining ingredients and toss to coat evenly. You may want to cut cucumber noodles into smaller pieces using a food scissors to make it easier to toss and eat.

Yield: 4 servings

88 calories per serving • Fat: 2.2g • Carbohydrates: 9.8g • Protein: 2.6g