Cucumber, Strawberry and Mint Salad

I hate it when the weather gets to me; I get whiny and out of sorts and uninterested in cooking, which is highly annoying for me and everyone around me. Los Angeles had a heat wave a couple of weeks ago; we hit 110 degrees (Fahrenheit) in the last week of September. It was insane! And I am so ready for Fall food and cooking, so I was doubly grouchy. Fortunately, I was able to snap out of it when my sister brought home some beautiful strawberries.

Fall in Southern California is really a second Spring and the strawberries were gorgeous. But I was in the mood for a salad, not simple fruit snacking. I also had some gorgeous Persian cucumbers and thinking along the Persian line decided to combine the sweet strawberries with some fresh herbs - cilantro and mint - and the crunchy cukes. I had some jalapeno and threw that in, knowing that the sweetness of the berries would offset the heat of the pepper. Superb!

I'm already thinking up other fruits that this would be tasty with, like kiwi or mango or pluots, which continue to be in abundance for us. If I'm teasing you with all of this local, hot weather-ish abundance, my apologies, it's the reward we get for savage heat!

Cucumber, Strawberry and Mint Salad

2 cups cucumber, sliced
10-12 medium strawberries, cored and quartered
1 green onion, cut in 1/2 inch pieces
1/4 jalapeno, deseeded and minced
2 tablespoons cilantro, minced
2 tablespoons mint, minced
1 lime, juiced
1 tablespoons olive oil
salt
pepper

Combine all vegetables in bowl and mix well. Juice lime over all and add olive oil, salt and pepper and serve.

Hugs!

Recipes currently inspiring me:

Eggplant Green Curry at Simply Recipes
Pomegranate Juice Marinated Pork Tenderloin at Mango and Tomato
Fig Clafoutis at Stacey Snacks