1. Rinse quinoa in a fine-mesh sieve under cold water.
2. Transfer quinoa to a medium saucepan set over medium heat, and toast, stirring constantly, until quinoa dries out and smells nutty, about 2 minutes.
3. Add boiling water, 1 teaspoon of the oil, and [q:1/2] teaspoon of the salt, and bring mixture back to a boil. Cover pot and reduce heat to medium-low. Let cook undisturbed for 18 minutes.
4. Remove pan from heat, uncover, and fluff quinoa with a fork.
5. Transfer quinoa to a bowl about twice as large as you need to hold it. Let cool for a bit at room temperature. Transfer to the refrigerator to cool completely, 30 to 45 minutes.
6. Remove bowl of quinoa from the refrigerator, gently stirring and tossing quinoa to fluff it up again.
7. Add cucumbers, dill, feta, scallions, lemon juice, remaining [q:1/4] cup of oil, and remaining 1 teaspoon of salt, stirring to combine.
8. Gently fold in beets. Taste and add more salt, if necessary.

1. In a small, dry skillet, toast sesame seeds for 1 minute, shaking them often.
2. Put sliced cucumber in a small bowl. Add scallions, vinegar, sesame oil, chili oil, garlic, honey, salt, and pepper. Toss until everything is well coated.
3. Let stand for 30 minutes at room temperature and then serve.

1. Combine ingredients in a large salad bowl.
2. Make a creamy yogurt and herb dressing by whisking together: [q:1/2] cup low-fat yogurt, 2 tsp lemon juice, and [q:1/2] tsp dried dill. Add [q:1/4] of a cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced, and salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Dress salad and serve.

1. Place cucumber (peeled and diced) into blender.
2. Add lemonade, mint and peppermint extract.
3. Blend on high until smooth.
4. Let mixture sit for 5 minutes.
5. Pour mixture in your favorite ice pop molds.
6. Place in freezer until solid.

1. Combine lettuce, cabbage and cucumber in a salad bowl. 
2. To prepare the dressing, place all ingredients in a blender and pulse several seconds until creamy. Serve dressing over salad. 
3. Garnish each salad with a few fresh berries and a sprinkling of pumpkin seeds before serving.

1. Line a sieve with muslin or paper towels, set it over a bowl, and pour yogurt into it. Leave to drain for a couple of hours, or overnight, in the fridge. Discard liquid.
2. Add cucumber, garlic, and dill. Pour in lemon juice and oil gradually, seasoning as you do, tasting until flavors are perfectly balanced. Chill until ready to serve.

Fermentation Method for Pickles

1. Cut off the blossom end of each cucumber. If you can’t tell which end that is, cut off both ends. Put half of the spices in the bottom of a clean 2 to 3 gallon crock or glass jar.
2. Add half of the dill and half of the grape leaves, if using, then add the cucumbers, filling the jar no more than two thirds full. Top with the remaining spices, dill, and grape leaves and drop in the garlic.
3. In a large bowl, combine the vinegar, salt, and 1 gallon cold water. Pour over the cucumbers to just cover them (you may not use all of the liquid).
4. Set a small plate on top of the cucumbers and place a weight on top to keep them submerged in the brine (a quart-size freezer bag filled with water or extra brine works well). Cover loosely and set aside in a cool spot in the house for 2 to 3 weeks, until the pickles are no longer white in the center when cut.
5. After about 2 days, the mixture should start to ferment and bubble; skim the foam from the surface once every day or two.

Water Bath Canning Method for Pickles

1. Prepare for water-bath canning: Wash the jars and keep them hot in the canning pot, and put the flat lids in a heatproof bowl. Put a fine-mesh sieve over a large nonreactive pot and ladle in as much of the brine as you can.
2. Bring to a simmer. Ladle boiling water from the canning pot into the bowl with the lids. Using a jar lifter, remove the hot jars from the canning pot, carefully pouring the water from each one back into the pot, and place them upright on a folded towel. Drain the water off the jar lids.
3. Working quickly, pack the pickles in the jars as snugly as you can without damaging them. Put a garlic clove and some of the dill in each jar, along with a grape leaf, if desired.
4. Ladle in the hot brine, leaving [q:1/2] inch headspace at the top. Use a chopstick to remove the air bubbles around the inside of each jar. Use a damp paper towel to wipe the rims of the jars, then put a flat lid and ring on each jar, adjusting the ring so that it’s just finger-tight.
5. Return the jars to the water in the canning pot, making sure the water covers the jars by at least 1 inch. If pasteurizing, bring the water in the pot to 180°F, and keep it there, adjusting the burner as necessary, for 30 minutes. (Any time the water spends below 180°F must be added to the pasteurizing time so that the water is at 180°F for a total of 30 minutes.)
6. If processing, bring to a full boil, and boil for 10 minutes. Remove the jars to a folded towel and do not disturb for 12 hours. After 1 hour, check that the lids have sealed by pressing down on the center of each; if it can be pushed down, it has not sealed, and the jar should be refrigerated immediately. Label the sealed jars and store.

1. Quickly rinse the mekabu in a strainer under cold water, place in a bowl and cover with hot water.
2. Soak for 10 minutes, drain and place back in the bowl.
3. Cover with cold water and soak 5 minutes. 
4. While the mekabu is soaking, slice the vegetables and fruit and place in a medium mixing bowl.
5. When the mekabu is ready, drain well in a strainer and add to the mixing bowl.
6. Combine the oil, vinegar and shoyu, mix and pour over the salad ingredients.
7. Gently toss to mix. Serve.