COLD CUCUMBER SOUP

This time of year take advantage of the abundance of fresh, locally grown fruits and veggies. In California tomatoes are just beginning, but I've had cucumbers for a couple of weeks. This is easy to make but may need to be done in batches. As you process the soup, pour everything in a large bowl and stir together.

6 large cucumbers peeled, seeded and cut into large chunks

2 cups cilantro with stems

3/4 cup mint leaves

1 small onion chopped

3 cloves of garlic

Juice of three large limes about 5 tablespoons

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 cup mayonnaise (my recipe mayo/aioli)

Garnish with chopped cilantro and lime slice

THESE ARE A FEW OF MY FAVORITE THINGS

There are lots of things that we love to eat but you can't always bring them together to make a satisfying meal.  This one sounds bizarre but was really good.  The best part is, the fresh veggies from the garden.

4 medium potatoes boiled
1 ripe avocado
sliced cucumber
sliced tomatoes
chiffonade of fresh basil (thinly sliced basil leaves)
Siracha
vegan sour cream or mayo
White pepper

Mix, mash, slice, dice, whatever it takes.  This was strangely odd yet filling and delicious.

Have any suggestion of odd yet tasty food combinations, post in the comments section.

PULLED "PORK" (mushrooms) SANDWICH WITH COLESLAW

This is a great alternative to a delicious barbecue dish....pulled King Oyster mushrooms aka pulled pork with vegan, no oil mayonnaise. There are lots of ways to do this but we'll deal with the simplest version here.

1lb of King Oyster mushrooms
1 1/2 cups of re-hydrated shiitake mushrooms pulsed into a paste in the food processor
2 bottles of your favorite oil free BBQ sauce
No oil whole wheat rolls or fully sponge yeasted sourdough rolls
3 cups chopped cabbage (red, green or both)
1 teaspoon dry dill
1/2 teaspoon celery seeds
1 1/2 cup of my aioli

Using just the thick stems of the mushroom: clean them, shred them like you would string cheese then chop them into one inch pieces. Place the the mushrooms, both the King Oyster and shiitake in a slow cooker, sauce pan or baking dish and heat covered with the BBQ sauce.

Make the coleslaw by mixing together the cabbage, dill, celery seed and aioli mayonnaise. Add as much aioli as you like (or as little). I like to add a lot of black pepper, but that's me.

Slice the rolls, add the mushroom mix and garnish with the coleslaw.

Shhhh. Don't tell anyone it's not pork. No one will guess.

KING OYSTER MUSHROOM