Cucumber Basil Salad and Purple Cows

I was skeptical about it.

I felt like I was caving.

What happened to living simply? What happened to sticking to necessities and the things that bring us joy?

But there is was, on our kitchen counter, a new Inspiralizer.

Although we’d heard of it a while ago, we only recently bought one. The thought of a kitchen gadget languishing in the back of the cupboard held us back.

But, what’s been amazing is how much joy it does bring. Natalie loves it. This little device that shreds veggies into curlicue shapes makes her smile.

“Do you need anything spiralized?” she asks from behind a small mountain of vegetable noodles.

What I like about it, though, is that it’s “remarkable.” As Seth Godin explains in Purple Cow, if someone feels compelled to tell someone else about it, then it’s a worthwhile idea.

Another worthwhile idea? This salad.

Cucumber Basil Salad

Serves 4

This was one of the first dishes we made with the Inspiralizer. It’s super simple to make, but during our BBQ last weekend, it was the first salad to disappear. Great for warm weather because cucumbers are a great way to stay hydrated.

If you don’t have a spiralizer, slice the cucumber into rounds or matchsticks.

Ingredients

• 4 cucumbers

• 1 cup kalamata olives, halved

• 1 can artichoke hearts, quartered

• 1-2 handfuls cherry tomatoes

• Olive oil

• Fresh basil

• Lemon

Process

• Spiralize the cucumbers. (Alternatively, slice into rounds).

• Combine the cucumbers with the olives, artichoke hearts, and fresh basil.

• Top with olive oil, sea salt and a squeeze of lemon