Reprinted with permission from www.theculturedcook.com and culinary expert Lisa Howard

Scandinavians do a lot with crisp, sweet vegetables and fruits. So do Russians and Pols (and anyone else who lives in cooler climates where you’re more likely to grow carrots than bananas). I drew on those sweet-and-cool traditions to make a simple summer salad featuring two of Michigan’s best crops: apples and cucumbers. Nothing beats a hot day like a quick-to-assemble summer salad! If you have an herb garden, feel free to substitute different herbs for the dill and mint.

Cucumber & Apple Salad
Serves 2 as a side dish or 1 as a main meal. You can just multiply the ingredient portions to match your needs. You could also toss in some cooked brown rice to make this a heartier salad, although the salad would lose a bit of its sweet crunchiness if served that way.

For the dressing:
Approx. 1/4 cup Greek yogurt
1-2 T. apple cider vinegar
1/4 tsp. dried OR 1/2 tsp. fresh dill
1/4 tsp. dried OR 1/2 tsp. fresh mint (mince or tear mint into small pieces if it’s fresh)
Sea salt to taste

For the salad:
1 medium or large cucumber, chopped or thinly sliced
1 firm, crisp apple (Fuji and Pink Lady apples are my favorites), chopped
1 carrot, grated (optional)
1 small onion, minced (optional)

Whisk dressing ingredients together in a small bowl. These are approximate measurements — if you like your dressing to be more sour, add more vinegar; if you are a huge mint fan, add more of that. If you want your dressing to be thinner but don’t want the sourness of added vinegar, add a teaspoon of cold water.
Mix salad ingredients together in a large bowl, then toss with the dressing. Serve immediately.

Enjoy!