Who doesn’t like cucumbers? Obviously not you guys, cause you ordered the bowl with cucumbers in the literal title. So I feel like I’ve got the right audience here to profess my love for and the importance of cucumbers in the summer. Not much more to be said than holy crap, cucumbers are awesome, why don’t I eat cucumbers all the time, I should go on a cucumber diet, etc. They’re cool, crispy, and full of water. It’s hard to stay hydrated out there, folks, and sometimes water doesn’t really seem all that appealing. Well, that’s what cucumbers are for. Kinda. But they are extremely hydrating, and very fun to eat. So it’s a win-win. Tonight’s cucumbers are paired up with some delish summer squash, sundried tomatoes, baby spinach, all nested on top of nutty brown rice. Just, absolutely perfect for a cool summer evening. You can’t go wrong! This bowl is intended to be eaten cold. Just drizzle the meyer lemon vinaigrette all over everything, and mix it all up! If you did want to heat it up, just pop it in the microwave for a few minutes to take the chill off, and proceed with the vinaigrette. Boom. Done. Delicious. Enjoy!

If you got preserved lemon chicken thighs:

First of all, good choice. Preserved lemons are some of our favorite things. They are basically concentrated sunshine, preserved in a sweet and briny liquid. They’re a staple in our pantry. Basically, they are made by aggressively salting lemons, and then poaching them lightly in a brine. They are then canned, for a long time, until the lemons completely soften into a concentrated, super salty-sweet version of their former selves. They are super versatile, and for this application, we just threw in a bunch of them with the braise. To reheat, simply broil the chicken thighs on a sheet tray lined with aluminum foil until the skin is nice and crispy. Once they’re hot, they’re ready! Pop them right on top of your brown rice bowl, and enjoy 🙂