FITNESS AND FUEL
by Whitney Cole & Byron Paidoussi, Hollywood's Personal Training "It Couple", Fitness & Nutrition Phenom

Clients are always asking for shortcuts to eating healthy. Here’s an easy and flavorFULL salad to have on hand for quick meals or side dish. Vegetarians and even "Mr. Meat and Potatoes" will beg for the intense blend of flavors, textures and color. Your Spicy Cucumber Salad will stay fresh for 3-4 days covered in the fridge, and actually increase in flavor while the spices intensify each other. I was inspired to create this recipe by my intense affliction for Thai Papaya Salad (and inability to regularly find the ingredient for which its named) and the vocal ingredients in my fridge screaming to be used before expiration. A fine Iron Chef moment.

I typically make this on Sundays and enjoy over the next few days for lunch. Serve a 1 to 2 cups over ½ cup brown rice and 1 cup chopped spinach. Top with 1/3 to 1/2 chopped avocado if you like. Each serving provides a fantastic scoop of protein, fiber, iron, Vitamins A, B6, C, E, folate... Just try it!

INGREDIENTS:
1 English Cucumber
1 Red Pepper
1 Green Pepper
6 Scallions
1/2 Red Onion
15 Oz Can Garbanzo Beans (Use 2 cans to increase protein)
Juice from 2 limes (about 1/4 cup)
1 Tbsp Red Pepper Paste
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Tbsp Honey
1 Clove Garlic (finely minced)
Dash Sea Salt

DIRECTIONS:
Finely dice cucumber, peppers, scallions and onion and place in large bowl. Drain and rinse garbanzo beans and add to bowl. In separate bowl dissolve red pepper paste in lime juice by stirring with spoon. Add olive oil, honey, minced garlic and sea salt and stir until combined. Pour mixture over chopped veggies and beans. Stir to coat.