3 easy ingredients come together in this crisp and refreshing cucumber dill ribbon salad. It's Paleo, Whole30, vegan, gluten free and dairy free. The presentation makes it perfect for parties and BBQs.

Don't you love it when you can pull a great dish together in minutes?

Sadly, I feel like the odds aren't always in my favor. 

You have to have the right ingredients.

You need to think about your audience, aka your fellow diners. Whether they're family, friends or acquaintances, it can be difficult accounting for everyone's preferences and dietary restrictions.

I always try to eat gluten free and dairy free, but I know that's not everyone's cup of tea, and so does Katie Workman.

Katie just wrote Dinner Solved! where she tackles the issue of trying to please everyone at the table, without spending 12 hours in the kitchen.

I had the pleasure of meeting the bubbly and energetic author at a gathering at Melissa's Produce where we got to sample some of Katie's new dishes and hear her speak about her new cookbook.

Dinner Solved! addresses the desire to please everyone by listing a "Fork in the Road" option next to some recipes.

These include trying to please a vegan or vegetarian by setting aside some of the marinade from the chicken tiki masala, and swapping in cauliflower instead.

There are spice options, leftover ideas, and ways to reduce the heat in dishes so that everyone is happy.

I was pretty happy to see her vegetarian "Pickle-y Cucumber Salad" in her new book as I love the crunch of cucumbers and could eat them every day.

Katie has a "Fork in the Road" option to turn the salad dressing creamy, but my fork was staying dairy free, so I stayed the course with the original recipe, but decided to omit the sugar since sugar and I aren't so friendly anymore.

I stripped the recipe down to 3 ingredients, and then I started to feel a little guilty about how easy the recipe was, so I created cucumber ribbons instead of rounds for a fancier looking presentation.

With just 3 simple ingredients, make sure you're using good stuff here like fresh, organic cucumbers and dill. 

Dill and I are having a moment where I just can't seem to get enough of it. I'm still finishing up my fennel celeriac dill salad.

I love the freshness dill brings to dishes.

So pleasing everyone, and yourself, doesn't have to be difficult.

Check out Katie's new cookbook Dinner Solved! for more great recipe ideas.

3 Ingredient Cucumber Dill Ribbon Salad

Inspired by Katie Workman's Pickle-y Cucumber Salad from Dinner Solved!
Serves 4 as a side dish

Ingredients

• 6 small seedless cucumbers

• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

• 2 tablespoons fresh dill

• Salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Slice the cucumber lengthwise using a mandolin or vegetable peeler so you have long, thin strips. Place the cucumber slices in a colander over the sink, salt, and let the moisture drain for about 40 minutes.

2. Rinse the cucumbers and pat dry. Pour the vinegar and dill over and toss gently to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Eat immediately, or for even more great taste, let sit overnight in the fridge for a more pickle-y taste.

Looking for more salad recipes? Try these.