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In the heat of early summer, there’s nothing more cooling than the cucumber. It’s refreshing and terrific and — major bonus — you don’t need to cook it.

Therefore, these sandwiches are the perfect quick dinner on a hot summer night. They’re savory, sweet, cooling and just plain different.

Tahini is the seed butter that is the base for hummus, if you’re having trouble placing it. Add in the aforementioned cukes, nutritious sprouts, hearty bread (untoasted, if you prefer), Asian flavors and sunny mandarin oranges and you’ve got yourself a meal.

Open-Face Cucumber and Tahini Sandwiches

1/4 cup tahini

1 cup mandarin oranges, drained and finely chopped

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

2 teaspoon mellow white miso

4 slices multi-grain bread, toasted

1 cucumber, thinly sliced

1 cup sunflower or mung bean sprouts

In a small bowl, whisk together tahini, oranges, vinegar, miso and 1 to 2 tablespoons water; spread evenly on bread. Top with cucumbers and sprouts and serve. Serves 4.

— Recipe from www.wholefoodsmarket.com.