Recipes to help incorporate Cucumbers into your Diet:
With just a bit of creativity, cucumbers can be enjoyed in many ways.
Here are a few recipes to help incorporate cucumbers into your diet:
Baked Cucumber Chips
Quick Pickled Cucumbers
Thai Cucumber Salad
Strawberry, Lime, Cucumber and Mint-Infused Water
Cucumber and Mint Sorbet
Cucumber Goat Cheese Grilled Cheese
Baked Cucumber Chips
INGREDIENTS
Cucumbers - 3 small ones or 1-2 large ones
Seasoning of choice:
OPTION 1: SMOKED CUCUMBER CHIPS
1 teaspoon of smoked paprika
1 teaspoon of garlic powder
Salt to Taste
OPTION 2: ONION AND GARLIC
1 teaspoon of onion powder
1 teaspoon of garlic powder
Salt to taste
OPTION 3: SALT AND VINEGAR
1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar
Salt to taste
OPTION 4: LEMON AND PEPPER
1 teaspoon of fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon of ground black pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
1) Slice cucumbers thinly, about an 1/8 of an inch in thickness.
2) Pat cucumbers dry and add them to a bowl. Mix well with your seasoning of choice.
3) Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the cucumbers onto the baking sheet, lying flat and separated.
4) Bake low and slow at 170 degrees Fahrenheit for 3-4 hours. Time will depend on how large your cucumbers are.
5) Remove the cucumbers from the oven once they are dried out and crispy.
6) Enjoy your healthy snack!
Quick Pickled Cucumbers
INGREDIENTS
1 cup water
1/3 cup vinegar (apple cider, white, and rice wine are all good)
1/3 cup sugar (optional)
1 to 2 teaspoons salt
sliced garden cucumbers (about 2 cups)
sliced onion or green onion (about 1/2 cup)
additional vegetables as you like (bell pepper, whole cherry tomatoes, etc.)
INSTRUCTIONS
1) In a small bowl add the water, vinegar, sugar, and salt. Stir to combine and until the sugar and salt have dissolved. Add the cucumber and onion. Taste and adjust the ingredients to your liking.
2) All the cucumbers should be covered in the brine, if you have lots of cucumber or are making a big batch, make more brine.
3) Let the mixture rest in the fridge until you are ready to eat. The flavors develop over time, so an overnight soak is great but mine are normally gone by dinner.
NOTES:
I love adding the sugar and my mom does too, but my grandma doesn’t add that much (she only adds a few teaspoons). I say try it and see what you like.
White vinegar is the traditional vinegar for this recipe and a great place to start. If you know that you like apple cider or rice wine vinegar they are also good.
You really can’t mess this up. Just adjust to taste and enjoy!
Thai Cucumber Salad
INGREDIENTS
1 1⁄2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 1⁄2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon lime zest
1⁄2-1 small jalapeno, seeded and minced
salt and pepper
1 seedless cucumber
1 small red bell pepper
1 medium carrot
1⁄2 small red onion
1 -2 tablespoon chopped cilantro (optional)
1⁄4 cup dry roasted peanuts, chopped
INSTRUCTIONS
Whisk the first 7 ingredients (lime juice through jalapeno) in a large bowl.
Season with salt and pepper.
Trim the ends from the cucumber.
Split lengthwise in half.
Slice very thinly.
Toss into the dressing.
Halve the red pepper vertically, core and remove seeds and white membranes.
Slice the pepper, horizontally, into very thin strips.
Add to the dressing and toss.
Peel the carrot and trim off ends.
Slice diagonally into very thin slices.
Add to the rest of the salad.
Peel the onion and cut in half horizontally.
Then slice vertically into very thin strips.
Add these to the bowl and toss everything together until well mixed.
Set aside for at least one hour, stirring occasionally (this can be marinated for up to 8 hours, but refrigerate if marinating for longer than 2 hours).
Transfer to a serving bowl.
Sprinkle cilantro (if used) and peanuts over top.
Strawberry, Lime, Cucumber and Mint-Infused Water
1 cup sliced strawberries
1 cup sliced cucumbers
2 limes, sliced
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
Ice cubes
Water
INSTRUCTIONS
In a half-gallon jar, or a 2 quart pitcher, layer the strawberries, cucumbers, lime slices, and mint leaves with the ice cubes. Fill jar or pitcher with water. Let chill for 10 minutes, and then enjoy!
NOTES:
I can get 2-4 fill-ups out of one batch of flavorings, but you might want to change out your flavorings sooner for stronger flavor.
Feel free to use sparkling water instead of still water.
Obviously, the longer the water sits, the stronger the flavor. It’s mild at first, but after a few hours (or overnight) it’s quite strong.
Cucumber and Mint Sorbet
150g sugar
¾ cup water
handful of mint
300g cucmber, diced (you can leave the skin on if it’s not too tough)
INSTRUCTIONS
Whilst the syrup is cooling, dice the cucumber and puree it in a food processor (if you have one) or a blender. If you’re using a blender, add the cooled syrup to the cucumber in the blender, so help it reach a more liquid-like consistency.
Next, pass the mixture through a sieve to get rid of the pulpy bits. Another options is to add an egg white here to prevent the sorbet from going all icy in texture, especially if you’re not using a food processor, or add a spoonful of gin for the same purpose.
Now freeze. If you have an ice cream maker the follow the manufacturer’s instructions but if not, give the sorbet regular stirs as it freezes in order to break up the ice crystals that form. You could even blend it up in the food processor a couple of times throughout the freezing process.
When it comes to serving, let it sit out for a few minutes to soften up before scooping out and enjoying!
Cucumber Goat Cheese Grilled Cheese
2 slices of whole wheat sourdough bread (or 4 halved slices, if the boule is large)
1 small package plain goat cheese — leave this out for an hour or so to reach room temperature
2 Japanese cucumbers, in 1/8-inch slices
Olive oil
INSTRUCTIONS
Heat a cast iron skillet (don’t have one? this is a great affordable option you will not regret) and over the stove — first at high heat to get the pan very hot, but then reduce the flame all the way to low. We like the slow-cooked grilled cheese sandwiches.
Using a pastry brush, lightly coat each side of each slice of bread. Spread a healthy layer of goat cheese on the bottom slice, and then arrange your cucumber slices on top of the goat cheese. Carefully place the first half of your sandwich on the skillet, and sprinkle with salt and pepper, if you like.
Then, spread a thin layer of goat cheese on the next slice. Place this slice on top of the first one, and let it sit on the stove for about five minutes — make sure your heat is LOW. Use a spatula to lift the bottom slice — if it’s nice and golden, go ahead and flip your sandwich. Let that side sit for four to five minutes. When the second side is just as golden, go ahead and remove the sandwich from the pan. Repeat for sandwich number two, and serve with remaining cucumber slices, if you haven’t been munching on them already.
To be continue in our next post......
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