The Word on Weightloss

Cucumber is one of those almost tasteless foods that are mostly water. This makes it a very good snack on a hot summer day, because it is so full of water and can keep you from getting dehydrated. However, cucumbers don’t have to taste bland just because they are almost all water. Here are some surprisingly good cucumber recipes for you to enjoy.

Cucumber Salad

Cucumbers are a common ingredient in many different kinds of salads, so it is fairly easy to find recipes for them. One recipe that we especially like is Cucumber and Black-Eyed Pea Salad.

1. Whisk 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, 2 teaspoons of fresh chopped oregano, and a pinch of pepper in a large bowl.
2. Add 4 cups of peeled, diced cucumbers, 14 ounces of rinsed black-eyed peas, 2/3 cup of diced red bell pepper, ½ cup of crumbled feta cheese, ¼ cup slivered red onion, and 2 tablespoons of chopped black olives.
3. Toss the ingredients around to coat the salad with the dressing. This cucumber salad can be served either chilled or at room temperature.

And the best thing about this salad is that you can change the recipe as much as you want. Take out ingredients that you don’t like. Switch the feta cheese for a different kind of cheese. Add extra olives if they are your favorite. Make this recipe your own and you will find yourself eating cucumbers all year long.

Cucumber Water

Cucumber and Rosemary water can be a nice twist on a boring pitcher of water. Put ten cucumber slices and a fresh branch of rosemary in a pitcher of ice water for 24 hours and then enjoy a cool summery drink.

One Hour Pickles

1. Set a colander full of sliced pickling cucumbers (about 1 ¼ pounds) in the sink.
2. Sprinkle with 1 ½ teaspoons of salt and stir.
3. Let sit for 20 minutes and then rinse and drain.
4. Transfer to a large bowl.
5. In a saucepan, combine 1 cup cider vinegar, 1 cup white vinegar, 1 cup light brown sugar, 1 cup slivered onion, 2 slivered cloves of garlic, 1 teaspoon dill seed, and 1 teaspoon mustard seed.
6. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and allow to simmer for 10 minutes.
7. Pour this liquid over the cucumbers and stir. Refrigerate the pickles for at least 10 minutes to bring them to room temperature.

With these surprisingly good cucumber recipes, you might just find yourself with a new favorite food!