Cucumber Paradise

pittcurl

Okay guys I've been loving cucumbers (and their pricing and nutrition value), but can't think of a recipe that is healthy. As a child I grew up on the traditional cucumber floating in mayonnaise. I'm just looking for hope now.

wantstolooseweight

I use them to snack on during the day cut into sticks, add them to wraps and sandwiches for a bit extra, and my favourite way is with raw onion covered in vinegar with cheese and bread..... apart from that or maybe juicing them I dont have many ideas

Rocbola

Make a cucumber salad.

Cut the cucumbers up into bite size pieces, and mix with your favorite other veggies. I like radishes, tomatoes, carrots, etc.

I also mix in herbs. Basil, cilantro, etc. Add your favorite salad dressing, preferably one with no oil, and enjoy. Or mix your own dressing. Good with a ginger dressing sometimes, too.




Plus, everything that is good in this salad is super easy to grow at home, even in containers on a balcony.

pittcurl

Thanks guys.... I think my mind was only on bad stuff to mix with it. I think I'll be eating some cukes on a nice warm day (maybe not on the balcony- since I don't have one. LOL).

JediMaster_intraining

Might sound weird but I put some chopped cucumbers in my tuna sandwich (using tuna in water and only 1tbs of light mayo) and it was really good! Made the sandwich have some crunch to it.

If you want give it a go! Usually I just eat the whole cucumber by itself

pittcurl

Adrye that sounds delicious... I'm now visuallizing making a couple tuna sandwiches with cukes as the bread. A little fancy and healthy.... yummy!!

Pohudet

My favorite Russian cucumber salad: cut cucumbers into slices or cubes, add some sour cream (or yoghust for fewer calories) with some fresh pressed garlic and salt! Yum! instead of garlic, you can use finely chopped onions (green onions are great). In any of these versions you can also add chopped fresh dill. These days I sometimes use fresh mint instead of dill, it is wonderful.

shbretired

Safeway makes a delicious Greek Salad with cucumbers, tomatoes & feta cheese, with a little oil.

And then there's Quinoa salad with cucumbers, tomatoes, cilantro (Kirkland)

jenny11jones

There is a great salad with cucumbers and shrimp...just google Weight Watchers shrimp salad. Gives you protein and veggies! I also like making cumcumber ceviche. I used already cook shrimp and it is all veggies and lime juice. Google that one too!

sc1572

http://www.goodlifeeats.com/2011/12/cucumber-feta-rolls-holiday-recipe-exchange.html

jutymo

Here's a recipe with an Asian flair. I have cukes cut up in my fridge almost all the time using this recipe. I don't care for pears so usually just do cucumbers only but it's good with apple too:

http://justbento.com/handbook/recipe-collection-sides/cucumber-and-nashi-asian-pear-marinated-salad

Recipe: Cucumber and nashi (Asian pear) marinated salad
Makes about 8 cups of salad, plenty for several bentos and meals.

2 large cucumbers
1 medium to large nashi or Asian pear
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 tablespoon light (usukuchi) soy sauce (see soy sauce basics) - or use any soy sauce you have instead. Use a gluten-free soy sauce if you are concerned about gluten intake.
6 tablespoons rice vinegar or mild apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar or equivalent sugar substitute
1/3 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes, or to taste (or use ichimi togarashi instead)

Slice the cucumbers in half lenghwise, and scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Slice the halves again into half, so you end up with quarters. Cut up the cucumber into chunks about 3/4 cm / 1/2 inch thick (no need to be too precise here; just chop away roughly).

Peel, quarter and core the nashi pear. Slice fairly thinly.

Combine the cucumber and pear in a large bowl and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Mix well and set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the rest of the salt, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar and chili pepper flakes. Stir well but don’t worry if the sugar and salt don’t melt totally - they will melt once you mix this with the vegetables. Put the combined sauce in the large bowl with the cucumber and pear, scraping out any unmelted sugar and salt. Mix very well. Cover, and let rest for at least an hour or overnight in the refrigerator. It will keep tightly covered for a week.

If using in a bento, you may want to put it in a leakproof container if you add some of the marinating sauce. This goes well with a Japanese-style or not-so-Japanese style bento.

Variations
Try using a crispy apple like Fuji instead of the nashi pear.

You can make a cucumber-only salad too, in which case increase the sugar to 2 tablespoons.

littlepinkhearts

Take said cucumber out of the fridge, wash it, walk away eating it deeeeelicious!!!

steadk

we put ours in vinegar with onion slices and pepper..... its soo good!!

ytfelmi

Safeway DOES have a really good Greek salad, but I like being in charge of what goes in it.. Or the portions at least. Sometimes I think they put too much oil in.

I usually throw together cucumbers, tomatoes, red onions, green peppers, and those yummy black greek olives

Mix in a little evoo + red wine vinegar, and top with coarse black pepper and feta cheese. So good..

I think I need to get myself to the grocery store!

swisspea

Slice cucumbers and add a mixture of greek yogurt, milk, salt, pepper and mint- yum!

cloud2011

When I was growing up, my mom used to slice cucumbers very thin and soak them in cold water in the refrigerator. She added some salt to the water, so the cucumbers would soak that up. They were delicious.

taunto

My recipe for Poor man's salad:

1 tomato
1/2 cucumber (or 1/3rd)
1/2 red onion
1 or 1.5 tbsp lemon or lime juice

chop them all up into tiny pices. Mix with juice. Enjoy a quick and cheap salad

Rocbola

And then there's Quinoa salad with cucumbers, tomatoes, cilantro (Kirkland)

My girlfriend made something that sounds like this from scratch. It looked easy to make, and it was a hit at our dinner party.

ytfelmi

Also - I've been wanting to try this:

http://joythebaker.com/2012/01/strawberry-cucumber-smoothie/

angieroo2

I make cucumber salsa and serve on rice with pork.

Will_Thrust_For_Candy

I love cucumber too and I eat it a couple of different ways.

Cucumber and Tomato cut into chunks with some ranch dressing.

Cucumber diced small in my tuna with green onions and peppers. Same with a couple of mashed hard boiled eggs.

Cucumber, tomato, peppers, and red onion with some feta and greek dressing.

Love me some cucumber!!!!

iwantniceabs

eat them with hummus! mmmm mmmmmm!

rf1170

I made a cold cucumber soup last year that I can't wait to make again! (cukes won't be here in Maryland in force for another couple of weeks, I think.) Use a blender to mix peeled cukes, chicken stock, yogurt, and whatever seasonings (I used onions, garlic, dill, salt, and pepper) you think would be tasty. I bet it would be good with coconut milk in place of the yogurt, too!

questionablemethods

My favorite Russian cucumber salad: cut cucumbers into slices or cubes, add some sour cream (or yoghust for fewer calories) with some fresh pressed garlic and salt! Yum! instead of garlic, you can use finely chopped onions (green onions are great). In any of these versions you can also add chopped fresh dill. These days I sometimes use fresh mint instead of dill, it is wonderful.

I do something similar to this. I make a dip out of Greek yogurt, lemon juice, garlic and salt and dip veggies into it. It works great with cucumbers (then it is basically tzatziki sauce except the cucumbers are dipped and not mixed into it).

KarenAnnne

My husband and I love to garden so we have the benefit of many different produce. My favorite refreshing salad is cut up cucumbers (with skin on), cut up tomatoes, thinly sliced red onion and a little amount of slivered almonds. I mix it with about a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil and some balsamic vinegar. It is WONDERFUL! I've also added a little blue cheese crumbles but that does increase the calorie and fat a bit. Good luck

tugers2

i'll cut up about 2 cups worth and just add a little italian dressing... works for me!

Anniedrops20

cukes, tomatoes, fresh basil, yellow or red bell peppers, little onion, little garlic, lemon juice, red wine vinegar with some water in the blender - delicious, refreshing fat-free, practically no calorie soup!

cryan1980

Ice Cold Cucumber soup on a hot summer day

begreenbe

Slice them with red onions a little red wine vinegar and dill.

Kalynx

i found this recipe last week and now aquired all the ingredients and will be trying it this week!

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/cucumber-watermelon-salad/

its basically cucumber slices + cubed watermelon + balsamic vinegar + sprinkling of sugar YUM perfect for this time of year.

I used to make a basic cucumber sandwich, too.. my fav bread + cucumber slices + cream cheese spread on bread. it is rather tastey!! and not so bad on sodium (think of a sandwich with luncheon meat! you take a huge sodium hit there!) and its easy quick to fix.

Kalynx

just remembered I read a while back a recipe for cucumber smoothies...cucumber +ice/water + bit of honey in blender/food processor. sounded good to me but I never tried it.

or even chilling water with cucumber slices like they do at spa's would be nice