Early to mid-summer is the best time for cucumbers. Cucumbers were first cultivated in Western India and Asia. Most varieties fall into two categories: slicing – for eating them fresh – and pickling, which keeps their crispness after canning. There are specialty cucumbers appearing now at farmers’ markets, such as the narrow, straight Japanese cucumber, seedless cucumbers, or thin-skinned Persian cucumbers. They are easy to grow and can be planted easily from seeds throughout late spring to early summer.
Fresh cucumber juice is the best rejuvenation tonic in the world. It contains electrolyte compounds and 50 trace minerals. Cucumbers provide other critical nutrition, too, such as chlorophyll in their skins. There are just 16 calories in a cup of cucumber with its peel (15 without). You will get about 4 percent of your daily potassium, 3 percent of your daily fiber, and 4 percent of your daily vitamin C. They also provide small amounts of vitamin K, vitamin C, magnesium, potassium, manganese, and vitamin A.
Cucumbers as a cooking ingredient may look boring, but one could:
- Add them to smoothies. Cucumbers are cool, mild, and refreshing making them an excellent choice for summertime smoothies.
- Make gazpacho
- Ferment them
- Pickle them
- Chilled cucumber soups
OR make
Our Favorite Cucumber Salad
Ingredients
- 3-4 Cucumbers (peeled)
- 1-2 Tbsp Vinegar
- 1 Tbsp Sugar
- 1/4 Tbsp Salt
- 1/4 Tbsp White pepper
Instructions
- Using a cheese grinder, slice the cucumbers (on the largest setting) or use a food processor
- Adjust spices according to your liking. Could be served at room temperature or cooled
Library resources available:
The Farmers Market Cookbook by Julia Shanks
Eating on the Wild Side: The Missing Link to Optimum Health by Jo Robinson
Sources:
https://www.eatright.org/health/weight-loss/fad-diets/negative-calorie-foods-still-count
Magda Born
Community Services Librarian
Kansas City, Kansas Public Library
625 Minnesota Ave.
Kansas City, KS 66101
913-295-8250 ext 1103