Well hello to all my foodies friends out there in web land am hoping you are enjoying this fine weather. I've been busy today to try and beat the rain with priming my side door for painting and now I have like four more doors to prime then am going to paint the trim white and the doors a dark green. I know I've been away awhile like to Washington D.C. and I've been busy with being sick and also I have been catering so I have another job to cater for this weekend and then I get to rest for a while until the end of the month however I will keep busy with painting the outside of the house doors. You know I just love to talk food but am going to give you some information from Web MD on the cukes as we call them in the business of food. I love them in salads and soup. They pair well with avocados and other vegetables. They are low in calories and full of water and flavor. I like them in the summer time grown in our garden and I like to add them fresh with salt and vinegar and a little sugar and black paper thrown in, yum yum. I like them on sandwiches with cream cheese or even tuna fish. Yum Yum, can't wait for them to take off in the garden this year. Any who am going to give you the information from the web on these delish' vegetable.
Tomatoes & Cucumber Salad toss
2 fresh Tomatoes, cubed
2 Cucumbers, diced
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/2 sweet Onion diced
1/2 sweet Bell Pepper, diced
2 TBSP Lemon Juice
Toss all ingredients together and serve chilled.
Reviewed by Kathleen M. Zelman, MPH, RD, LD
The Cucumber Family
Cucumbers belong to the plant family Cucurbitaceae, which includes melons, squash, and pumpkins.
Cucumber Varieties
Cucumbers come in many sizes, shapes, textures, and colors, including white, yellow, and even orange.
Slicing vs. Pickling Cukes
Two common kinds of cucumbers grown in the U.S. include slicing and pickling. Slicing cucumbers are usually large with a thick skin, while pickling cucumbers are smaller with a thin skin.
What's in a Pickle?
Pickles are cucumbers that have been soaked in a brining solution made of salt, vinegar, and water.
Cucumber Nutrition
A half cup of sliced cucumbers has 8 calories and contains more than 10% of the recommended daily intake of vitamin K.
Cucumber's Water Content
A cucumber is more than 95% water.
Cucumber for the Eyes
Cucumber slices over the eyes may help reduce puffiness, thanks to a combination of the fruit’s water content and caffeic acid.
World's Largest Cucumber
The biggest cucumber, grown in southern China, was 67 inches long and weighed 154 pounds.
Sea Cucumbers vs. Land Cucumbers
Sea cucumbers are not related to the produce variety. They are just named after its oblong shape.
Cold Creamy Cucumber Soup With Avocado
Makes 6 servings
Ingredients
1 tsp unsalted butter
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
3 leeks, washed and sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
4 cups (about 3 large) cucumber, peeled, seeded, and cubed
4 cups low-sodium chicken stock
1 tbsp chopped fresh dill, divided
2 tsp sherry or red wine vinegar
½ tsp salt
Freshly ground pepper
8 oz fat-free plain Greek yogurt
1 ripe avocado, peeled and cubed
Directions
- In a heavy-bottom 4-quart pot, heat butter and olive oil over medium heat. Sauté leeks 5-7 minutes until tender. Add garlic and continue sautéing 2 more minutes.
- Add cucumber and chicken stock. Simmer until cucumber is softened (about 6 - 8 minutes).
- Pour small batches of cucumber soup into a blender and purée until smooth.
- Return puréed soup to pot and add 1 tsp of dill, sherry or vinegar, salt, pepper, and yogurt. Whisk to thoroughly blend.
- Cover and refrigerate soup until chilled, about 2-3 hours.
- To serve, ladle soup into bowls and garnish with avocado and the remaining dill.
Per serving: 112 calories, 3.4 g protein, 13.5 g carbohydrate, 6.2 g fat
(1 g saturated fat), 2 mg cholesterol, 3 g fiber, 6 g sugar, 254 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 50%
Find more articles, browse back issues, and read the current issue of "WebMD the Magazine."
Reviewed on May 15, 2012
© 2012 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved
Happy Trails to you until we meet again and please come like my fan page on face book and watch the TV show at aikenstandard.tv or write me at madjon51@aol.com if you have any questions about a recipe.
