What do you do with a bumper crop of cucumbers? A month or so ago I placed 5 cucumber plants in our little backyard garden and now we’re harvesting enough to feed an army daily! We’ve sliced them with onions and vinegar. We’ve served them with tomatoes, onions and vinegar. We’ve made green bean salads with cukes, tomatoes, onions, garlic, mustard and vinegar.
When I discovered cucumbers are loaded with nutrients and fiber, I started eating them whole right off the vine, skin and all. And so did visiting grandchildren with gusto and drama! A few days ago I distributed cucumbers around the neighborhood. But the next day, there were more, so I put a flat of 20 on a stand for passers-by. A new neighbor told me he puts them in his morning smoothies. Another neighbor likes them cut in spears with dip.
How about cucumber boats? I made a tabouli salad (see recipe below), scooped out the seeds of 2 halved cukes and stuffed the cavities with tabouli. Tomatoes are ripening with the cukes, so I stuffed some tomatoes, too. What abundance! I marvel daily at these delicious and nutritious gifts from the earth!
TABOULI
1 ½ cups bulgur wheat soaked 30 minutes in 1 ½ cups boiling water, drained.
Add diced veggies: 1 tomato, 1 cucumber, 1 onion, 1 minced garlic clove.
1 or 2 freshly squeezed lemons.
Salt & pepper to taste.
1 lb garbanzo beans cooked or canned, rinsed and drained.
1/3 cup chopped raisins soaked in ½ cup hot water 10 mins. Raisins and raisin water sweeten the tabouli.
½ cup each, chopped fresh mint and fresh parsley
Pinch each cinnamon and cayenne.
Keep cool and let stand at least 30 minutes before serving on greens, as filling for pita or as veg stuffing.
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I haven’t mentioned the homemade refrigerator pickles yet. But we’ll save that for another day. Now it’s time for my cucumber spa!
Cucumber Lemon Spa Water
Fill pitcher with cool water.
Thinly slice ½ cucumber.
Thinly slice 1 lemon.
Add cucumbers and lemons to pitcher of water and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Reserve 2 thin slices of cucumber to place on eyes while waiting for Spa water to cool. Relax and enjoy!
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Dorothy Greet invites you on a journey to amazing good health and vitality through Plant-Based Eating.
A heart attack turned her life upside down at age 70.
Now, with a Cornell Certificate in Plant-Based Nutrition, this retired clergywoman teaches free classes to community groups upon request.
To contact Ms. Greet, email dgreet@aya.yale.edu.
For more information on plant-based eating go to greetplantbased.blogspot.com.
