Cucumbers are like the little black dress of the vegetable world: they go with anything. Last week we blended them into a sweet Cucumber Peach Smoothie. This week we’re going green.

WHY WE LOVE THEM

Let’s continue the health benefit list from Natural News:

3. Skin and hair care– If you don’t like to eat the skin, it can be used for skin irritations and sunburns as aloe would be used. Place a slice over puffy eyes and its anti-inflammatory properties help reduce puffiness. The silicon and sulfur in cucumbers help to stimulate hair growth.

I got uncomfortably sunburned last week for the first time in a long time. I peeled a cuke and rubbed the peel on my sunburn. It felt good like aloe feels good – cool and refreshing. It didn’t leave a residue, which surprised me. The wetness evaporated within a minute and my skin felt great – not sticky or weird. The next day I was taking some more cucumber peels out to the chickens and remembered my sunburn. I stood there next to the coop rubbing cucumber skins on my shoulders and face like a crazy person. Luckily it was hot and my neighbors were all hiding inside in the air conditioning!

4. Fight cancers – Cucumber are known to contain lariciresinol, pinoresinol, and secoisolariciresinol. These three lignans have a strong history of research in connection with reduced risk of several cancer types, including breast cancer, ovarian cancer, uterine cancer and prostate cancer.
Do you get the feeling sometimes that almost every vegetable fights cancer? Some more than others, I’ll admit, but as research is done, the list of cancer fighting plant foods just keeps growing and growing. Gee, it’s like the Garden of Eden Diet was purposefully created for maximum human health.

HOW WE EAT THEM

Cucumber Dill Salad (The BIG RED Cookbook from Betty Crocker)

Ingredients:

2 medium cucumbers, thinly sliced

1/3 cup cider or white vinegar

1/3 cup water

2 Tb sugar

½ tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

Chopped fresh dill weed or parsley (I LOVE dill)

1. Place cucumbers in small glass or plastic bowl.
2. Shake remaining ingredients except dill weed in tightly covered container. Pour over cucumbers. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours to blend flavors.
3. Drain salad. Sprinkle with dill weed. Store covered in refrigerator.

(1 serving = ½ cup = 25 calories)

Natural News article: http://www.naturalnews.com/036769_cucumbers_health_benefits_rehydration.html#ixzz3i5YLJT64