Tangy and Refreshing Cucumber Salad..

I’ve been craving fresh and tangy flavours lately and this cucumber salad is those things and more…

Cucumbers are the perfect summer vegetable, they are 95% water and full of electrolytes like potassium, calcium and magnesium(1), the perfect thirst quencher on those stinking hot days, add some slices to your water, juice some up and mix with ice cubes and mint or make this delicious salad..recipe below.

Cucumbers and the skin are full of silica, a trace mineral that is essential in building connective tissue, the building blocks of our body(1).

And according to the author of Healing with Wholefoods ..in Chinese medicine cucumbers are cleansing for the blood, and have a cooling nature, which again is perfect for summer heat conditions(2).

Mum loved growing her own veggies and in summer she would have cucumbers coming out her ears…her cucumber vine seemed to have some kind of magic, one day there wasn’t a cucumber to be seen and literally the next morning there would be cucumbers all over the place…we would laugh together about this…

This salad is so easy, delicious, plant based and versatile….

Low waste ideas to include

~Buying cucumbers that are organic and not packaged in plastic.

~Purchase herbs from farmers markets or try growing your own to avoid plastic packaging

~Tamari/soy sauce and apple cider vinegar can be bought in glass bottles

~Spices can be bought in jars or from the bulk section of a health food store.

All very easy things to accomplish.

Disclaimer; The information provided in this blog post is for educational purposes only, it is not intended to diagnose, treat or influence health behaviours or outcomes.

References;

1. M. Murray and J. Pizzorno, ‘The Encyclopaedia of Healing Foods’ 2005, Piatkus. P 189.
2. P. Pitchfork, ‘Healing with Wholefoods’ 2002 3rd Ed, North Atlantic Books, P 540.

I hope you enjoy the refreshing and tangy salad as much as I do.

Enjoy

Alli

Tangy Cucumber Salad

A refreshing Cucumber salad perfect for Summer

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Ingredients

  

• 2-3 Medium Lebanese Cucumbers Seeds removed optional
• 2 Spring onions/shallots
• 1/2 tsp fresh ginger grated
• 1/2 clove garlic crushed
• 1/4 cup Fresh Coriander Stems removed
• 1 tbsp Sesame Seeds (Black or white)
• 2 tbsp Soy Sauce (Gluten free)
• 1 tbsp Apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 tsp brown sugar or rice syrup
• 1 tsp Sumac (optional)
• 1 tsp Chilli flakes (optional)
• 2 Sprigs Fresh mint (optional)

Instructions

 

• Slice Cucumbers down the centred then into half-moons
• To make the dressing, Add Soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, ginger and garlic to a small bowl, whisk together and set aside
• In a large bowl combine cucumber, shallots that have been finely sliced, coriander and mint
• Pour the dressing over the cucumber mix, then toss altogether to coat with the dressing
• Serve on a serving plate and sprinkle with sesame seeds, sumac and chilli flakes.

Notes

If using Lebanese cucumbers I see no need to remove the seeds. If using continental or telegraph cucumbers scrape out the seeds before slicing into half moons.

You can add the seeds to the dressing as a no waste option.