As winter is coming on, it's harvest time in Canada. With the risk of frost just around the corner at the farm we volunteer on, we're bringing in the last of the warm weather crops like tomatoes and cucumbers. It's given us the inspiration to find new ways to use cucumbers.
Most of our cucumber recipes are cold soups or refreshing salads to use the cukes during the warm months that they grow in. But this soup is cooked and warm with potato to cream it and give an extra sense of hardiness for this time of year.
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Although cucumbers may not appear to be a particularly High Nutrient Dense (HND) food, they have lots of health-giving qualities.
Cucumbers are packed with Vitamins C, A and K, along with trace minerals like potassium and magnesium. Also containing lots of antioxidants, all of these nutrients contribute to bone health, immune function and heart health.
The fact that they're about 95% water makes them one of the best foods to stay hydrated with. And being filled with so much water, it qualifies as one of the lowest calorie-dense foods there is, at about 55 calories per pound, helping to support weight management.
Cucumbers also have a respectable amount of fibre that aids our digestion and feeds a healthy microbiome.
Here are a few other ways to use cucumbers we think you'll like that we shared with you in the past.
To your Amazing Health,
Connie and Bill
Cream of Cucumber Soup (Serves 4)
- 4-5 potatoes, ½ inch cubes (use as much potato as cucumber)
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 cups vegetable stock plus 2 tablespoons for cooking onion
- 3 medium cucumbers, peeled and cut in chunks
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1 stalk celery, cut in pieces
- ¼ cup cashews
- Ground black pepper to taste
- Parsley finely cut as garnish
- Red pepper, diced as garnish
In a large pan add onion and cook with 2 tablespoons vegetable stock until soft.
Add cubed potatoes and remaining 2 cups of vegetable stock. Bring to a boil and turn heat to medium. Cook until potatoes are tender (approximately 10 – 15 minutes).
Add cucumbers, garlic, celery, cashews, and half the cooked potatoes and onion with some of the vegetable stock to a high-speed blender. Blend until creamy (approximately 30 to 45 seconds).
Add mixture to pan containing the other half of cubed potatoes. Add ground black pepper. Cook for 3-4 minutes until hot.
Serve in a large bowl with parsley and red pepper garnish.