Is there a single food that’s a cool as a cucumber? Is summer even summer if you don’t incorporate refreshing, hydrating cucumbers into your diet? You can make a citrusy salsa, cold soup, cucumber noodle salad, or even an electrolyte-rich detox water. The cucumber is an essential summer ingredient that not only tastes crisp, but also has numerous health benefits. 

Health Benefits Of Cucumbers

The cucumber offers a refreshing, crisp taste and high water content. They help relieve dehydration by supplying the body with important electrolytes and phytonutrients. According to dietitians, it’s possible to satisfy 20-30% of the necessary fluid intake through diet alone. Foods like cucumbers and watermelons are greatly beneficial in this effort. 

Cucumbers also offer phytonutrient compounds, lignans and cucurbitacins, which exhibit anti-cancer properties. According to recent studies, cucurbitacins may help block signaling pathways that are necessary for cancer cell multiplication and survival. One study found that they can inhibit the growth of pancreatic cancer cells. The lignans in cucumbers may protect against cancer by interacting with bacteria in the digestive tract. The research concluded that bacteria took lignans and converted them into enterodial and enterolactone compounds. These bind to estrogen receptors to reduce the risk of estrogen-related cancers, including endometrial, breast, and ovarian cancers. 

As detailed earlier in this article, cucumbers can help hydrate the body. That’s great news for your skin, but you can also apply cucumbers topically. The reason that spas apply cucumbers to the eyes is because cucumbers work to decrease swelling and inflammation. If you need to decrease under-eye puffiness or remedy a sunburn, cucumbers are an excellent choice!

Cucumber Recipes

Check out the following cucumber recipes and see which ones you like best. They are all 100% cleanse-approved if you happen to be using one of our cleanses. Additionally, they are kind of a big dill. We don’t apologize for the pun.

Cucumber Melon Refresher

Cool off on a hot summer day when you enjoy this cucumber melon refresher. With only three ingredients, it’s incredibly easy to make! Plus, there’s no need for added sweeteners because you have the lovely cantaloupe.

Click here to make the recipe. 

Cucumber Lime Electrolyte Drink

Hydrating with this electrolyte drink before a workout may help prevent you from experiencing muscle cramps or spasms.

Click here to make the recipe. 

Spicy Cucumber, Avocado, Tomato & Onion Salad

A great salad is often very simple because simple recipes are the most delicious, just like this cucumber avocado, tomato & onion salad.

Click here to make the recipe. 

Carrot Cucumber Slaw With Ginger Dressing

Forget the mayonnaise because you don’t need it for this recipe. Vibrantly colored and and crunchy, this cucumber carrot slaw is tossed in a sweet and tangy ginger dressing that’s to die for.

Click here to make the recipe. 

Mango, Avocado, & Cucumber Salad

Is this the perfect salad recipe? We think it is! Indulge in the balanced flavors and textures of this mango avocado cucumber salad.

Click here to make the recipe. 

Cucumber Lemon Sorbet

Cool down this summer with this refreshing, tart, and invigorating raw vegan cucumber lemon sorbet. It only has three ingredients!

Click here to make the recipe. 

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Get ready to enjoy a vibrant marinated salad that features crisp cucumbers, juicy tomatoes, and sharp onions, creating a refreshing medley of flavors and textures in your mouth. Using your best knife skills, slice all of the ingredients to be uniform. If you want, you can slice the onions a little thinner than the other ingredients before combining them in a bowl. By marinating the ingredients in the oil, vinegar, herbs, and seasonings, you let their natural juices mingle, enhancing the overall freshness. The extra virgin olive oil adds a smooth richness, while the apple cider vinegar provides a tangy brightness that elevates the flavors.

To deepen the flavor profile, we added freshly chopped parsley and dill, but you can choose one or the other if you have an aversion to a particular herb. The herbs provide aromatic herbal notes that complement the vegetables beautifully. The addition of minced garlic introduces a pungent, savory layer that enhances the salad’s complexity, making each bite more flavorful and enticing. The combination of herbs and garlic transforms this simple salad into a fragrant, savory side dish suitable for any meal.

Marinating the vegetables allows the flavors to meld beautifully over time, resulting in a salad that is both tangy and herbaceous with a satisfying crunch. The acidity from the vinegar balances the richness of the olive oil, while the herbs and garlic provide a fresh, aromatic finish. This marinated cucumber, tomato, and onion salad is an effortless, wholesome dish ideal for picnics, barbecues, or as a cooling accompaniment to spicy or hearty meals.

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This raw vegan ricotta is a cashew lover’s dream. Made with rich and creamy cashews, this vegan cheese makes for the perfect spread or topping for a raw zoodle entree. Have a cashew allergy or just dislike them? You can replace them with raw almonds, but make sure to use slivered almonds, as whole almonds don’t yield as creamy a consistency. Cashews are commonly used to make vegan and raw vegan cheeses, which is why we decided to use them. Just make sure to soak them for an hour or two prior to blending. That will soften them and allow for easier blending.

For this recipe, we highly recommend using a food processor, as a blender may not be able to do the job effectively. Because this is ricotta cheese, you want the blended mixture to retain some texture. For this reason, keep an eye on the ingredients during while you blend them. If you end up with a super creamy spread, don’t think that you have wasted ingredients. You can still enjoy the spread, which will be more of a creamy sauce. Ricotta cheese tends to have some curds, giving it a lumpy texture. To get a similar texture with cashews, blend for 30 seconds at a time. Scrape down the sides of the processor each time and repeat until you achieve a texture that appeases you.

Finally, if you feel the need to add a little pizzazz to this cashew ricotta, you can do so with the following measurements:

• Fresh chopped herbs: Add 1/3 cup of cilantro, dill, or basil
• Pepper: Add one teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes for spice
• Fresh chopped garlic: Add one or two cloves of minced garlic

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Onyika’s Cucumber Dill Salad.

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Sometimes, you need a quick and easy salad dressing to dress your entree or side salad. A creamy dressing, especially if it is raw vegan, usually contains cashews because help create a smooth consistency. This creamy cilantro dressing uses raw sunflower seeds in place of cashews, making this dressing friendly for anyone with a nut allergy. It requires a mere five to 10 minutes of your time and five simple ingredients, some or most of which you probably already have in your kitchen.

Why did we choose sunflower seeds for this dressing? Sunflower seeds have a milder flavor when compared to cashews. They also contain essential nutrients, such as selenium, zinc, folate, vitamin E, and vitamins B5 and B6, in addition to many more. Fresh lemon juice is a great addition to most salad dressing recipes because it adds a refreshing zest. Not to mention, it provides a healthy dose of vitamin C and helps promote alkalinity within the body.

Now, for the star of the show, we have the cilantro, which colors the dressing a vibrant green. If you are one of those people that has an aversion to cilantro because it tastes like soap, we feel sorry for you. That said, you can choose another herb, such as basil or parsley, to use in place of cilantro. The flavor will change, but all of the other ingredients work with both of those herbs. You can even use dill if you want, but dill has a stronger flavor, so just keep that in mind.

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Isn’t it wonderful when you have a bright and zesty dressing that you can whip up in a matter of minutes? It’s almost as though this dressing is a big dill! Cue knee-slapping dad to enter laughing. Yes, it’s the exact person you’re picturing. Anyways….Let’s get down to flavors.

A homemade vinaigrette is so much better than any store bought dressing you’ll purchase for many reasons. First off, store bought dressings don’t contain added sugars, hydrogenated oils, unhealthy fats, and other preservatives. Secondly, you can use ingredients that may go bad in the near future. That’s how we developed this vinaigrette recipe.

This is a super simple vinaigrette that has some texture. The reason for that is because you don’t blend the ingredients. If you prefer a smoother salad dressing, feel free to blend the ingredients, but sometimes it’s nice to have a chunky vinaigrette. You get a little crunch from the finely diced shallots and chopped dill. What’s great about it, besides the intoxicatingly delicious flavor, is that you can put it on more than just a salad. We really love this on a potato salad, but you can’t enjoy that if you’re still cleansing.

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If you love Mediterranean food, then you are going to love this recipe. Spiced to perfection, this cauliflower shawarma bowl shows you that vegan entrees are filling, tasty, and may sway you away from meat-centric options. Serve the roasted cauliflower over rice and with optional sides, such as cucumbers, roasted chickpeas, chopped tomatoes, fresh herbs, and vegan tzatziki.

To get that classic shawarma flavor, you have to mix several spices together. Curry powder, paprika, cumin, and an optional dash of cayenne pepper take this cauliflower to the next level. To get the perfect cook on the cauliflower, roasting is the way to go. Roasting perfectly crisps up the exterior of the florets, while bringing out the veggie’s natural flavor. Plus, roasting cauliflower helps establish two textures: caramelized on the outside and soft on the inside.

Should you so desire, add a can of chickpeas to the cauliflower and roast both of them together in the spice mixture. While the cauliflower is roasting, cook the rice and prepare the vegan tzatziki sauce. The key to a great tzatziki is to grate the cucumber with the skin on and then strain the water out through a cheesecloth or fine mesh sieve. That step will keep your sauce nice and thick, as opposed to watery. It pairs beautifully with the roasted cauliflower and rice.

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It’s easy to say that a nutritious bowl of raw vegetables is nutritious. How do you turn a bunch of raw vegetables into a delicious dish, though? Some people say that it’s easier said than done, but say, “No problem.” If you have some vegetables and don’t want to eat another salad on the raw vegan diet, a great alternative is a raw soup. Additionally, this soup is a great alternative if you have extra zucchini don’t want to eat zoodle dishes any more.

Just like making a smoothie, all you have to do is cut up your vegetables and blend them together. Unlike a smoothie, you will add a few things that would not taste great slurping through a straw. For example, this raw soup contains fresh dill, garlic cloves, coconut aminos, and sea salt. The best advice we can give you is to use the fresh dill, not dried dill. The soup will be much less aromatic and flavorful without that fresh herb. We promise you that it is 100% worth it to seek out fresh dill, even if you have the dried version in your spice rack.

One piece of advice that we have for you is that you may want to wait to make this soup until the weather is a little warmer. It can be very refreshing when the sun is out. A pro raw vegan tip is to blend the soup for a few minutes on high to naturally warm it up. Don’t worry, this does not cook the vegetables; rather, the high-speed revolutions can naturally warm up the blended mixture. This is just something to consider if you take a liking to raw soups like this one.

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Are you ready to embark on a flavorful adventure to the Mediterranean? This salad will make your taste buds stand up and scream, “Opa!” A Mediterranean salad, or shirazi salad, is vibrantly colored and packed with bright, citrusy, and satisfying flavors. The acidic, juicy burst from the tomato pairs with the crisp cucumber. Hold onto your fork, though, because the flavors don’t stop there.

Although red onion has an assertive flavor, it doesn’t overpower the rest of the ingredient in the salad. In fact, the brightness from the three different herbs, in addition to the fresh lemon juice, tame that signature allium flavor. What you are left with is a combination of crunchy and juice textures that makes each bite more enjoyable than the last. It’s as if the flavors dance on your palate!

To achieve the perfect Mediterranean salad, we encourage you to cut the cucumber, onion, and tomatoes in uniform size. Doing so helps every bite burst with flavor. Plus, it makes for an easy and enjoyable eating experience. Speaking of chopping, do not over chop your herbs. Give the parsley, mint, and dill a quick chop and then add them to the salad bowl. A light toss in the olive oil and lemon juice will be perfect. Allow the flavors to marinate for about 15 minutes in the fridge and then enjoy. We hope you love it!

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Here’s the scenario: you go to the store to get groceries for a recipe you want to make in a few days. You buy the necessary protein, grains, vegetables, or herbs to create your perfect dish. You bring these groceries home and store them. In a few days time, you pull out the ingredients to create your culinary masterpiece. There is just one problem: the herbs you purchased are slimy, brown, and no longer usable. 

Know What You’re Working With

There are two types of herbs: soft herbs and hardy herbs. In order to make these herbs last, you have to store them differently. Before you learn how to store herbs, you have to know how to differentiate hardy from soft herbs. Fortunately, this is very easy.

• Soft herbs have tender stems and delicate green leaves. The stems are edible and may taste slightly bitter. Some common soft herbs include cilantro, dill, mint, parsley, and basil.
• Hardy herbs have woody stems, which you should not chop up or eat. They do not have a pleasant taste and the flavor you want is from the leaves. Examples of hardy herbs are oregano, thyme, and rosemary. 

With the exception of basil (more on this later), most fresh herbs should be stored in the fridge. In order to make your hard or soft herbs last long in the fridge, though, you have to store them properly. That requires a small amount of preparation.

Why Do Herbs Go Bad?

If your herbs start to smell funny or the leaves turn dark, slimy, or moldy, you have to throw them out. There are a few reasons why they go bad, though, and we’ll detail them below:

• It’s possible that you chose herbs that were already going bad in the grocery store. Make sure to select herb bunches that do not have any wilted or discolored leaves. They should be very vibrant in color without any limp, discolored stems. Always do the sniff test to see if they have a pungent, fresh aroma. 
• Herbs can take a turn for the worse when exposed to too much oxygen or light. An environment with too much oxygen causes herbs to brown quickly, while too much light can lead to yellowing leaves. 
• If you do not pat the herbs dry before you store them, they will quickly become slimy and start to rot. If the leaves are too dry, they can turn brown and die. 
• Temperature is probably the main reason herbs go bad. If you store herbs in areas of the fridge that are too cold, such as the back of the top shelf, they can freeze and start to become mushy and brown. 

How To Store Soft Herbs In The Fridge

As a quick note, always wash your herbs before you store them. Some people have their own opinions about this because washing them adds moisture, which can cause them to decay. Bacteria can remain on the herbs if you don’t wash them. Just wash and dry your herbs before you put them in the fridge. 

• Remove any rubber bands or fastenings that secure your herbs in their bundles when you buy them. These things can damage your herbs. 
• Wash soft herbs in cool water to remove dirt and grime. You can do this in a large bowl until the water runs clear. 
• Dry the leaves well in a salad spinner or by putting them on paper towels/linens and then patting them dry.
• Trim about one inch from the bottoms of the stems. 
• Add the herbs stem side down in water, just like you would a bouquet of flowers. Fill a large glass about one-third of the way with water and place the herbs in the jar. Make sure the leaves do not touch the water.
• Cover herbs and the jars of water they are in with recycled bags, tucking the bags under the glass to create a tent. 
• Place them just like this in the fridge, changing the water every few days to extend longevity.

What About Basil?

Unlike cilantro, parsley, or mint, basil is very delicate and not meant for the fridge. Trim the basil stems at a 45-degree angle about one inch from the bottom. Fill a jar about half-way with water and put the basil bunch in the water, ensuring the leaves don’t touch the water. Cover with a plastic bag so that it loosely fits over the bundle in the jar. Store at room temperature and trim the stems/change the water every few days. 

How To Store Hardy Herbs

Just like soft herbs, you can store hardy herbs in the fridge. Begin by washing the herbs to remove any grime or bacteria before you do anything else, and then follow these next steps:

• Once you wash and pat the hardy herbs dry, trim about an inch off the stems. Wrap or roll the herbs in damp paper towels so that you cover them completely. 
• Place the wrapped herbs in plastic sandwich bags and store them in the fridge. 
• Without special care, hardy herbs tend to last longer in the fridge than soft herbs do. You can store them in a plastic container in the fridge if you don’t want to use plastic bags. 
• If you keep these herbs in the little plastic containers they are often sold in, they’ll last about one week in the fridge.

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