Cucumbers

Keep cool with this refreshing vegetable

Best choice
Choose firm cucumbers with smooth, bright skins and no signs of shriveling or soft spots. Refrigerate in a plastic bag with holes poked in it for up to five days.

Cut & clean
Wash just before using. Don’t waste time peeling unless the cucumber is waxed. For more flavour, score the skin with a fork before slicing. Remove the seeds from large cucumbers since the seeds become bitter over time.

In a gherkin
Whip up fresh pickles for your next picnic or barbecue: Slice pickles and combine with water, vinegar, and a little salt.

Super side dish
Add cucumbers to any tossed salad, or combine slices with thinly sliced red onion, fat-free yoghurt, and fresh dill.


Also indexed as: English Cucumber, Pickling Cucumber

Preparation, uses, and tips

Wash cucumbers just before using. Unless the skin is waxed, the cucumber doesn’t require peeling; for more flavour, score the skin with the tines of a fork before slicing. The seeds become bitter as the cucumber ages, so remove the seeds from larger cucumbers. Add cucumbers to any tossed salad, or combine cucumber slices with thinly sliced red onion, fat-free yoghurt, and fresh dill. For a fresh gherkin, slice and combine with water, vinegar, and a little salt.

Buying and storing tips

Cucumbers can be found in the fruits and vegetables section of health food stores and supermarkets. Choose firm cucumbers with smooth, bright skins and no signs of shriveling or soft spots. Refrigerate them in a plastic bag with holes poked in it for up to five days.

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Varieties

Cucumbers vary somewhat in size; table cumbers are larger, pickling cucumbers are smaller. English or hothouse cucumbers, sometimes called “burpless,” may be a foot or more long.

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Nutrition Highlights

Cucumber (raw), 1 cup (peeled, sliced) (119g)
Calories: 14
Protein: 1g
Carbohydrate: 3g
Total Fat: 0g
Fiber: 1g

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