cucumbers

Cucumber Water, Simple

Ingredients
1 cucumber
water

Directions
1. Halve a cucumber lengthwise and cut into ½ inch slices. Simply combine cucumber and water in large pitcher and let steep for 1 hour. Add mint leaves and lemon or lime wedges for an added zing.
2. Serve over ice.

 

Summer is just around the corner, and staying hydrated should be number one on your list. We need just a few things in this world to survive and the basics are: food, water, and air. In considering this it is important to make wise decisions on how we feed our bodies. Our bodies are approximately 60% water and therefore we MUST hydrate by consuming a certain amount of water each day. Some of the water that we need to consume can come from food! There are lots of options when shopping for foods that contain boatloads of water. My number one go to veggie is the cucumber. The cucumber is 95% water. It helps keeps the body hydrated while helping to eliminate toxins. Since our farmers do not use harmful pesticides it is safe to eat the skins, which contain a good amount of vitamin C, so be sure to leave those skins on! They are also a good source of B vitamins. So if you need a little pick me up in the middle of the day skip the caffeine and eat a cucumber. Cucumber salads, cucumbers for dipping, even better make cucumber water. Here are two different ways to prepare Supper Hydration Cucumber Water!

 

Pickles

Bruce Logue's amazing pickels added a lighter counterbalance to his porchetta sandwich,
and made for a great chip dip.

Ingredients
5 heads fennel
3 cucumbers
1 quart water
1 cup white wine vinegar
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup salt
2 garlic cloves smashed
2 sprigs thyme

Directions
1. Combine the water, vinegar, salt and spices and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and allow to steep for 3 minutes.
2. Slice the cucumbers and fennel to desired thickness and pour the hot liquid over.
3. Allow to cool to room temp. and store for a day before using.