Vegan Cooking Tips
Cool Cucumber Concepts
By Nancy Berkoff, RD, EdD, CCE
Cucumbers are delicious to eat, not to mention refreshing inside and out! When you go to the market, choose cucumbers that are smaller, have even coloring, and have firm tips. Older cucumbers tend to be longer and have softened tips; they may have tough seeds and may not be juicy. Persian-style and English-style cucumbers generally have very small seeds and an edible peel. They don't have as long a shelf life as "traditional" cucumbers, but they tend to be easier to digest and provide a higher yield, as nothing is discarded. Cucumbers have a high water content, so plan to store them in a cool place so they don't dry out.
Cucumbers don't take a lot of preparation. You'll want to wash them, cut a thin slice, and taste to see if you would like to leave the peel on. Then, you can use them in many ways, so be certain to keep enough fresh ones on hand to use throughout your menu:
- On a hot day, turn leftover tomato soup into a fast gazpacho by adding diced cucumbers and either a dash of hot sauce or some minced chilies.
- Blend ripe avocados until smooth, thin with some soy or almond milk, stir in minced cucumbers, and add either chopped grapes or mangoes for a creamy, cold soup.
- If you purchase some ready-to-eat macaroni or pasta salad, potato salad, tabbouleh, or fattoosh, you may want to add some minced cucumber. You can create a falafel salad, combining leftover, cold, chopped falafel with chopped cucumbers and a dressing of your choice.
- Purée cucumbers in a blender or food processor, mix with lime juice, and add chili powder if you like. Freeze the mixture as ice cubes for beverages or white wine, or use it as a refreshing sorbet or individual popsicles.
Sliced Cucumbers
One of the most common cucumber preparations is a simple slice. You can peel the cucumbers or leave the peel on before you begin slicing them, depending on your preference. Add sliced cucumbers to ready-to-eat burritos, sub sandwiches, or falafel for extra crunch. If you have some wonderful bread available, a cucumber and tomato sandwich, lightly dressed with vegan mayonnaise or hummus, is a delight. Plus, leftover cucumber slices can be added to cold water or iced tea.
Here are some tasty sliced cucumber pairing ideas:
- Cucumber, tomato, and red onion
- Cucumber, sesame seeds, and nori
- Cucumber, avocado, and garlic
- Cucumber, scallions, and parsley
- Cucumber, vegan sour cream, and dill
- Cucumber, vegan yogurt, and basil or cilantro
Cucumbers for Salads
Cucumbers can play a supporting role in salads or can be the main event:
- Chopped cucumbers, watermelon, and red onions, sprinkled with balsamic vinegar and either nutritional yeast or crumbled vegan cheese
- Diced cucumbers, halved cherry tomatoes or diced salad tomatoes, cubed avocado, and croutons
- Chopped cucumbers, black olives, cooked and chilled pasta, and either crumbled smoked tofu or veggie crumbles
- Diced cucumbers tossed with fresh dill and either plain vegan yogurt or vegan sour cream mixed with lime juice
- Sliced cucumbers mixed with fresh or roasted fennel and garlic paste
- Diced cucumbers tossed with garlic and ginger paste, minced fresh chilies or bell peppers, and shredded carrots
- Thinly sliced cucumbers and radishes, sprinkled with vinegar, organic brown sugar, and red pepper flakes
Asian-Inspired Ideas
When you have a bit of time and want to practice your knife skills, you may want to try some Asian-style cucumber preparations:
- Cut cucumbers into matchsticks (approximately 1 inch x 1/4 inch), and you can use them along with cold rice, a sprinkle of vegan sweetener, and a light vinegar to create fast sushi. Use nori as a wrapperÂ… You are ready to go!
- Toss your matchsticks with crumbled nori, rice vinegar, toasted sesame seeds, and sesame oil. Instead of the sesame oil, you can prepare a light dressing with soy sauce and citrus juice, such as tangerine or grapefruit.
- Try a diced cucumber salad tossed with diced fresh or canned pineapple, vinegar, minced chilies, and a bit of vegan sweetener for a Malaysian-style cucumber salad.
- Use a vegetable peeler to create long cucumber ribbons and toss with rice vinegar, a small amount of oil, white pepper, and a dash of hot sauce for an Asian cucumber-based salad.
