Have an abundance of cucumbers and need some fresh ideas? These 4 creative cucumber uses will help you use up your bumper crop of cucumbers.
This has been a great year for my cucumber patch! We started off a bit later than normal, but I seem to be picking cucumbers daily now. I have five or six sitting on my counter just waiting to be used.
Note: Matt’s favorite way to use extra cucumbers are these simple and delicious refrigerator pickles!
We’ve had so many cucumber salads lately that I think it’s time to find a new use for our bumper crop. Below are just a few ideas on how to use up some of your extras. If you have a favorite way that I didn’t mention, please share it with me in the comments. I’m always excited when I get to try a new cucumber recipe for eating or beauty!
Cucumber Uses
1. Make a Cucumber Spa
This is probably one of the easiest ways to use up extra cucumbers. We’ve all seen the cucumber over the eye trick at the spa, but there is more than one way to use cucumbers for DIY beauty recipes. It’s true that cucumbers can help reduce puffiness and add moisture to the skin, which makes them great additions to face masks, eye treatments, or even baths.
Since cucumbers are mainly water, using a food processor or blender to puree them makes the perfect consistency for a face mask. Add some yogurt or honey and you have a deeply moisturizing mask in minutes. Simply spread on the face and allow to sit for 10-20 minutes, then wash off gently with water.
Another way to use them is to add finely chopped cucumber peels to sugar for an exfoliating body scrub or place peels in the bath for extra moisture and a light aroma.
2. Drink Cucumber Infused Water
Getting enough water in the summer is critical. I normally reach my water goals each day, but sometimes it is nice to have flavored water to help get me there. Over this past summer, one of my favorite uses for cucumber is drinking cucumber water! It is really refreshing and takes just a few minutes to make. I leave mine in the refrigerator so that it is always ready to go.
To make cucumber-infused water, simply chop one large cucumber into slices and place it in a gallon pitcher. Then add enough water to fill the pitcher and leave in the refrigerator for several hours. I typically leave mine in overnight or at least 4 hours before removing the cucumbers.
You can add so many different things to change the flavor of the water, from mint leaves to lemons, various fruits, and even other spices! I typically will add lemon slices and fresh ginger to my cucumber water.
3. Try a New Cucumber Uses Recipe
I know I said I was sick of salads, but there are SO MANY different things that can be made with cucumbers. From pickles to dips, salads to smoothies, cucumbers really go well in so many dishes.
If you are looking for a new cucumber recipe, try one of these:
- A Delicious Sweet Pickle Relish Recipe for Summer
- Refrigerator Pickles: A Simple Way To Pickle Cucumbers (Matt’s favorite cucumber uses)
- Cucumber Lemon Water and Other Summer Recipes
- Unusual Jam Recipes: From Bourbon to Watermelon.
4. Save Cucumber Seeds
Did you know that you can save cucumber seeds for next year? It is a simple process with just a few steps, but it will save you from having to buy seeds in the spring. It also may allow for better plants next year as the seeds were grown in the same environment in which they will be planted next year.
You’ll want to let the cucumbers get big and fully vine-ripened before picking them for seeds. They should come off the vine pretty easily when they are ready.
Here is a great tutorial on exactly how to save seeds from cucumber plants from SeedSavers.org.
What other cucumber uses do you employ when dealing with a bumper crop of cucumbers?
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Source: DIY Natural – Food
