Cucumber: nutrients, uses and fresh recipes

Cucumber is back in full force at market stalls, and that’s great news! Affordable, quick and easy to prepare, it’s one of the staples of spring and summer. With its high water content and very few calories, it has its place on a balanced plate. Find out what it contains, then try five fresh, light recipes: a mousse, a tzatziki, a gazpacho, a sweet-and-savoury salad and a couscous.

What’s in a cucumber?

Cucumber contains a high water content — around 95% of its weight. It’s very low in calories and won’t add a single gram of guilt! Its fibre content is found mainly in its skin, and cucumber also contains some vitamins and minerals. If you keep the skin on, wash it well; if you find it hard to digest, peel it. And finally, it’s a vegetable like any other: it’s the variety on your plate that counts, not one food in particular.

All of these qualities make it easy to fit into a varied diet — so don’t hesitate to put it on the menu regularly!

To help you incorporate cucumber into your meals without getting bored of it, here are 5 delicious, fresh and light recipes…

Cucumber mousse

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 cucumbers
• 400 g fromage blanc
• 100 ml semi-skimmed milk
• Lemon
• Spring onion
• Parsley, tarragon
• 4 gelatine leaves
• Salt, pepper

Method

1. Start by soaking the gelatine leaves in a small bowl of cold water.
2. Meanwhile, peel the cucumbers and slice them, then place them in a colander and sprinkle with salt to draw out the moisture. Leave for an hour, then rinse briefly and pat dry.
3. Next, heat the milk and stir in the gelatine until dissolved.
4. Blend together the milk, fromage blanc, lemon zest and juice, spring onion, herbs and, of course, the cucumber!
5. Pour the mixture into a non-stick mould and leave to set in the fridge for at least 12 hours.
6. Serve in generous slices, garnished with fresh herbs, for a delicious starter.

Cucumber and courgette tzatziki

Serves 2

Ingredients

• ½ cucumber
• ½ courgette
• 1 pot of 0% fromage blanc
• ½ clove of garlic
• A few chives
• Salt, pepper

Method

1. Wash the cucumber and courgette, remove the seeds, then cut into small cubes.
2. Finely chop the garlic and chives.
3. In a bowl, mix together the fromage blanc, garlic, chives, cucumber and courgette.
4. Season with salt and pepper, mix well, then place your tzatziki in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
5. Enjoy it as a dip with vegetable sticks or spread on wholegrain bread.

Cucumber, pepper and tomato gazpacho

Serves 2

Ingredients

• ½ cucumber
• ½ red pepper
• 2 tomatoes
• ¼ onion
• 1 slice of wholegrain sandwich bread
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp vinegar
• Salt, pepper

Method

1. Wash the tomatoes, pepper, cucumber and peeled onion, then cut them into large chunks.
2. Place the vegetables in a blender and blend until smooth.
3. Add the bread and blend again.
4. Add the oil, vinegar, salt and pepper, then blend for a few more seconds.
5. Divide your gazpacho between 2 bowls and chill for at least 2 hours.
6. Enjoy your cucumber, pepper and tomato gazpacho with a slice of toasted wholegrain bread.

Strawberry and cucumber salad

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 1 cucumber
• 250 g strawberries
• 1 tsp coarse salt
• 1 tbsp vinegar
• 1 tsp honey

Method

1. In a small bowl, mix the vinegar with the coarse salt.
2. Once the salt has dissolved, add the honey and mix again.
3. Peel the cucumber and cut into small cubes.
4. Toss the cucumber with the vinegar mixture.
5. Wash, hull and cut the strawberries into small pieces.
6. In a salad bowl, combine the strawberries and cucumber, then divide between 2 glasses.
7. Sprinkle with coarse salt and enjoy!

Cucumber couscous

Ingredients

• 200 g couscous
• 1 tin of 150 g tuna in spring water
• 1 cucumber
• A few tomatoes
• 80 g black olives
• 1 red onion
• 2 organic lemons
• 6 sprigs of parsley
• Olive oil

Method

1. Start by draining the tuna, then break it into chunks and place in a bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
2. Wash a lemon, cut it in half, then squeeze one half into a bowl to collect the juice. Drizzle the tuna with the juice of half a lemon.
3. Wash the cucumber. Use a peeler to shave thin ribbons from it, then dice the rest into small cubes.
4. Wash the tomatoes, cut them in half, remove the seeds and slice into rounds.
5. Peel the onion and finely chop it.
6. Pit the olives and slice them into thin rounds.
7. Cook the couscous, then leave to cool and refrigerate for 2 hours.
8. To plate up, top the couscous with the cucumber, tomatoes, tuna, onion and olives, then sprinkle with chopped parsley and add the lemon juice. Ready to serve — enjoy!

Don’t forget: a complete routine combines a varied diet, regular physical activity and cupping massage with your Cellublue Cup.

If you’d like to go further, Cellublue also offers a food supplement programme combining our drink mix and the Capsules, to be followed as directed on the product pages. A food supplement is not a substitute for a varied, balanced diet or a healthy lifestyle: stick to the daily dose stated on the packaging, and ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or taking medication.

Related articles

• July fruits and vegetables: what you need to know
• Vegan Dishes: Best Light & Tasty Recipes
• Oats: composition, uses and recipe ideas

Useful categories: Anti-Cellulite Diet.