Discover the Health Benefits of Cucumbers and Try a Refreshing Cucumber Sorbet
Learn about the numerous health benefits of cucumbers, including their cancer-fighting properties. Try a delicious and easy cucumber sorbet recipe made with honey and lemon juice.
My soft spot for plants has gotten me into trouble more than once. I planted 6 cucumber seeds this spring, in the event several didn’t make it to full-sized sprawling vines. However the cucumbers heroically prevailed over the bugs and heat, and I didn’t have the heart to pull any out after they survived such odds. This is why we now have a 30 foot wall of cucumber vines that can probably be seen from space. Again.
We ate cucumbers until we couldn’t look at them anymore. I made so many pickles my dill went extinct. 10 pounds of them went into relish that I canned for the winter, and still more came. Our 3 neighbors are so sick of being given bags of cucumbers so heavy that the handles are in danger of snapping off, they no longer come over to visit. So now what?
“Cucumbers contain high amounts of Cucurbitacin B (CuB) — a naturally occurring plant compound gaining attention for its effect on cancer cells.” 1
In my research to find more interesting ways to eat cucumber, I discovered they are not only full of vitamins and antioxidants, but they also strengthens bones, help prevent cancer, improve gut health and more. What’s more, they are technically a fruit, and you know what that means. Dessert!
I didn’t want to ruin all those health benefits, so any recipe that called for dumping in a pound of sugar was out. I liked the idea of a sorbet, made with honey, and no ice cream maker. It’s a simple, three ingredient summer dessert that’s surprisingly refreshing and won the approval of my yoga class.
Cucumber Sorbet
Yield: 1 quart
1.5 lbs cucumber
200g honey
3 Tbsp lemon juice
1-2 tsp alcohol (optional, see note)
Peel approximately 2-3 medium-large cucumbers. Slice in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Chop into half-inch wide pieces and arrange them on a large cookie sheet in a single layer. Freeze them for 4-6 hours, or overnight.
Work in two batches unless you have a very large food processor. Add half the frozen cucumber to a food processor, and while it’s running, drizzle in half the honey and lemon juice. Stop and scrape down the sides and check there are no large cucumber pieces left. Taste and adjust sweetness.
Once smooth, transfer it to a bowl or container and process the last batch in the same way. Stir the two batches together in a large container for consistency.
Store in the freezer after your taste-testers approve.
Note: The alcohol, such as a flavored liqueur, gin or vodka prevents the sorbet from completely freezing. If you have kids and do not add alcohol, allow the sorbet to thaw on the counter for a few minutes before serving.
After making this for the first time, it was hard not to see sorbet everywhere I looked in my garden. I can attest that cantaloupe sorbet is also fantastic.
