There are days when I am just too lazy to make iced tea. It's also not uncommon for me to struggle with how to come up with ways to use the unpredictable contents of our farm-share box. Often I am looking for a drink with dinner that is refreshing and caffeine-free. My go-to alternative and new favorite summer drink is cucumber water. It seems we always have a cuc or two on hand and there's a pot of fresh mint outside my back door. Lemons are my summer cooking staple so I always add some fresh-squeezed lemon juice. I don't dump in slices because we don't drink a whole batch in one sitting and the slices make the drink go bitter.
My beverage of choice for lunch is home-brewed iced tea. The problem is we run out mid-week and I have nothing for my lunch bag. The break room at the office has tea bags, so sometimes I will make it up in a spare bottle or jar that I bring in. I keep a bottle of lemon juice for this in the break room fridge. While cucumber water isn't my first choice at lunch (I like a little mid-day caffeine), I sometimes bring it. If it's not already made up it is easy to toss a few slices and some mint into a jar in the morning and fill it with water to make a portable beverage.
I'll do anything to stay away from purchasing beverages in order to avoid excessive sweeteners (artificial or not). Chemicals and preservatives are also off my list. I could buy bottled beverages in the "market" the office stocks (which I get $7 a week for from my employer), but I prefer to bring my own.
Cucumbers are cheap and abundant right now and I think we need to drink to that!
OK, you've got me. What on earth is cucumber water? Do you grind up the cucumbers in a blender? Do you just put slices of cucumber in water? Never heard of this concoction!
ReplyDeleteI peel the cuke in strips to leave half the peel on. Then I slice. Toss into water (about a third of the pitcher), add a few mint leaves, squeeze in some fresh lemon, then fill the pitcher with water and set in the fridge. The flavor of the cucs leach out into the water and it tastes clean and fresh! I know you will love it if you give it a try. When we're done, I give the pup the soaked pieces left behind.
DeleteThanks for the directions! Sounds very interesting. I don't have any mint, but I could use catnip! :-)
DeleteMost of the time I forget the mint and you will be fine without it!
DeleteYour dog eats cucumber? What do you spend your $7 on? I detest cucumber, so I would just use instant tea if I did not like water so much. Yes, Lipton Instant Tea is an acquired taste, I don't drink refrigerated tea or tea left on the counter all night. So, if I have to have tea, it is instant here are home.
ReplyDeleteYour drink sounds like it has healthy elements instead of chemicals. Good for you.
I usually don't spend my 7 bucks at all, but every so often, I forget or don't have lunch and will buy a sandwich and a bag of chips. That generally happens on a Friday. On Friday's everything is 20% off, but also not super fresh! They do have doughnuts from my favorite place and ice cream treats, but I have yet to succumb!
DeleteOh yes, and the dog eats anything. I can peel a cucumber and give her the peels and she will eat them!
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