Little MouseKitchen: Cucumbers, Lemons, & 2 Healthy Changes

Summer time! Hot, sunshiny days and warm,clear nights. This year seems like summer weather that I remember as a kid. "Make hay while the sun shines." was more than a saying. It was what we did day in and day out. The hotter and sunnier the better. Bales upon bales would go up the hay elevator into the mow to keep the cows bedded and fed for the winter. Dry weather was the best and the bales were lighter and somewhat easier to move. There were always thermoses of water, ice tea, lemonade, and "Switchel" to drink in between loads. "Switchel" was a drink that was passed down from generation to generation and what was drunk before soda or lemonade became common beverages. It was refreshing and cool and quenched your thirst without giving a stomach ache.

This summer quickly became the summer of healthy changes after some health issues cropped up. One of the changes that needed to be made was to drink more water. Cut the caffeine loaded diet sodas, alcoholic beverages, and drink more water. I don't mean to sound ungrateful for my cold, clean, well water, but after a while the plain water just was not calling my name. I was sick of it. How to add flavor without adding calories and sugar? I thought of the Switchel I had as a kid and fruit infused water that you get when you go to a spa.
I opened the 'fridge and looked. I had an abundance of cucumbers, lemons, and berries. I took some pint and quart sized mason jars and sliced some lemons and cucumbers to start. I put them in the bottom of the mason jar, put in some ice cubes to hold everything down, and filled the jar with water. I covered the jar put it in the 'fridge for an hour or so. When I opened the fridge, I saw a serving size jar ready filled with fruit and cold liquid. Opening the jar I tasted. Subtle, not sweet, cold, and flavorful! This was it! I then started experimenting with different flavors. Blueberry and lemon, peach and a sprig of thyme, strawberry and thyme, mango, and lime and cucumber. Change number 1 accomplished! Fruit infused water!

Change number 2 was to cut carbs and eat a lower carb and sodium diet. Add to that drink more water and I was anticipating food hell. Boring, tasteless, uninspired, which is sad during the harvest season. Again, I went to the fridge and garden for inspiration. I had cucumbers....LOTS of them.
My favorite way to eat a cucumber was in a cucumber sandwich. Whole wheat bread, smear of mayo, garlic salt, and fresh cucumbers. Well, cut the mayo, take out the garlic salt, and that was NOT what I wanted....

Cucumber Mango Salsa.When there are plenty of tomatoes in the garden, I make fresh salsa....cucumber salsa....less sweet than relish and will pack plenty of flavor and use up my cucumbers! I knew mango and cucumber went together so I started chopping. I had mango, cucumber, onion, jalapeno, and cilantro. Chopping, mixing, tasting = WINNER! Fresh, sweet, crunchy and delicious. We had it on grilled chicken, grilled pita, and grilled fish. It made eating low carb easy. I would go to the fridge, grab the bowl and a spoon and eat my veggies, that WAS what I wanted!!