English Cucumber Noodle Salad with Avocado Dill Dressing

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~ raw, vegan, gluten-free, nut-free ~

This is a wonderful refreshing salad.  It won’t leave you feeling heavy, and it will leave you feeling hydrated! After all, cucumbers are 90% water!

The English cucumber goes by many names; the burpless cucumber, European cucumber, hothouse cucumber, seedless cucumber, gourmet cucumber or the greenhouse cucumber.

They are usually around 12″ long and tend to cost a bit more than the standard cucumber.  Their price tag comes with benefits; it has is less conspicuous seeds, thinner skin, and is wrapped in a plastic wrapper, instead of a wax coating, which improves the shelf life.

The typical “garden slicer cucumbers” that you see in the grocery store have a waxy skin that is tougher, thicker and more bitter tasting than an English cucumber.  They also have more seeds which make them “watery.”  That is why when I am creating noodles with cucumbers, I always recommend and use the English variety.

I got carried away and peeled this cucumber when I made this recipe, but I typically don’t.  Not sure what I was thinking.  With English cucumbers, go ahead and leave the skin on.  It is rich in insoluble fiber, which can help keep you regular and feeling satiated. It’s also an excellent source of beta-carotene, a type of vitamin A.  (Side note… Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin. Therefore, you need to eat fat with it in order for your body to absorb, hence the perfect pairing with avocado. :)

If you remove the peel, you will lose half the amount of vitamin K that a cucumber has to offer.  BUT only eat the peel IF it is organic.  If you can only use conventionally grown cucumbers, it is best to remove the skin since they are often coated with a synthetic wax that can contain unwanted chemicals and pesticides.

Get the Burp out of Here!

I know what some of you are going to say…. “I don’t eat cucumbers because they cause me gastrointestinal distress such as indigestion and/or burping. You’re not alone.  It has to do with a substance found within them called cucurbitacin which causes both bitterness and gas.  This again is mainly found in the skin and is more concentrated in the ends of the cuc.  If you are eating the standard garden-variety cucumber, they say it is good to remove some of the outer flesh to reduce the cucurbitacin. Again another reason why I turn to the English cucumber.  SEEDS!!!

Ingredients:

yields 1 serving

• 1 large English cucumber
• 1 medium ripe avocado
• 2 Tbsp raw coconut vinegar
• 2-3 Tbsp fresh dill – to taste
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp Himalayan pink salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 2 Tbsp small diced red bell pepper
• 5 yellow cherry tomatoes

Preparation:

1. Spiralize the cucumber into large ribbons.  Spread out on a paper towel while you make the dressing, dabbing any excess water from the noodles.
   • I recommend using English Cucumber because they have fewer seeds and water in them, which makes it easier to spiralize.
   • If you don’t own a spiralizer, you can use a potato peeler, creating fettuccine style noodles.  As you twist the cucumber while you peel, stop when you hit the seeds.
2. In the small bowl attachment to the food processor, combine the avocado, vinegar, dill, oregano, salt and black pepper.  Process until creamy.
3. Place the noodles and sauce in a large bowl.   Gently mix, making sure the noodles are well coated.
4. Mix in the diced red pepper and tomatoes.
5. Serve right away!

Tags: Dairy Free, Gluten Free, No Dehydration Required, Nut Free, Refined Sugar Free, Soy Free, sugar free, Vegan