Lemon Cucumber Water

Sick of drinking plain water?  Haven't quite mastered the art of tea drinking?  No more black coffee for you?  Try this fresh, tasty Lemon Cucumber water that they serve in very high end spas around the world!  Drink this while sitting in your Detox Bath to keep you nice and refreshed.  Here is one fancy drink you can indulge yourself with during your Phase 2!  Sick of lemons?  Leave them out, it is very good without them too.

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Lemon Cucumber Water

1glass  water pitcher

1 gallon cold water  

1/2 cucumber, sliced

1 lemon, sliced

small handful of fresh mint leaves (optional)

Place all the ingredients into a pitcher, let sit in your refrigerator for 1 hour up to overnight.  Serve over ice for a cool and very refreshing drink.  Will keep a few days in the refrigerator.

Options:  Try replacing the lemon with a few slices of oranges, grapefruits, strawberries or apples!  Try other herbs you have around you as well, Sweet Basil, Rosemary or Lavender would be so good..

Mexican Cucumber Salsa

Happy Cinco de Mayo! 

Don't let your Phase 2 successes get in the way of celebrating.  Make some stevia sweetened lemonade with a few chopped up mint leaves for a "Faux-jito".  Marinade some shrimp or any other meat with this Taco Seasonings, serve with this Cucumber Salsa!

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Mexican Cucumber Salsa
(Serves 1)
1 whole cucumber, diced into small cubes
2 TB cilantro, chopped
1 TB red wine vinegar

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp garlic, minced

1/4 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp celtic sea salt

1/8 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
Add a drop or two of stevia if you desire

In a bowl, toss together the cucumber, red wine vinegar and cilantro. Season with crushed red pepper flakes, garlic, cumin, onion, salt, and black pepper. Cover, and chill at least 30 minutes before serving.         

Note: Try this with a large whole tomato, chopped.
   

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Phase 3/4:  Make a mix of cucumber, tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, jalapenos, etc... then add 1/4 cup mayo or full fat greek yogurt for a creamy salad or 1 TB olive oil for a lighter taste.

Tea Tuesday!

It's Tea Tuesday!  Calming, refreshing...pure, sigh with me here- "ahhhhh..."  I highly suggest sipping this while doing your Detox Bath.  Chamomile calms, cucumber flavors and refreshes.  Don't forget to cut 2 slices for your eyes ladies!

Chamomile Cucumber Iced Tea

6 Chamomile Tea Bags
2 cucumbers-peeled, seeded and sliced into long spears
sweeten with stevia to taste

In large heat proof bowl or pan steep 9 C boiling water with 6 tea bags for 4-5 minutes. Discard bags. Sweeten with stevia while still warm.  Let cool.  In pitcher place cucumber spears. Pour cooled tea into pitcher. Let sit a few hours up to let the cucumber flavor infuse.  Serve over ice.

Cucumber Salad

Take two of these and call me in the morning....

It's Cucumber Salad!!!

This is a favorite dish of mine in "normal life too".  I quickly made a version for myself when I first started the Phase 2.  Here is the tricky part...P2 people- you cannot have the cucumbers and onion in one meal.  Eat the cucumbers in one meal and then eat the onions with another.  Add these tangy onions to the grill, serve overtop your 3.5 oz sirloin or save for my Chicken "Noodle" Soup (recipe to come).  Bonus: Use the juice from these green little circles and you have a wonderful fresh flavored salad dressing!  So really this is 3 recipes in one.

Cucumber Salad
2 cucumbers- peeled and sliced thin
1 onion- sliced
1/4 C vinegar of choice
2 T water
2 packets stevia or 1/4 tsp for liquid stevia
1 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp celery seed or dill
black pepper to taste

Mix all ingrediants in bowl.  Cover and store 1 hour to overnight, serve. 
Note: Today my choice of vinegar was Coconut Vinegar.

UPDATE (4/27/2001):  If you are out of onion or don't feel like picking them into two veggie serving, use can substitute 1 teaspoon onion powder or a few sliced green onions as the sliced onion in this recipe!

Phase 3/4:  You can eat these all together at once.