Would you rather your skin look like a luscious, juicy cucumber, or a withering piece of prosciutto, ie dry-cured ham? Hmm…I thought so! We are what we eat, and we can take on the properties of fresh, wholesome foods that we choose to ingest.
So, let’s talk about cucumbers! Cucumbers are a wonderful, mineral-rich and hydrating beauty food. My Creamy Cucumber Olive Salad Recipe is super-easy, super-tasty, and super-nourishing so you can rotate it in your arsenal.
I want to arm you always with a wide variety of EASY recipes so you actually make them! Easy and simple is how I eat, and how I encourage you to also, so you get the best results, long-term.
Beauty Gourd: Cucumbers
As I mention above, If you’re looking to hydrate– besides drinking good ole water- cucumbers are wonderfully hydrating, and full of beauty minerals.
The phytochemicals in cucumber cause the collagen in the skin to tighten, firming up the outer layer, and reducing the visibility of cellulite—rub a few cucumber slices on pesky cellulite right before going to the pool or beach, and/or, rub it on wrinkles before a photo op or evening out!!!
Cucumbers are are high in all the B vitamins (except for B12), Vitamin C, zinc, iron, folic acid, calcium, magnesium and potassium. They will give you energy while helping to repair and smooth the collagen in your skin.
Cucumbers are a valuable source of conventional antioxidant nutrients, which include vitamin C, beta-carotene, and manganese. Cucumbers also contain flavonoid antioxidants, such as quercetin, apigenin, luteolin, and kaempferol—all of which contribute to their antioxidant and anti-Inflammatory benefits.
Try to purchase organic cukes which will allow you to leave on their beautiful skin and eat them as they are—which will provide you with even more beauty minerals.
Because they are high in water, I love using them in everything from salads to smoothies which will fill you up with fiber and water throughout your day.
Want to give your body an extra boost?! Give this little bundle of love a try!
Beauty Fruit: Kalamata Olives
I absolutely love the nutty flavor that olives contain. They add a pop of pungent flavor to any recipe, and are full of minerals and beauty fat.
I like using whole fats best, like olives, seeds, nuts and avocados, over tons of oil, so that we are ingesting the whole food, along with all its glorious fiber and in its unrefined form.
For certain recipes, a small amount of oil is allowable but best to used unrefined oils that are raw and cold-pressed, such as; coconut oil, Udo’s oils, sesame oil and olive oil.
Olives provide almost three-quarters of their fat as oleic acid—a monounsaturated fatty acid. They also provide a small amount of the essential fatty acid called linoleic acid, and a small amount of alpha-linolenic acid—an omega-3 fatty acid.
Kalamata olives contain calcium (keeps bones strong and encouraging a restful nights sleep), fiber (keeping your regular), iron (oxygenating your blood and stimulating circulation for beautiful glowing skin), and vitamin A (supporting eye and skin health).
When purchasing olives, try to go for the best of the best, which means, purchasing certified organic. This will ensure that you are eliminating exposure to contaminants like pesticides and heavy metals- beauty no-no’s!
Please avoid purchasing olives in a can if at all possible :(. Glass jars of olives can be stored directly in the refrigerator for the same period of time.
Olives really are a good nutrient source and a little goes a long way, so a few go a long way in this recipe!
See this full tasty recipe below…
Creamy Cucumber Olive Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 English cucumbers diced
- ½ cup chopped celery
- 7 Kalamata olives sliced
- 5 sliced red grape tomatoes
- 1 avocado
- Pinch of cayenne
- Sea salt to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place cucumber, celery, olives and tomatoes into a bowl and toss.
- Mash avocado and add cayenne, salt and pepper to taste, and mix again well.
- Toss salad together and serve immediately.
Let me know how you enjoyed this recipe in the comments below, and be sure to use #beautydetoxrecipe. I love hearing your thoughts and feedback on making your own creations!
Keep this recipe handy by adding it to your Dinner Recipes Pinterest Board!
See you back here soon. Lots of love,
Kimberly
Hi Kimberly! Do you add lemon to the avocado so it wont get dark? Cant wait to try it. :)
Sounds delicious. I am trying this recipe tomorrow. I might put a bit more olives and a bit less of avocado. :)
Kimberly, please would you let know what is your last beauty recipe book, and if a new one is coming out soon.
Hi Duska…let us know how you like the recipe. My most recent book is Radical Beauty, which can be found on my website or Amazon. Thanks so much for your interest and lots of love to you! ;)
This was so good & tasty & came together real quick. Added a bit of lemon since I cut down ingredients to make for 1 and added a sprinkle of pumpkin seeds for extra crunch
Thanks for giving it a try Debbie, and so happy you liked it! Xx
I made this today, absolutely delicious.???? My 19yr old daughter also loved it. I might add a bit more olives next time ????. I’m about to commence final year of naturopathic medicine here in London, and always on the look out for delicious healthy, recipes. This is certainly one of them. Thanks for sharing Kimberly. Shalom.
Wonderful…thanks for sharing your feedback. Lots of love! ;)
Such an easy recipe with a great combo of flavors and texture!
Let us know how you do and what you think of the taste. Lots of love! ;)
Hi – I need a substitute for avocado. I bloat so bad and it feels like cement is in my stomach when I eat it. Thanks.
Hi Tara, and thanks for your question. Try using peas, asparagus, broccoli, or frozen edamame and see how you feel. You will want to puree any of these choices. These choices should replace creamy avocado in most recipes. Let us know how you do. Lots of love! ;)
Hi do you add protein to this or any other carbs or is this plate of goodness just one meal in itself?
Hi Beauty! Since these ingredients naturally contain some protein, I do not add any additional protein to this dish. You could always enjoy this as a side salad as part of a larger meal if you want something heartier! Enjoy, xx