This is a garden-inspired recipe. During one of our harvests, we had many of these veggies in our garden, which inspired the creation of this dish. It’s always a hit! I attribute that to the fresh veggies and lime juice.

Ingredients

2 medium-size cucumbers—diced
(If seeds are large and tough, I like to remove them)
½ cup chopped scallions–or chopped onions (white or red)
1 cup chopped sugar-snap peas, green beans—or whatever is available or in season
2 (15-ounce) cans white (navy or  northern) beans—rinsed and drained
2 cloves fresh garlic—minced
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2-3 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (cilantro, basil, mint, etc.)

Add all ingredients to a large mixing bowl. Mix well to combine. To increase flavors, allow to marinade before serving. Serve cold or at room temperature. Enjoy as a side dish, over pasta, in a wrap or as a light meal.

Health Benefits of Cucumbers

• Cucumbers keep you hydrated. If you are too busy to drink enough water, munch on the cool cucumber, which is 96 percent water. It will cheerfully compensate!
• Fights heat, both inside and out. Eat cucumber, and your body gets relief from heartburn. Apply cucumber on your skin, and you get relief from sunburn.
• Flushes out toxins. All that water in cucumber acts as a virtual broom, sweeping waste products out of your system. With regular use, cucumber is known to dissolve kidney stones. Lavishes you with vitamins. A B and C, which boost immunity, give you energy, and keep you radiant. Give it more power by juicing cucumber with carrot and spinach.
• Supplies skin-friendly minerals: magnesium, potassium, silicon. That’s why cucumber-based treatments abound in spas. Aids in weight loss. Enjoy cucumbers in your salads and soups.
• Revives the eyes. Placing chilled slices of cucumber on the eyes is a clichéd beauty visual, but it really helps reduce under-eye bags and puffiness.
•  Cuts cancer. Cut down your risk of several cancers by including cucumber in your diet. Several studies show its cancer-fighting potential.
• Stabilizes blood pressure. Patients of blood pressure, both high and low, often find that eating cucumber brings relief.
• Refreshes the mouth. Cucumber juice refreshes and heals diseased gums, leaving your mouth smelling good.
• Helps digestion. Chewing cucumber gives the jaws a good workout, and the fiber in it is great for digestion
• Smooths hair and nails. Silica, the wonder mineral in cucumber makes your hair and nails stronger and shinier.
• Soothes muscle and joint pain. All those vitamins and minerals in cucumber make it a powerful enemy of muscle and joint pain.
• Keeps kidneys in shape. Cucumber lowers uric acid levels in your system, keeping the kidneys happy.
• Good for diabetics. Patients of diabetes can enjoy cucumber while also reaping its health benefits: cucumber contains a hormone needed by the cells of the pancreas for producing insulin.
• Reduces cholesterol. A compound called sterols in cucumber helps reduce bad cholesterol.