Recently I decided to harvest some of my lemongrass from the garden. In a month or so the frosts will cause it to turn brown and it will just huddle there miserably until warmer temperatures return. It’s one of those plants that loves the warmth. So I’ll harvest plenty of it while I can.
Lemongrass is one of those lovely herbs that smells so amazing that I wonder how such a plant can be real. Like vanilla. Or sage. Smells that just make me happy. I’d planned on maybe making a lemongrass ginger beer kinda like the rose hip ginger beer. Don’t you think that would be amazing? But I didn’t have an active ginger bug. And I didn’t feel like waiting to make something. Sometimes I start to crave a certain herb and I want to use it. Right. Now. I spotted a bowl of cucumbers I’d set aside for pickles and suddenly I wondered? Would cucumber and lemongrass taste good together? I bet they would…
I didn’t feel like cooking the lemongrass down into a simple syrup. I didn’t feel like cooking at all. Or waiting for the flavors to infuse. So I just threw the lemongrass and cucumber into the blender with water and raw honey and then strained the juice. It was so good! I’ve been making it every day since.
Both cucumbers and lemongrass are cooling. Cucumbers have a long reputation of being used to replenish fluids and rehydrate skin. They also gently cool and detoxify the body as well as improve skin tone by reducing redness and other signs of irritation. Lemongrass is used to tighten tissues, especially connective tissues, and help prevent moisture loss, resulting in plumper, smoother skin. It also increases immune function and lymphatic drainage.
Perfect for end of summer, dry and irritated skin. After only a few days of drinking this, my skin is already starting to calm down and feel more moisturized. As a bonus, I find it helps me feel much less frazzled in the middle of the afternoon, even uplifted and cheerful. Oh, and did I mention it’s really delicious!
So here’s how to make some:
Ingredients
1 lemongrass stalk including the leaves, chopped small
1-2 medium cucumbers
1 quart filtered water
1-2 Tbs raw honey
Directions:
Blend all ingredients in the blender until liquid. Strain and enjoy. Yes, it’s really that easy!
Aren’t you the clever one?!?! I bet that is very cooling and refreshing.
Melissa recently posted..{Magic of the Mundane}
This looks delish!! I have never tried to grow lemongrass, wonder if I can? Will have to look it up.
Kim recently posted..Water Fun
Probably not. Unless you have a greenhouse. It struggles in our mild climate. It’s native to tropical climates.
we have lemongrass growing here although it struggles a bit with the dryness. the drink looks so yummy i will have to give it a go during the summer months.
jo recently posted..bedtime reading
Yum – this looks and sounds delightful!
Mmmmm i wonder where i can get my hands on some fresh lemongrass? this sounds like something my skin can use towards the end of winter- my skin really takes a beating from the dry heat.
naturally crafted mama recently posted..{into nature}
Actually, I’d recommend a warming and moistening herbal formula in your case: something like cinnamon, cardamom, licorice, and shatavari. These would be way too cooling for that climate and that time of year.