Cucumber snack recipe

The nutrition principle that I always emphasize with my clients is the importance of meeting your required fruit and vegetable intake. Whilst the daily requirements for fruits and vegetables vary across the globe and the lifespan, the science does not, meeting these requirements is beneficial for your health.

This week's recipe is an easy, inexpensive and tasty way to add extra vegetables to your diet. It isn't fancy or gourmet, and it doesn't have a long list of difficult to find ingredients. This is what makes it a really good option to add to your healthy recipe repertoire. Cucumbers are a particular favourite of mine, as a mum and a nutritionist. They are cheap, readily available, and last a whole week in the fridge, which is very useful if you shop once a week.

In terms of taste, their fresh and crunchy texture is particularly appealing to kids. If the children or the adults in your family reject cucumbers try preparing them in different ways. You could try them as sticks, rounds or even ribbons. Irrespective of the shape you serve them, as us mums know, the most crucial factors associated with their acceptance are whether they are served with or without skin, and with or without seeds. I have found that skin free is the most accepted form in our house. The seeds do not seem to bother anybody, except our dog, who likes her cucumber served without the seeds :-)

This recipe is a winner because, like last week's recipe, it doubles as an activity to do with the kids. This is great even for the fussiest of eaters, as studies show that the more interaction and exposure to fruits and vegetables, the less foreign and scary they seem. When I prepare this recipe as part of our nutrition education program every child always tries, even at the very minimum, at least one ingredient in the recipe. It all counts, because all the ingredients in this recipe contain something that will nourish your body.

For those of you that are seeing me for weight managment then this recipe provides a plant-based, low carbohydrate, low calorie snack. The good fats in the hummus or guacamole will help balance your blood sugar levels and help make you feel satisfied.

Enjoy! Skye :-)