FitSugar

Healthy Snack: Cucumber Cream Cheese Nibblers

FitSugar — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 03:00:00 -0700

In the mood for a light snack for Summer? Give this simple recipe a try. It may not seem very appetizing, but it's one of those things that you have to try. All three flavors and textures complement one another beautifully.

To see the recipe just read more.

Cucumber Cream Cheese Nibblers
Learned this recipe from a friend.

Ingredients

1 cucumber
Reduced fat cream cheese
Whole grain baguette

Directions

Slice the baguette into half inch slices.
Smear cream cheese on each piece.

Slice cucumber into quarter inch slices.
Top one cucumber slice on top of the cream cheese.

If you like dill, you can sprinkle some on top. Enjoy!

Print recipe with images | without images

Do you have a healthy snack or recipe to share? Then share it in the Lite'n it Up - Healthy Recipe Group and I might just post it on FitSugar.

You Asked: Cucumbers???

FitSugar — Thu, 06 Sep 2007 02:15:00 -0700

Dear FitSugar -
What are the nutritional benefits of cucumber, if any? It is one of my fave veggies but as far as I can tell, it doesn't pack much of a punch compared to other vegetables.
Questioning Cucumbers

I too love cucumbers - they make a great addition to any salad and are also a great vehicle for hummus. Aside from being a low carb substitute, this veggie (well technically a fruit since it has seeds, but I am sticking with convention here) has some surprising nutritional attributes.

The cucumber is a decent source of both vitamin C and fiber. It is also high in potassium and magnesium, which when combined with fiber, can help reduce blood pressure. Cukes are also high in the mineral silica, an essential component for healthy connective tissues, like ligaments and tendons. Its silica content also makes the cucumber beneficial to the skin, both eating the veggie and applying its flesh topically to your flesh. There's a reason you always see images of ladies with slices of cucumbers on their eyes. Plus their high water content makes them naturally hydrating and cooling. Cucumbers are also high in the mineral phosphorus, an important mineral for bone health.

Fit's Tip: Due to its tender skin, commercially grown cucumbers may be waxed to protect their outer layer, so I suggest you buy organic!

Looking for a new way to eat cucumbers? Try the Cucumber Boat with Lox Spread. The crisp cooling cucumber makes a great bagel (so high in calories) substitute. Or make your own Tzatziki.

Source

Just How Refreshing Is A Cucumber?

FitSugar — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 14:30:00 -0700

Cucumbers top my list of cooling foods. There is a reason that saying "cool as a cucumber" exists. Aside from vital nutrients, like vitamins and minerals, we also get water from our food, but do you know how much water your favorite foods contain?

Cooling Foods to Beat the Heat

FitSugar — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 04:00:00 -0700

Summer is officially here!!!! Today marks the longest day of the year - summer solstice. Summer also means there is an abundance of fruits and veggies that are in season and super tasty right now. So to encourage you to eat some fruits and veggies, here's a list of foods to cool you down:

cucumbers
celery
broccoli
lettuces
radishes
melons
mint tea (try it iced - it's delish)
grilled fish

Smoothies and cool soups like gazpacho are also great to eat to beat the heat.

What healthy foods do you find cooling as the temperature climbs (notice I said healthy). Let me know in the comments below.

Source

Snack Attack: Cucumber Boat with Lox Spread

FitSugar — Tue, 22 May 2007 09:30:00 -0700

Since bagels are so dang high in calories, I have been searching for a new way to satisfy my craving for lox spread sprinkled with capers. The substitute is a seeded cucumber boat!!! It is not only satisfying and delish, but talk about increasing your veggie intake!!!

Here's what you need:

Half an English cucumber
Light Lox Spread
Capers
Diced tomato

Here's what you do:

Cut the cucumber in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds.
Fill cucumber "boat" with lox spread.
Sprinkle with capers and tomatoes.
Eat and enjoy!!!

Fit's Tip: Smoked salmon is a great source of omega-3 fatty acids even though it is smoke cured salmon. Also, you can make your own schmear with canned salmon and light or non-fat cream cheese.

Is a Tomato a Fruit or a Vegetable?

FitSugar — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 03:30:00 -0700

I write about food all the time, about how important it is to eat your fruits and veggies. Recently I got into a culinary conundrum about what it takes to be a fruit. Is a tomato a fruit? Well, here goes a short explanation: true fruits are developed from the ovary in the base of the flower, and contain the seeds of the plant (though cultivated forms may be seedless). Fruits can be fleshy such as blueberries, bananas, and oranges. They can also be dry like whole almonds and walnuts (in their shell).

Scientifically speaking then, anything containing seeds, such as tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, pumpkins, and bean pods are all considered fruits.

The reason there is so much confusion about whether or not a food is a fruit or a vegetable has to do with the way it's prepared. Vegetables tend to be used in savory dishes, while fruits tend to be used for the sweeter ones.

Vegetables tend to be root crops (potatoes, carrots, beets, and turnips), bulbs (onions and garlic), stems (asparagus), leaves (lettuce and spinach), flowers (broccoli and cabbage).

So to sum it up, there are two different meanings of the word "fruit." A botanist would call a tomato a fruit, but a chef would call it a vegetable.

Source

Snack Attack: Tzatziki, No Longer Greek to Me

FitSugar — Fri, 10 Nov 2006 08:53:45 -0800

I recently spent some time in Greece and I literally lived on Tzatziki and pita the entire time I was there.

Convinced it was going to keep the memories alive at home, I have been making a healthier version of this tasty Greek style dip.

Ingredients:

2 cups of non-fat yogurt
2 large cucumbers
2 tablespoons minced garlic (or 2 garlic cloves)
10 fresh mint leaves
A handful of dill (or if you're like me and don't like dill you can leave this step out)

Put all the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until mixed well. You can decide how chunky you want it to be but it should be close to the consistency of ranch dressing (with cucumber bits mixed in). Store in the refrigerator for 2 hours or until ready to serve. Serve with veggies and whole wheat pita, or pita chips.

Why we love it:
Yogurt is a great source of calcium. Try to get organic and Live & Active cultured yogurt to really reap the health benefits.
Cucumbers are very low in calories as well as a great way to help cleanse your insides.
Garlic can fight a common cold (and cough) and could also be effective in the fight against cholesterol.
Mint is great for soothing an upset stomach, it opens airways to help breathing and is a good source of Vitamin C (for an herb at least).

Fit's Tip: This is a great snack to serve if you will be entertaining guests because it can be prepared in advance.

Healthy Recipe: Sweet and Sour Cucumbers

FitSugar — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 10:00:41 -0700

One great thing about Summer is that the veggies are so delicious, they taste great in the simplest of salads. One of my favorite easy weeknight sides is this cucumber salad with fresh dill. Dressed with nothing but a little vinegar, salt, and sugar, these cukes are fresh and sweet just like summertime.

Though the recipe calls for English hothouse cucumbers, I swapped in the smaller Persian cucumbers, which still tasted very good. Slice the cucumbers very thin with a mandoline if you have one or a sharp chef's knife, which is what I used. Get this easy, healthy recipe

7 Steps to a Healthier Sandwich

FitSugar — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 08:00:04 -0800

Whether it's the recession or our increasing need for simplicity, sandwiches are having a moment. They're one of my favorite easy lunches and very healthy if you make them right. But it's important not to get stuck in an unhealthy or unimaginative sandwich rut.

Some healthy-sandwich strategies are obvious: avoid fried foods and super-oily sauces, opt for whole-grain bread instead of sliced white. But that's only the beginning. For my seven tips on making sandwiches that are both delicious and nutritious, read more.

Open it up! An open-faced sandwich made with one slice of wheat bread instead of two can save around 70 calories.
Go green. In place of empty iceberg lettuce, opt for iron-rich greens like spinach or romaine. Try pressing a cup of raw spinach into a hot panini.
Load up on veggies. Sneaking veggies into sandwiches is a great way to get your five a day. Think beyond tomatoes and add everything from roasted beets to cucumbers to carrots.
And don't forget fruit! Similarly, you can increase your fruit intake through your sandwiches. I suggest sliced apples and cheese or figs and nut butter.
Hold the mayo. I'm sure you know this, but here's a reminder: mustard is a much better choice. One ounce of yellow mustard has just 19 calories and one gram of fat, while the same amount of mayo packs 210 calories and 21 grams of fat.
Speaking of mayo, try swapping it out for nonfat yogurt to make a healthier tuna or chicken salad.
Don't say cheese. Rather than eliminating the creamy texture of cheese, replace it with sliced avocado. One ounce has just 45 calories and loads of healthy fat.

Falafel Mix: It's Fantastic

FitSugar — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 15:45:00 -0700

How many of you love falafel? There's a place near me that makes the best I've ever tasted, and I just turn the other cheek when I see the little balls being deep-fried. If only there were an easy and healthier way to make it myself....

There is! I picked up a box of Fantastic Falafel Mix that a friend recommended to me, and now I'm sharing this gem with you. It's quick and easy to make, and you can add your own veggies in the wrap to make it even healthier. It's got the perfect amount of crunchy chewiness, and it's made with garbanzo beans, so it's got protein too.

Want to see what it really looks like, what the nutritional info is and how to make it yourself? Then read more

This mix makes about 24 balls. I only wanted to make half of that, so I measured out about 6 oz of the mix (3/4 of a cup).
Pour it into a bowl and add 5/8 of a cup of water (that's 1/2 a cup plus 1/8 of a cup of water). Mix it together and be sure to let it stand for 15 minutes to absorb the water. If you don't give it enough time, your balls will fall apart.

Turn a burner onto medium and get a frying pan ready. Pour olive oil into the bottom. The directions on the box say to pour enough so the oil is 1/2 inch deep, but I just poured about 1/4 cup in. Who needs all that oil?
You can pre-form the little balls, but I just use a small spoon to scoop out the mix and then I plop them in the pan one at a time. Using the back of the spoon, I smoosh them down into little disks, so there's more surface area getting cooked.

Fry the balls about 5 or so minutes, or until they're golden brown. Then flip them individually like potato latkes.
While they're browned to your liking, you can cut up veggies to go in the wrap. My favorite are tomatoes and cucumbers.
After they're done cooking, you can place the balls on a plate with a paper towel to absorb any extra oil.
Now place 6 pieces of falafel in the middle of a wrap and then your veggies. Pour about 2-3 tbsp of Annie's Goddess Dressing on top, wrap it up and enjoy!

Well, if you only have 3 balls, as the serving size suggests, I'm happy with the nutritional content. If you are feeling extra hungry, and want to have 6 balls (as shown in the wrap above), I listed that nutritional info too.

Holy moly - that's a ton of sodium for one meal, considering the RDI of sodium is 2,300 mg. If you're watching your salt intake, and you've already eaten a good portion of your daily sodium before getting to dinner, you can just use 3 balls, and add a ton of veggies to fill you up. If you haven't eaten much sodium all day, I'd go for the 6 balls of falafel.

Either way, this falafel must be healthier than the oil-drenched falafel balls I get at my favorite cafe. I'm a huge fan of this Fantastic Falafel Mix!

Serving Size	about 3, 1" balls	about 6, 1" balls
Calories	130	260
Total Fat	2g	4g
Saturated Fat	0g	0g
Cholesterol	0mg	omg
Sodium	350mg	700mg
Carbs	21g	42g
Fiber	6g	12g
Sugar	3g	6g
Protein	7g	14g