Recipe ReDux Post # 73 Mexican Style Cucumber Boats

August Recipe ReDux theme is “Crunchy Snacks!”  When I think of crunchy snacks-chips, pretzels, popcorn come to mind, yet this time I wanted to try create a different kind of snack.  Raw veggies pack a healthy crunch and I had some cucumbers in the fridge, so I decided to start with those.  I wanted to make a heartier snack so I filled tried my luck at a Mexican themed cucumber boat by filling them with some black bean dip from Trader Joes that I had bought recently and have been wanting to sample.  Topping them with some tomatoes, corn, olives and cheese worked perfectly and the recipe came together nicely. These are a great appetizer, afternoon snack, or a few of them could work for a quick lunch too.  I hope you will try them out along with all the other snacks developed by the Recipe ReDux group.

Ingredients:

3 Persian cucumbers, ends trimmed, halved and seeded (makes 6 “boats”)
6 tablespoons black bean dip (I used Trader Joes brand)

2 tablespoons chopped black olives
2 tablespoons cooked corn
2 tablespoons finely diced tomato

2 tablespoons low fat shredded cheese

Directions:

Spoon about 1 tablespoon black bean dip into each cucumber half, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon each of corn, tomatoes and olives. Top each with one teaspoon of cheese and serve. Chill if not serving immediately.

Makes 6 servings

Serving Size 1 boat: Calories 45 Protein 2 g Carb 7 g Fiber 2 g Sugars 2 g Fat 1 g Saturated fat 1 g Sodium 156 mg

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Another Nutrition News Bites Edition!

Here are some important news and research updates in the world of nutrition:

Walnut Consumption May Decrease Risk of Type 2 Diabetes

A recent epidemiological study involving 34,000 adult participants in the U.S. showed that those who  consumed walnuts, at least 3 tablespoons per day, had a 47% lower prevalence of Type 2 Diabetes.  Check out the study HERE.


Soy Protein May Help Slow Bone Loss

New animal research indicates that soy protein found in foods, such as tofu and soy milk, may help improve bone strength in pre and pst menopausal women.

Interesting Weight Loss Tips and Research

The Summer weather should NOT prevent you from losing weight if you retrying to, according to experts in this Huffington Post article. But gender may make a difference in losing weight on a low calorie diet according to a new study.


Diet and Lifestyle Pattern Affects Cancer Risk

More evidence that diet and other lifestyle factors, such as activity and alcohol consumption, impact the risk of developing cancer per a recent large scale analysis.

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