CALORIE COUNT: 256
Raw vegetable sticks are a no-brainer on a fast day. Hummus, meanwhile, scores an astonishing 0 on the GL score. It’s relatively low in calories and high in fiber—a 2-tablespoon serving clocks in at about 46 calories (depending on type). Go for a light version to further improve the calorie cost. This is not so much a recipe as a loose collection of ingredients that work happily side by side. So play around and mix up your vegetables: pepper slices, broccoli florets, shredded white or red cabbage, jalapeños, some long, blushing French radishes? All welcome here.
2 tablespoons store-bought red pepper hummus (or flavor of your choice)
1 carrot, sliced into sticks
1/4 garden cucumber or small seedless cucumber, sliced
1 stalk celery, cut into sticks
5 baby bell peppers, seeded and sliced
1 whole-grain pita, cut into strips and toasted
1 tablespoon Tahini Dip (optional)
Tahini dip
CALORIE COUNT FOR 1 TABLESPOON: 45
3 tablespoons/50ml unflavored low-fat yogurt
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon tahini
Chopped fresh mint
Mix well.
NB
HUMMUS IS A GOOD SOURCE OF VITAMIN E, A KEY ANTIOXIDANT.