Health & Beauty

6 tips to turn vegetables into the best fast food snacks

Vegetables love your body back

Besides all the health related benefits associated with feeling better due to increased vegetable consumption, research has also shown that consuming the recommended amounts of brightly coloured vegetables and fruit enhances your skin colour, giving it a healthy glow, to a point that others notice and think you look more attractive (cited Prof C Collins, 5 April 2017). So forget the facials and head for the greengrocer.

Our bodies are the only place we each have to live so be kind to yourself and treat your body everyday with nourishing vegetables. Plan ahead - you'll be surprised how quick and easy it is. 

Here are my easy 6 tips:

1. Grab a hand full of snack cucumbers or bite-sized tomatoes and place in an airtight container so they don't crush during the day.

2. Fill a zip lock bag with a handful of raw crunchy cauliflower florets so they won't spill on your crisp white shirt.

3. Quarter a red capsicum or cut a pointed capsicum/ pepper into chunks so they are easy to eat as you run to your next appointment.

4. Peel the outer skin off a broccoli stem, slice into discs and accompany with your favourite dip such as hummus or sweet capsicum and nut dip.

5. Have celery sticks on hand. Team them up with cottage cheese or tuna and you're ready to beat the mid-afternoon slump.

6. Fill crunchy snack lettuce leaves with a filling of your choice such as tabbouleh or savoury yoghurt for a refreshing hydrating snack. Recipe for savoury yoghurt: season 1/4 cup low-fat yogurt with salt, pepper, 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh herbs of your choice or a few pinches of dried oregano, and 1/4 teaspoon lemon zest.  

Remember to sneak vegetables in whenever and wherever your day takes you. Experience the goodness of fast food vegetable snacks for yourself.