As an Amazon Affiliate I may earn a small commission on purchases made through my links at no cost to you. For more information read the full disclosure here.
A low calorie snack with protein and clean ingredients is this Cucumber & Red Onion Salad with yogurt dressing. It’s creamy, crunchy and little bit of sweet. It’s a great low calorie and refreshing snack to pack this summer for a quick bite that will actually fill you up in a good way!
Healthy snacks are something we’re all in search of! We want to eat clean ingredient food that’s filling yet simple to make and with a little bit of protein as that is important too. I love grab n go snacks for the car, to pack in my lunchbox, or to take to the ball field. I don’t always want or need another snack bar. So with all of that in mind plus the need to keep the dish low calorie and on the lighter side as it’s just intended for a snack rather then a complete meal, I created this recipe. This is unlike traditional cold summer salads as most of them contain heavy mayo, oils, sugars and little protein. My cucumber salad is low carb, low calorie, has protein and
MAKE IT
For this salad you will need just a few simple ingredients
Greek Yogurt – You want a high quality yogurt that YOU like because this will be the main base in the salad. I like to use Greek Yogurt because it is a thicker and creamier consistency and it is double the protein then plain yogurt. My favorite regular brand for these types of recipes is Fage Plain Green Yogurt.
Baby Cucumbers – Next you will need fresh cucumbers. I love the baby cucumbers as they are easy to work with, crunchy, have unnoticeable seeds and the skin is a good texture. I don’t love English cucumbers in these recipes as much because of their skin and and larger seeds – depending. Make sure to select the fresh cucumbers so this salad has a good crunch to start with as the longer it sits the more tender the cukes will get.
Red Onion – Love the red onions in this. They give another level of flavor and crunch to it. To save a step I buy the pre-diced red onion in the fresh produce section.I almost always get them on sale too so it’s such a time saver and tear saver! You’re welcome!
2TBl Oil ; Olive oil works great here as it adds to the creaminess and flavor with good healthy fats. I’ve also used coconut oil. Each work great but Olive oil gives it more of a saucy texture where as the Coconut Oil creates a little thicker sauce. Choose which you like best. If using coconut oil you will need to melt it first.
3TBL Apple Cider Vinegar – I like the tang the vinegar gives this salad so 3TBL I feel like is a perfect ratio. However if you are not used to ACV start with 2TBl and see how it tastes, you can always add more. Apple Cider Vinegar is an amazing super food so adding it to salads like this can make it so easy to incorporate it into your diet to support gut health, hair, digestion and more. Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar.
SPICES: I added onion powder, Dill, Italian Seasoning, ground pepper and Himalyan course ground sea salt; I swear this salt has the best texture and flavor because of it. You’ll also need fresh minced garlic. I prefer to buy it in the jar for ease and to ensure I always have it in the fridge. however nothing compares to the flavor of fresh produce so if you are looking for a stronger more authentic garlic flavor, go with 1-2 cloves of fresh. Be sure to mince it so it blends in nicely.
Lemon Juice- you can use fresh squeezed lemon or bottled. I like keeping a bottle of Organic lemon juice in the fridge for easily adding to dressings and dishes like this.
Maple Syrup – this is optional as I know avoiding sugars is so key right now however this sugar is an all natural source and does contain some nutrients compared to table sugar. The maple syrup gives it a hint of sweetness to cut the tartness from the yogurt and acidity from the Vinegar. It really completes this salad.
That’s it, a few simple ingredients, about 10 minutes and you’ve got yourself a delightfully fresh and clean ingredient summer salad that’s filling and one you can prep in advance or for the few snacks worth.
Ingredients
1 1C Plain Greek Yogurt About 5 Baby Cucumbers, sliced and halved 2TBL Olive Oil 1 1/2tsp Minced Garlic 3 TBL Apple Cider Vinegar 1/2TBL Lemon Juice 1/4tsp Onion Pwd 2 1/2TBL Maple Syrup 1/2Tsp Dill 1/4Tsp Italian Seasoning
Instructions
- Wash and Slice Cucumbers.
- Prepare Dressing; add all ingredients except cucumbers and onion to a glass mixing bowl, Stir well until smooth and blended.
- Add in cucumbers mix. Add in Onion. Toss to coat.
- Separate salad into two dishes. Store in fridge until ready to serve. Enjoy!