A SMART SUMMER SNACK

Here's a healthy - and refreshing - way to snack smarter during the summer: Replace your favorite cracker with a slice of cucumber. Almost any savory topping that works on a cracker tastes just as delicious on a slice of cucumber. Plus, a cucumber slice has valuable nutrients and hydrating properties without the calories of a cracker.

Our favorite example? Cut a cucumber into slices that are at least 1/4-inch thick. (Whether you peel it or not first depends on your personal taste - some people find the skin bitter - but leaving it on gives you a boost of fiber, If you leave the skin on, be sure to wash it well.) 

Then take your favorite pimento cheese (for a store-bought version, we love Palmetto Cheese) and spread it on top. If you want to make it prettier, use a pastry bag or plastic bag with the tip cut off to pipe the pimento cheese on top.