Looking for a quick, healthy, and flavorful low-carb snack? These keto cucumber bites with cream cheese and everything bagel seasoning are the perfect solution. They're incredibly easy to make, require minimal ingredients, and are perfect for using up fresh cucumbers from your garden or local farmer's market. These cucumber bites offer a delightful balance of fresh, salty, and creamy flavors, making them a satisfying and guilt-free treat.
Why Cucumber Bites are a Great Keto Snack
When following a ketogenic diet, it's essential to find snacks that are high in fat and low in carbs. These cucumber bites fit the bill perfectly:
- Low-Carb: Cucumbers are naturally low in carbohydrates, making them an ideal base for a keto-friendly snack.
- High-Fat: Cream cheese adds a creamy, high-fat element that helps keep you feeling full and satisfied.
- Flavorful: Everything bagel seasoning provides a savory and crunchy topping that elevates the taste of these simple bites.
A study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health reported that being on a keto diet can help control hunger levels and improve metabolic rate. By incorporating snacks like these cucumber bites, you can stay on track with your keto goals without sacrificing taste.
Ingredients You'll Need
- Cucumbers: Choose fresh, firm cucumbers that are bright green in color. Mini cucumbers, also known as Persian cucumbers, are a great option due to their small size and crunchy texture.
- Cream Cheese: Four ounces of cream cheese will form the deliciously creamy filling. For a dairy-free option, consider using Kite Hill dairy-free spread.
- Everything Bagel Seasoning: This seasoning mix adds a delightful crunch and savory flavor. You can find it pre-made at most grocery stores or easily make your own.
- Optional Additions: Bacon bits add a smoky flavor and satisfying crunch. You can also add fresh chives for a touch of oniony flavor.
Making Your Own Everything Bagel Seasoning
While you can easily purchase pre-made everything bagel seasoning, making your own is incredibly simple and allows you to customize the flavors to your liking. Here's a basic recipe:
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds (white or black)
- 1 tablespoon dried minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon dried minced onion
- 1 teaspoon sea salt flakes
Simply whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl and store in an airtight container.
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Step-by-Step Instructions
These cucumber bites are incredibly easy to assemble. Here's how:
- Prepare the Cucumbers: Wash the cucumber thoroughly and slice it into rounds, about ¼ inch thick. You can peel some of the skin for a fun stripy look. Optional: Lay the slices on a clean towel or paper towel to absorb extra moisture.
- Spread the Cream Cheese: Spread a thin layer of cream cheese on each cucumber slice. If you want to get fancy, you can use a piping bag with a star-shaped tip to pipe the cream cheese decoratively onto the cucumber slices.
- Add the Seasoning: Pour the Everything Bagel seasoning into a small bowl or on a plate. Lightly sprinkle the Everything Seasoning across the tops of each cucumber bite, or roll the edges of each cucumber slice in the seasoning to coat them.
- Add Bacon and Chives (Optional): Crumble cooked bacon over the cream cheese and sprinkle with fresh chives for added flavor and texture.
Variations and Substitutions
- Dairy-Free: Use a dairy-free cream cheese alternative, such as Kite Hill, to make these bites dairy-free.
- Different Seasonings: Experiment with other seasonings like garlic and onion mix, Italian seasoning, or chili lime seasoning.
- Other Vegetables: Use celery sticks, bell pepper slices, radishes, or zucchini rounds instead of cucumbers.
- Spicy: Add a dash of red pepper flakes to the cream cheese or sprinkle with a spicy seasoning blend for a kick.
- Herbs: Sprinkle with fresh dill, parsley, or cilantro for a fresh, herbaceous flavor.
Serving Suggestions
These cucumber bites are perfect as a:
- Quick Snack: Enjoy them as a satisfying and healthy snack between meals.
- Appetizer: Serve them at parties or gatherings as a low-carb appetizer option. These simple additions turn the cucumber-cream cheese "boats" from your youth into something sophisticated enough to serve at something like high tea.
- Lunch Addition: Pack them in your lunchbox for a light and refreshing addition to your meal.
- Garnish: Use them to garnish salads or other dishes for added flavor and texture.
Make-Ahead and Storage Tips
- Prep Ahead: You can prep these easy cucumber appetizers ahead but don’t put them all together until you are almost ready to serve. Go ahead and peel and slice your cucumbers well in advance. The cream cheese topping can also be made ahead of time. You can even pipe the topping onto the cucumber slices up to several hours in advance.
- Storage: These bites are best enjoyed the day they're made, but you can store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. Just keep in mind that the cucumbers may release water over time, which can affect their texture.
Keto Cucumber Crack Dip
If you're looking for a different way to enjoy cucumbers with cream cheese and everything bagel seasoning, try making a keto cucumber crack dip. This creamy dip is perfect for serving with cucumber slices, bell pepper slices, carrot sticks, or pork rinds.
Ingredients:
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup shredded cucumber (squeeze out excess moisture)
- 1 packet ranch seasoning
- 4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
Instructions:
- Shred the cucumber using a cheese grater and squeeze out as much moisture as possible using a cheesecloth.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, shredded cucumber, ranch seasoning, and crumbled bacon.
- Mix well until all ingredients are evenly distributed.
- Store leftover cucumber crack dip in an airtight container and keep it in the refrigerator. As it sits in the fridge, the dip will become really thick.
Carolyn's Commitment to Delicious and Innovative Low-Carb Recipes
As a cookbook author, photographer, and unrepentant sweet tooth, I am devoted to creating delicious and innovative low carb recipes that don’t sacrifice on flavor. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them.
A Note on Nutritional Information
Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. The nutritional information provided here is approximate and calculated using an online nutritional calculator. We strive to give you accurate information, but many factors can cause this data to vary widely. For more information, please read our full Nutritional Disclaimer. Erythritol carbs are not included in carb counts as it has been shown not to impact blood sugar. Net carbs are the total carbs minus fiber.
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