The Perfect Snack

I need to eat 5 times a day or I get cranky. My husband would probably use a stronger word than that, but let's just go with cranky. On one hand, eating 5 times a day is wonderful - 5 chances to indulge in one of the greatest pleasures in life. On the other hand, it can be a tremendous pain, which is why I always carry a variety of cereal bars in my purse (my current favorite is the peanut butter chocolate chip Lara bar).

But when I'm home and I've got a few minutes to spare, I am currently obsessed with this cucumber and labneh toast. It's so simple to make as long as you've got the right ingredients on hand. You can get labneh (Middle Eastern strained yogurt) at Whole Foods in the refrigerated section where you find the hummus, or at any Middle Eastern specialty food store. I've found Persian cucumbers at Whole Foods and Trader Joe's - they come in a pack of 4 or 5 - but you could use regular English cucumbers if you have those. There are so many textures and tastes going on in each bite - the crisp toast balanced with the creamy and tart yogurt along with the crispy cucumbers..the warm hit of a good olive oil and the salt and pepper finish. Sigh. It's just heaven. Give it a try and let me know what you think!

Cucumber and Labneh Toast
Ingredients:
1 slice of good whole wheat bread, toasted medium
2 tbsp. labneh
9 slices of persian cucumber
1/2 tsp. good olive oil
salt and pepper

Directions:
1. Toast bread, let cool slightly.
2. Spread with labneh.
3. Add cucumber slices.
4. Add good crank of salt and freshly ground pepper.
5. Drizzle olive oil evenly over top.
6. Take a bite and prepare to groan in delight.