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Green Apple Slices with Cinnamon Sunflower Seed Butter Dip

Crisp green apple slices with a creamy sunflower seed butter dip warmed with cinnamon. A nut-free, vegan snack with 21g of carbohydrate, ready in 5 minutes.

Snack

5

Serves 2

A white plate of thin green apple slices around a small dark bowl of creamy sunflower seed butter, next to a halved green apple on a brown cloth

Ingredients

  • 2 green apples, such as Granny Smith (about 300g/10½oz once cored)
  • 1 tsp (5ml) lemon juice
  • 3 tbsp (45g/1½oz) smooth sunflower seed butter, with no added sugar
  • A quarter tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 to 2 tsp cold water (optional)

Method

  1. Core the apples and cut them into thin wedges. Toss with the lemon juice so they do not turn brown.
  2. Stir the cinnamon into the sunflower seed butter. If it is very thick, loosen it with 1 to 2 teaspoons of cold water.
  3. Spoon the dip into a small bowl and serve with the apple slices.
  4. Cut apple keeps for a few hours in the fridge if tossed with lemon juice. Prepare it shortly before eating; not suitable for freezing.

Why it works

A serving gives you about 4g of protein and 5g of fibre for 228 calories, with 21g of carbohydrate, most of it from the apple.

Why sunflower seed butter. It looks and tastes much like peanut butter but is made from sunflower seeds, so it suits people who avoid peanuts and tree nuts, and it is often a good option where nuts are not allowed, but check first, as some schools ask for it not to be sent because it looks like peanut butter. Sunflower seeds are a rich source of vitamin E.

Why it is tagged for blood sugar. The fat and protein in the seed butter and the fibre in the whole apple slow how quickly its natural sugar is absorbed, so this snack is less likely to cause a sharp rise in blood sugar.

Check the jar. Some sunflower seed butters have added sugar and salt. Choose one made only from sunflower seeds, or with a little salt. Cinnamon adds a sweet, warm flavour without sugar.

Sunflower seed allergy is uncommon but does occur. If you are cooking for someone with a nut allergy, choose a jar labelled as made in a nut-free factory. For more snacks, try the crispy baked kale chips or the garlic and lemon white bean dip.