I used to hate carrots, especially raw ones. I knew that this vegetable, praised for its ability to nourish our eyes, was full of wonderful vitamins and nutrients, but I could not bring myself to munch on a plain raw carrot stick. However, I am delighted to announce that I have become a carrot converter.

The secret: hummus.

The flavor of hummus is definitely strong enough to neutralize the taste of carrot, which many find so repulsive. Once you start eating some carrots and hummus, I promise that they will grow on you. So stop avoiding carrots like I did, and go find some hummus!

The snack wouldn’t be complete without a little bit of protein. On the side of my carrots and hummus, I went with a piece of whole wheat pita bread topped with lots of salmon pâté. The danger of snacking is that it’s hard to stop. To increase the satiety of a snack without racking up empty calories, add some protein or healthy fat. If I don’t do this, my snacks make me twice as hungry!

Do it yourself:

• veggie: carrots or broccoli
• dip: try to pick something healthy like hummus and avoid cheese dips or ranch dressings.
• protein/ healthy fat: I chose a fish pâté for protein, but dipping some whole wheat crackers into peanut butter or adding some cheese on the side can help boost the protein and healthy fat content of your snack.