So easy to make – this takes just a few minutes. And the results are SUPER ! There will be lots of yummy noises as your group eats this one up. Serve with low cal crackers.

Broccoli Cheddar Dip

18 servings
72 calories per serving

10 oz. package frozen broccoli
8 oz. Cabot low fat sharp cheddar, grated
4 oz. cream cheese
2 T milk
1 t Tabasco sauce
1/2 t pepper

Microwave broccoli in a partially covered dish 8-10 minutes. Add cheddar, cream cheese, tabasco and pepper. Recover and microwave 1-2 minutes or until cheeses are melted. Stir until smooth. Serve immediately with crackers.

These whip up in no time and are so versatile – you can use any flavor jello and any flavor fruit – - just make sure it’s frozen fruit. The frozen fruit is what makes the jello firm up in no time flat. I did this with raspberries and the dessert was just amazing tasting !

Fruit Parfaits

4 servings
85 calories per serving

3/4 c boiling water
1 c Cool Whip, thawed
.3 oz. package flavored sugar free jello, raspberry or strawberry flavor
2 c frozen raspberries or strawberries

Add water to jello and stir 2 minutes to dissolve then stir in 2 c frozen fruit until jello starts to thicken. Add ½ c of the mix to the Cool Whip and whisk to blend then spoon into dessert cups and cover with the rest of the jello mix. Refrigerate 15 minutes.

These are sooooo easy to put together. Serve warm from the oven and you’ll have the family waiting in line for the sweet goodness of these perfect sweet rolls.

Apricot Sweet Rolls

8 servings
160 calories per serving

1 can low fat refrigerated dinner rolls or biscuits
1/3 c apricot – pineapple preserves (or any flavor preserves that you like)
2 t sugar
¼ t cinnamon
¼ c sliced almonds
Pam

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9 inch round cake pan or a deep dish pie plate with Pam. Separate dough into individual rolls and place in pan – I do a circle around the edge with 8 rolls and 2 in the center. Starting ¼ inch in from the edges cut a deep X into the top of each roll then open slightly by pulling the dough toward the edges. Fill each with 2 t of the preserves. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon then sprinkle with almonds and bake ½ hour or until golden. Serve warm.

There are some sides that you just make over and over again. This is one of them. At only 50 calories per serving, this also makes a great snack. And it is soooo good for you !

Fresh Cranberry Relish

8 servings
50 calories per 1/2 c serving

Forget Ocean Spray jellied cranberries around the holidays! Instead try this fresh salad that is simple to prepare and a great crowd pleaser.

1 bag cranberries
3/4 c Splenda
2 granny smith apples, cored and in quarters
1 seedless oranges (peel and all !), in quarters

Rinse the cranberries and pick out any bad ones. Place in a food processor and process until they are in small pieces. Remove to a bowl. Place apples in processor and blend until small pieces. Remove to bowl with cranberries. Place oranges in processor and process until all skin is in small pieces. Remove to bowl with cranberries and apples. Add Splenda and mix well. Refrigerate at least 4 hours so flavors blend.

Try serving this with Cinnamon Tortilla Crisps. This has such a flavor explosion already then you add the kick from the jalapeno and this is a dessert or snack that is near perfection ! Be sure to chop everything very small and very uniform – that is part of what makes this as special as it is.

Fruit Salsa

Makes 3 cups
1 T = 44 calories

1 c finely chopped strawberries
1 orange, peeled and finely chopped
3 small kiwi, peeled and finely chopped
8 oz. crushed pineapple, drained
¼ c finely chopped yellow bell pepper
1 T lime juice
1 fresh jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped

Fruit Salsa

Combine all ingredients and cover and chill at least 6 hours.

Feel free to mix this up as much as you want – use only one type of Chex if you only like one….don’t like peanuts, leave them out and put in more pretzels – - make it your own and make it often !

Homemade Chex Party Mix (Crock Pot)

24 servings
155 calories per serving

6 T butter, melted
2 T Worcestershire sauce
1 t garlic powder
1 ½ t Lawry’s seasoned salt
3 c Corn Chex cereal
3 c Rice Chex cereal
3 c Wheat Chex cereal
1 c peanuts
1 c mini pretzels
1 c bagel chips broken into small pieces (or melba toasts)

Mix butter, Worcestershire, garlic, and salt. Gradually stir in the rest of the ingredients and mix well to evenly coat. Cook uncovered on low 3-4 hours stirring every 30 minutes.

If you don’t have a crock pot, you can bake these at 275 degrees for 1 hour, turning and stirring every 15 minutes.

This is best with fresh mozzarella (it is WIDELY available at regular and gourmet markets as well as cheese shops) and fresh garden tomatoes.

Mozzarella and Tomato with Balsamic Vinegar

4 servings
177 calories per serving

4 2 oz. slices of mozzarella cheese
4 large tomato slices
4 basil leaves
4 T balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

Place cheese on plate and top with tomato slices. Sprinkle with salt and pepper then top with basil leaves and sprinkle with balsamic vinegar.

What a great way to make boring popcorn into something you just can’t put down ! And at only 149 calories – - eat up ! Popcorn is filling and full of fiber and a great snack food to keep around the house.

Spicy Popcorn

6 servings
149 calories per serving

3.5 oz. bag of plain microwave popcorn
2 T buttery spread
2 T spicy brown mustard
2 t chili powder
2 t hot pepper sauce

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Pop popcorn according to package instructions. In a large bowl combine margarine, mustard, chili powder and hot pepper sauce. Microwave 45 seconds or until butter is melted then stir well and add popcorn and mix well to coat. Turn into a baking pan and bake 10 minutes or until popcorn browns a little. Cool completely before serving.

This is such a great snack – and it even makes a great, filling lunch when you pair it with Triscuits.

Black Bean Dip with Avocado

4 servings
270 calories per serving

1 can black beans, drained, rinsed, and mashed
1 c chopped avocado
1 c shredded low fat mozzarella cheese
4 c baby carrots for dipping

Place the beans in 4 bowls and coarsely mash. Stir in cheese and avocado. Serve carrots alongside. Add 100 calories worth of Triscuits or your favorite cracker to make it a little more filling and meal sized instead of snack sized.

And here is a video teaching you how to use an avocado slicer so you can make perfect slices for all your meals !

We all know how hard it can be to find prepared foods and snacks that are good for us. Well, Lifestyle Foods has some awesome products that solve that problem – all are healthy options, and all are prepared and ready to grab out of the fridge making them just as convenient as grabbing those cookies or that full of fat hot pocket from the freezer – - healthy eating just got a lot easier !

Apples

The food is available online (http://www.lifestylefoods.com) where you can mix and match and create your own personalized pack of snacks. Or if you are in the New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania area, you can find the products in 7-11, Sheetz, and Royal Farms locations throughout New Jersey, in a few Hudson News locations including JFK Airport, and most Giant locations across Pennsylvania. There are soups, salads, snack packs, breakfasts, stand along snacks – more than enough choices to keep the pickiest of eaters happy.

Look at these low calorie counts !
Apple Wedges – 30 calories
Shred Snack – Chicken strips and cheddar cheese cubes – 175 calories
Essential Snack – Mini bagel with cream cheese, hard boiled egg, apple wedges – 200 calories
Manhattan Snack – Hummus, pita bread, carrots, cheddar cheese – 240 calories
Hollywood Snack – Honey wheat pretzels, apple wedges, grapes, cheddar cheese – 200 calories
Glam Snack – Apple wedges, grapes, almonds – 150 calories
Mac Snack – Mac and cheese cubes, grapes – 110 calories
Obsessed Snack – Greek yogurt and honey graham sticks – 150 calories

Head on over to Lifestyle Foods (http://www.lifestylefoods.com) and grab some snack foods that are guilt free !