Category Archives: Snacks

Healthy Snack Bars

November 1, 2011 admin Leave a comment

Sweet honey keeps all the ingredients stuck together. These are great to keep on hand for when you get a ‘sweets attack’. So healthy, so full of MUFAs, yet honey sweet and just a bit chocolaty.

16 servings
109 calories per serving

2 1/2 c unsweetened puffed wheat cereal
1/2 c pecan halves, chopped medium fine
1/3 c salted roasted shelled pumpkin seeds / pepitas (just roast in oven 5-10 minutes)
1/4 c dried cranberries (craisins), coarsely chopped
3 T sesame seeds
1/2 c honey
1/2 t vanilla extract
1/8 t salt
1/2 cup mini semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips (chop regular size ones)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees and line an 8×8 square baking dish with parchment paper letting it overhang so you have ‘handles’ to pull up the bars when done. Mix cereal, nuts, seeds and cranberries. In a saucepan heat honey, vanilla and salt 2-3 minutes. The pour this over the dry ingredients and mix well then add chocolate and press it all into the prepared pan and spread it out. You can spray a wooden spoon with Pam to help. Bake 30-35 minutes or until top is brown. Use a knife to loosen the bars from the unlined sides of the pan and lift the whole thing out and set on a rack to cool a bit. Cut into 16 bars.

Snacks

Late Night Snacks

October 10, 2011 admin Leave a comment

My blog and this post won an award 🙂 One of the top 70 food blogs at eCollegeFinder !

Having a snack attack? Lotsa students are out there burning the midnight oil cramming and writing papers – this post is dedicated to them ! 🙂

Late night snacking can kill your diet if you’re eating tons of processed, high cal and high fat foods. Here are some great ideas that are easy to prepare, full of flavor and much better options.

Microwave Chips
Oh so much better for you than the bagged version

Awesome Homemade Black Bean Dip
Serve with baked tortilla chips

Chipotle Nuts
Great flavor and so easy to do !

Ranch Popcorn
Make your popcorn so much more special

Apricot Sweet Rolls
In the mood for something sweet? Use any flavor jam and watch these disappear

Fruit Parfaits
Use any frozen fruit – these are ready in no time !

Grape Salad
Mix this up ahead of time and always have it ready to go in the fridge

Chicken and Black Bean Quesadillas
Need something a bit more substantial ? There’s nothing like a hot quesadilla

Healthy Buffalo Chicken
All the flavor – so little fat !

Enjoy your late night snacking – no guilt at all ! 🙂

Fruit, Kid Friendly, Snacks

Tea and Honey Oranges

September 24, 2011 admin Leave a comment

The addition of the tea actually makes this less sweet and you’ll find it’s a great snack or even a great side dish to a fish or chicken dinner.

4 servings
63 calories per serving

2 c mandarin orange pieces (if using canned, make sure to rinse the oranges off and drain)
1/2 c hot black tea
2 T honey
Pinch of ground cardamom

Mix all together and serve at room temperature or chilled.

Appetizers, Kid Friendly, Mediterranean, Snacks

Pita Chips

September 18, 2011 admin 1 Comment

Great on their own, great with dips, great next to salads – these are so versatile and you can spice them up pretty much however you wish !

48 chips
43 calories per serving (1 serving = 16 chips)

1 t garlic powder
½ t onion powder
½ t oregano flakes
½ t basil flakes
½ t parsley flakes
2 t paprika
4 6-inch pita breads cut in half like a sandwich
Pam

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine seasonings and set aside. Cut each pita half into 6 wedges and spray both sides with Pam and sprinkle seasoning mix on the pitas and bake 12 minutes or until golden. Turn once halfway through cooking and cool before serving.

Appetizers, Dinner, Italian, Sides, Snacks, Vegetables

Eggplant Caponata

August 15, 2011 admin 1 Comment

This makes a great side dish or a perfect appetizer served with Crostini bread or crackers. Every caponata you find is a little different – there are so many components that it is easy to get different versions. This one uses very little oil and is my absolute favorite. By pre-cooking the eggplant in the oven, you use much less oil and you won’t even miss it ! It has all my favorite things and has a great depth of flavor.

6 servings
149 calories per serving

1 large eggplant, trimmed, but not peeled and then cut into 1 inch cubes
½ t salt
2 t oil
2 c chopped celery
¼ c celery leaves, chopped
1 c chopped onions
½ c water
2 t minced garlic
1 15 oz. can petite diced tomatoes (including the juice)
2 T tomato paste
20 small black olives, chopped (you can use green if you prefer)
2 T white wine vinegar
1 t unsweetened cocoa
½ t black pepper
Kosher salt to taste
¼ c chopped basil
¼ c toasted pine nuts
2 t oil
Pam

To toast pine nuts, sauté in a hot, dry skillet for a few moments – until golden and aromatic. Place eggplant cubes in a colander over a bowl and sprinkle with ½ t salt. Mix well so that all eggplant is salted. Then place a small plate or bowl on top of the eggplant and weight it by placed a canned product or some other heavy object. The salt and the weight will draw some of the bitter liquid from the eggplant and you will end up with a much sweeter tasting caponata. Let sit for an hour then rinse eggplant and pat dry. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with Pam, and place eggplant on sheet in a single layer. Cook for 20 minutes then remove from oven and set aside.

Heat a skillet and add 2 t of oil. Also spray with a bit of pan and then sauté onions and celery on medium high heat until partially softened, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and sauté a minute longer. Add ½ c water and continue cooking another 10 minutes. If the mix gets dry, add up to ¼ c more water to keep it moist. Add tomatoes and their juice, tomato paste and olives and cook on medium for 10 minutes until sauce thickens a bit. Add eggplant, vinegar, salt, pepper and cocoa and cook on low for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in toasted nuts and 2 t oil. Serve room temperature or chilled.

Kid Friendly, Snacks

Microwave Chips

June 22, 2011 admin 1 Comment

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You can’t get a potato chip fresher than this. In just a couple of minutes you have a perfect snack size serving and they are sooooo good. I don’t even peel the potato first.

4 servings (1 serving = 12-14 chips)
141 calories per serving

1 1/3 lb Yukon gold unpeeled
2 t oil
½ t salt
Pam

Slice potatoes super thin (I use a mandolin to do this – just be sure to user the guard !). Mix slices with oil and salt. Spray a glass dish with Pam and spread a single layer of potatoes on the plate. Microwave on high 2-3 minutes or until they start to brown. Turn and microwave until they start to crisp around the edges (another 2 minutes or so). Work in batches. Cool completely.

Appetizers, Snacks

Homemade Tortilla Chips

June 1, 2011 admin Leave a comment

These are GREAT ! And at only 91 calories, you’ll be making these all the time. This recipe sprinkles them with chili powder – very nice. But you could just as easily use different spices instead. These went great with the Black Bean Dip recipe I have !

48 chips
91 calories per serving (13 chips)

6 corn tortillas
1 c water
Chili powder to taste

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Dip each tortilla in water and then cut into 8 wedges and place on an ungreased baking sheet and sprinkle with chili powder. Bake 5-8 minutes or until crisp. Cool on wire rack before serving.

Appetizers, Snacks

Black Bean Dip

June 1, 2011 admin Leave a comment

OH SO GOOD ! Ditch the canned black bean dips ! This one takes no time to put together and is so fresh tasting. This makes a great appetizer served with homemade tortilla chips.

6 servings
139 calories per serving

15 oz. can of black beans, rinsed and drained
2 c corn
2 green onions, sliced
½ c plain nonfat yogurt
½ t thyme
½ t chili powder
1/2 t cumin
Pepper to taste

Place all ingredients in a blender and puree for 20 seconds or until mixture is smooth. Serve with baked tortilla chips.

Appetizers, Snacks, Vegetables

Vegetable Dip

May 13, 2011 admin Leave a comment

This dip also makes a great baked potato topper. Very cheesy – very tasty – and very, very good for you !

12 servings
29 calories per serving

2 c chopped broccoli
1 clove garlic, minced
1 small onion, chopped
¼ lb. chopped mushrooms
2 t corn oil
1 c low fat cottage cheese
Pinch of pepper
½ t onion powder
½ t garlic powder

Cook broccoli leaving it still crisp (boil or steam). In a small pan on medium high heat cook garlic and onions until well browned – add water as necessary to keep them moist. Add mushrooms in oil for 5 minutes or until the onion is tender. In a food processor, process cottage cheese until smooth then add broccoli and onion mixture along with garlic powder, onion powder and pepper and pulse until well combined. Serve with veggies or crackers for dipping. Refrigerate unused portion.

Snacks

Popcorners – I’m hopelessly addicted :)

March 31, 2011 admin Leave a comment

I admit it – I’m a snacker. That can be my downfall…I eat great, healthy meals, but the snacks get me. So I try to keep a bunch of healthier alternatives around so that when I can’t resist the urge, at least I am not totally killing my calorie count. My newest favorite is a popcorn ‘chip’ called PopCorners. These are FABULOUS !!

A 1.1 ounce bag is only 140 calories! The serving size is more than enough and the all natural product tastes great. It’s popcorn without all the messy little leftover kernel pieces that only get in my teeth and bother me anyhow 😉 And one of my favorite parts – – they come in different flavors. I LOVE things that have different flavors 🙂

Today I’m eating the slightly sweet Kettle version. Yesterday was Butter. The day before was Sea Salt. And tomorrow I have to try the White Cheddar – based on all the others being so good, I am sure the cheese will please.

Try some – if you can’t find them locally, you can order online. Healthy, all natural, low cal and awesome…Popcorners. (I may sound like an endorsement, but I have no affiliation with the product ! I just love it.)