A simple dish with a simple combination of flavors that can be paired with anything. And at only 18 calories per serving, it is insanely low in calories. I always wondered if celery really was a negative calorie food..hmmmm???
4 servings
18 calories per serving
4 celery stalks sliced thin
¼ c packed parsley leaves
1 ½ t sherry vinegar
1 t oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Combine all in a bowl and mix well.
Hummus is simply a dip made from chickpeas. Many hummus recipes also use tahini, which is just a paste of oil and ground up sesame seeds. Many of the store-bought hummus dips are downright delicious – all the different brands have different consistencies so sample a few and find the one you like. Some are creamier, some are grittier, and some are more spicy than others– and if you can’t find one you like, make your own !
1 serving
130 calories per serving
½ cucumber, sliced into spears
1 stalk celery, sliced into spears
4 T hummus (roasted red pepper flavor is my favorite)
This is a great party dish and I’m serving it up for Superbowl. Unlike most of the other snacks that will be around, this one is low cal and nutritious so I will try and stay on the side of the table with this instead of the KFC wings 😉
32 servings
42 calories per serving (1 serving = 2 T)
1 can refried black beans
1 T chili powder
½ r cumin
1 c light sour cream
1 c shredded light cheddar cheese
3 green onions, sliced
1/3 c sliced black olives
1 tomato, chopped
Mix the beans, chili powder and cumin and spread on the bottom of a serving bowl or pie plate. Top with a layer of sour cream. Sprinkle with cheese, onions, olives and tomato. Refrigerate until well chilled. Serve with tortilla chips.
My guilty pleasure….2 Dove Chocolates a day. This ‘diet’ does not mean chocolate can never pass your lips again. This is not a diet, anyhow – this is a way of life and my life needs chocolate ! This whole meal plan that I have been following and sharing allows you to eat a little of everything, definitely in moderation, but a little bit of everything fits in.
I am still losing 1 or more pounds per week and over the months, it really adds up. I hope you see good results too 🙂
2 Dove Chocolates
88 calories
Get your microwaved snack in 30 seconds – there’s no shorter countdown to cheesy nachos !
4 servings
290 calories per serving
24 baked tortilla chips
1 c shredded pepper jack cheese
24 t salsa
Place 6 chips on a paper plate. Sprinkle with 1/4 c cheese. Microwave 20 seconds or until cheese is melted. Top with 1 t salsa per chip. Repeat for 3 other servings.
I’m not sure if this is a local product or if you can find it all over – a friend introduced me to it and you can get it at Whole Foods Markets. It makes a GREAT vegetable dip. Served with tri-color bell peppers, it makes an excellent snack or lunch side.
The dressing itself is 140 calories for 2T – – add the equivalent of a whole cut up bell pepper for about 25 calories.
Ahhh – cheese ! There is nothing quite like it. And in most diets it is highly taboo due to the calories and fat content. These wedges of goodness fit right into my diet plan coming in at 50% less fat than the regular and a mere 35 calories per wedge. The wedges are BIG. Do not think these are like those little Laughing Cow squares. They are not. These are gloriously big cheesy wedges !
They come in 3 wonderful flavors:
Original (Swiss blend)
Garlic and Herb
French Onion
They are a very creamy and soft cheese – more like a spread, really. And they are perfect used in a multitude of ways. Here’s how I use them…
– Use in my Macaroni and Cheese recipe, either alone or with a mixture of other cheeses
– Melt and mix with a little skim milk to make a sauce for broccoli and other vegetables
** Open one up and dip pretzel rods in for a quick snack (my favorite!)
– Spread on a toasted whole wheat muffin and top with tomato slices for a great Cheese Muffin
– Cut into cubes and drop into scrambled eggs just before they set
– Spread in wraps before making lunch or breakfast wrap recipes
The Laughing Cow website also has a bunch of recipes that you can try
I know I sound like a commercial. But I love these things ! And I want you all to buy them too so they don’t stop making them 🙂
I have a set of ‘GO TO’ snacks so that when I am hungry, I don’t dig into something that will tip the calorie scale for the day. Make a list, keep them around the house, keep them front and center on your snack shelves !
Almonds – raw, unsalted – – great for also getting in your good fats for the day
Sunflower seeds – high on the calorie scale but if you eat them individually, you’ll be tired by time you come to the end of 1/4 cup 🙂
Low fat string cheese – only 50-70 calories per stick and very satisfying
Turkey Pepperoni – pair it up with the string cheese !
Fiber One 50 calorie cups of yogurt
Pretzels
Celery sticks – cut them up on Sunday and keep them in a container ready to go all week (dip in Tzatziki) or eat with a Light Laughing Cow cheese
Light Laughing Cow cheese wedge – only 35 calories – WOW!
Pop Chips – these AWESOME 100 calorie chips are real potatoes, they are just popped instead of fried or baked. They come in many flavors and you can get them in single serve bags and the come out to less than a dollar a bag
Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips – eaten a few at a time, a tablespoon or 2 can keep you busy for a while
Jax (cheese doodles) – lots of curls for 130 calories
Ricola chewy breath mints – very minty – and after mint, I don’t want anything else for a while
Coffee – not a snack when it is just coffee, but by the time I am done with flavorings and toppings, it is more like a low cal dessert 🙂 I will get a few of these recipes up soon
