The Munchies

Ecclesiastes 3:13
And people should eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of their labor, for these are gifts from God.

Today's topic was originally going to be on a different subject, but a friend of mine asked for some suggestions for healthy snacks.  She's pregnant right now, so the munchies tend to hit her especially hard, and in this case, in the middle of the night.

I've found several healthy snacks that help me through those times of when I get the munchies.  Changing to a healthy lifestyle doesn't mean no more snacks, just better, healthier ones.  Life is meant to be enjoyed, not endured; including snacking!

Fruit - seems simple enough right?  I always keep my favorite fruit on hand.  I really like Halo oranges, they are seedless, nice and cold out of the fridge, and they're so little and cute!

Apple slices - Need I say more?

Grapes, another quick go-to snack for when you want something sweet.  You can throw them in the freezer, they are a wonderful frozen treat.  You can also toss frozen grapes into a glass of water for some easy flavored water.

Strawberries - by themselves of course are pretty outstanding, but dipped in some unsweetened dark chocolate kicks them up to another level...yum.

I think you get the idea with fruit, so say you have a salty tooth, then what?  Here are some of my favs:

Snap Pea Crisps by Calbee (Caesar is my favorite flavor) - these have replaced potato chips in my life!  They are baked, full of fiber and protein, and you can eat like 20 of them and they are only 50 calories & 15 grams of carbs!

100 calorie packs of almonds by Evergreen .  There are  roasted flavors such as, cinnamon roast, vanilla roast, or dry roasted.  I keep few packs of these in my purse so I can always have a healthy snack on hand.

A note to self on 100-calorie packs; they are not all created equal.  I stick to 100 calorie packs of nuts instead of cookies or crackers even if they are baked. The nuts have no carbs and no sugar, the others, although they are 100 calories, still have carbs and sugar.

Zucchini crisps - this one is great if you have a little time to make them.  You slice up some zucchini & toss them with a beaten egg; then mix together in a separate bowl a 1/4 cup  of parmesan cheese, 1 teaspoon of minced garlic & 1/4 cup of panko bread crumbs & a little pepper.  Toss the egg-coated zucchini in the dry mixture; then spread them out flat on a cookie sheet & bake in an oven pre-heated to 450 degrees for about 30 minutes & voila, a tasty, healthy, homemade snack.

Popcorn - l love popcorn!  Get some natural white popcorn, (none of this microwave in a bag stuff)  put a tablespoon of coconut oil in a heavy pot with a lid, melt the oil and put in a 1/3-1/2 cup of popcorn, put the lid on and shake constantly over a med-high heat until the kernels stop popping. Pour into a heat resistant bowl, salt lightly.  Super tasty!  Be creative and flavor with cayenne pepper if you like it spicy, or some parmesan cheese.  Or hey you could sprinkle some parmesan cheese and cayenne pepper on your popcorn for cheesy & spicy at the same time...I'm gonna have to try that!

Veggies - Can't go wrong snacking on veggies, I have found that making a healthy dip helps me to eat more veggies.  There are two that I really like, one is a Garlic & White Bean Dip from Eating Well Magazine, and a Feta and Herb Dip, also from Eating Well Magazine.  I dip anything from celery, broccoli, asparagus or  snap peas in these tasty dips.    See below for recipes.

Garlic & White Bean Dip

For this simple-as-can-be dip, rich-tasting poached garlic is pureed with convenient canned beans, a little bit of onion and a dash of lemon juice. Use it as a dip for crudités, veggies or as a spread on a sandwich.

2 cups garlic oil & 2 cups bean dip | Active Time: 50 minutes | Total Time: 2 1/2 hours

Ingredients

Poached Garlic & Garlic Oil

4 cups water
4 heads garlic, cloves separate but unpeeled
1 1/2 cups canola oil
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Bean Dip

1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 15-ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed (see Tip)
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Preparation

To prepare poached garlic & garlic oil: Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Remove from the heat, add garlic cloves and stir to submerge. Let stand until the garlic skins are softened and cool enough to handle, about 50 minutes. Strain the garlic, remove the skins and cut off the hard nub where the clove was attached to the head.
Place the garlic, canola oil and olive oil in a medium saucepan; bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat. Reduce the heat to low and maintain a very gentle simmer (it may be necessary to slide the pan to the edge of the burner). Simmer until the cloves are golden and very soft when pressed with a fork, 40 to 50 minutes. Let cool for 30 minutes.
Transfer the cooled garlic to a sieve to drain, reserving the oil. Transfer the garlic to a food processor and puree until smooth, scraping down the sides occasionally. (If it makes more than 1/2 cup, store the extra in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.)
To prepare bean dip: Combine 1/2 cup of the reserved garlic oil, onion and salt in a large skillet. Cook over medium heat until the onion is softened but not browned, 6 to 9 minutes. Stir in beans and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Transfer to the food processor, add lemon juice and puree with ½ cup garlic puree until smooth. Serve warm or cold. (Store extra garlic oil in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.)
Nutrition

Per 2-tablespoon serving : 123 Calories; 8 g Fat; 1 g Sat; 5 g Mono; 0 mg Cholesterol; 12 g Carbohydrates; 3 g Protein; 2 g Fiber; 139 mg Sodium; 173 mg Potassium

Tips & Notes

Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate garlic puree for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 6 months; refrigerate oil for no more than 1 week. Cover and refrigerate the dip for up to 3 days.
Tip: While we love the convenience of canned beans, they tend to be high in sodium. Give them a good rinse before adding to a recipe to rid them of some of their sodium (up to 35 percent) or opt for low-sodium or no-salt-added varieties. (Our recipes are analyzed with rinsed, regular canned beans.) Or, if you have the time, cook your own beans from scratch.

Feta & Herb Dip

Lots of freshly chopped herbs add zing to our white bean dip. Serve with assorted vegetables, such as baby carrots, bell pepper strips, radishes, snow peas, broccoli and cauliflower florets.

8 servings, 1/4 cup each | Active Time: 30 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

1 15-ounce can white beans, rinsed
3/4 cup nonfat plain yogurt
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
Preparation

Place beans, yogurt, feta, lemon juice, garlic salt and pepper in a food processor and puree until smooth. Add herbs; puree until incorporated. Chill until ready to serve.
Nutrition

Per serving : 32 Calories; 1 g Fat; 1 g Sat; 0 g Mono; 4 mg Cholesterol; 5 g Carbohydrates; 2 g Protein; 1 g Fiber; 167 mg Sodium; 77 mg Potassium

Exchanges: 1/2 starch, 1/2 very lean meat

Tips & Notes

Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

What are some of your go-to healthy snacks!  I'd love to hear from you....until next time, bless you!