NACHOS: Very popular with older children and teens. Simply pile tortilla chips on a microwave-proof plate and sprinkle with salsa and cheddar cheese or cheddar-style soy cheese. For "nachos grandes," sprinkle with some drained and rinsed canned black or pinto beans. Microwave just until the cheese melts and serve warm.
HOT BEAN DIP: Simple and so good, just combine about 3/4 cup vegetarian refried beans with 1/4 cup good-quality salsa in a serving bowl. Cover and microwave for about 1 minute, then serve with natural, stone-ground tortilla chips.
CINNAMON-RAISIN TOAST: An all-time favorite in our home! Raisin bread makes great cinnamon toast. Simply toast fresh raisin bread, spread lightly with non-hydrogenated margarine, and sprinkle lightly with cinnamon and natural cane sugar.
INSTANT CREAMY DIP FOR RAW VEGGIES: Simply combine about 1/3 cup each soy mayonnaise and plain low-fat organic yogurt or soy yogurt in a small bowl. Sprinkle in a little dried dill and seasoned salt. Stir until smooth. Serve with baby carrots, small broccoli and cauliflower florets, bell pepper strips, and other raw vegetables.
SKEWERED FRUIT: Any presentation that adds a bit of interest to fresh fruit is always welcome. Simply cut any fresh fruit in season into bite-sized chunks and alternate on wooden or bamboo skewers with grapes (organic fruit preferred, of course).
PAPER BAG POPCORN: Did you know that all popcorn is microwavable? If you buy your own organic popcorn kernels in bulk, it's not only much more economical, but you are the one who controls how much salt (if any) goes on, and you get non of those preservatives or hydrogenated fats. Here's how: simply put 1/4 cup unpopped kernels in a lunch-sized brown paper bag. Fold the top over and secure with a couple pieces of tape. Microwave for two minutes or so, or until you hear the kernels finish popping. Transfer to a large bowl, sprinkle with salt to taste. If you'd like, drizzle a small amount of melted nonhydrogenated margarine on the popcorn and stir well.
PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY "PIZZA": Here's a fun way to give a familiar duo a fun spin. Warm up a good-quality personal-size pizza crust in a toaster oven. Spread with natural-style peanut butter and all-fruit preserves. Cut into 6 wedges. Makes 2 or 3 snack-size servings.
I love popcorn, and little kids love to turn it into an activity. Do the paper bag popcorn like Soul suggested, then put out salt, spices, parmesan cheese, herb blends, maybe even a little cinnamon sugar. Spritz the inside of the kids bags with cooking spray, and let the kids sprinkle in flavorings of their choice (if they're little, monitor to make sure they don't overflavor by dumping in entire cans of spices!). Fold the bag over, shake back up, and voila! Healthy popcorn that they flavored themselves! Great for movie nights.
Whole wheat, low carb tortillas can form the base for many different wraps and sandwiches. Fill them with all kinds of things...laughing cow wedges, hummus, red pepper or roasted tomato spreads, turkey or other lean meats, lettuce, grated carrot or other thinly sliced veggies. Cut and serve - high protein, high fiber, low calorie (as long as you fill them with healthy things).
I'd try to keep veggies and dip on hand all the time - easy, tasty dips can be made with fat free sour cream and any number of herbs/spices. Make up your own combos and dip away.
You can also do the popcorn in a pyrex bowl with a lid. Just make sure an adult pours it into another bowl as it gets hot. It's kind of fun because you can watch the kernels pop. Also, we never had luck with the tape when doing bags, so DH put one bag over the other (like a lid) and that works really well. My kids love this type of popcorn with a little melted earth balance and cinnamon (no sugar necessary). They also enjoy it with grated Parmesan cheese.
Fruit. Whatever is in season. Sometimes I make a dip for it out of FF cream cheese, splenda, and cinnamon.
Baked Tofu (7g per serving). Press the water out, then marinate and bake it. If you live near a Trader Joe's, they sell baked tofu that is fabulous.
Eggs or egg whites (6g per serving). Make an egg-white omelet with reduced fat cheese, lean meat, or veggies. Or I sometimes take a hard-boiled egg and mix the yolk with dijon mustard to make a sort of deviled egg.
Oatmeal or oat bran. If I have enough calories available, I stir 1 tbsp of peanut butter into it. Heaven.
Low carb wrap with one wedge of laughing cow cheese. Add some fruit, sun-dried tomatoes, lean deli meat, or refried beans for variety.
Tuna or salmon. There are some great flavored tuna options, like BumbleBee's tuna sensations or the tuna and salmon sold in pouches.
Yogurt Vegetable Salad: 1/4 cup yogurt, 1 tsp dijon mustard, 2.5 oz diced cucumber, 1.5 oz halved cherry tomatoes (use sun-dried tomatoes or roasted red pepper if fresh cherry tomatoes aren't available), 1/4 cup chickpeas, 1 tbsp minced fresh basil or mint, sea salt and pepper to taste. This makes one serving at 85 calories.
Meg's Fiber One Muffins. I sub pumpkin for the applesauce, skim milk for the butter milk, and baking powder for the baking soda. I also use splenda instead of sugar, always add about 100 calories worth of fruit (berries, apricots, apples, cherries, whatever is in season), and add 1-2 tsp pumpkin pie spice.
Ilene's protein pancakes. Spread with cream cheese, peanut butter, or eat with fruit.
low fat cheesesticks (1 WW point apiece)
unsweetened applesauce snack cups; they come in berry flavors too
breakfast cereal pre-portioned into baggies
pretzel sticks
those baked chips that come in snack bag sizes; I get mine at WalMart
fatfree pudding cups
fresh frozen fruit with low fat graham crackers and fat free cool whip on top.
Oooh, I forgot about this thread, I've got a few to add.
Roasted chick peas! I just made this yesterday (been meaning to do it forever) and they're great -- crunchy and light like pretzels or chips or something, but filling. And I don't like chick peas most other ways. There are a lot of recipes, but I just rinsed and dried a can of them, added some salt, and roasted at 375 F (took 35-40 minutes to make them lightly brown and crunchy).
Yogurt parfaits - I take a small glass and make layers of vanilla yogurt, whatever fresh fruit I have, and cereal (granola is good, but I don't keep that in the house, so it's usually fiber one honey clusters or something).
Salsa and black beans (for some protein) with baked tortilla chips.
If you're popping corn in paper bags, make sure there's no printing on the bag!!!! We started a fire in a microwave oven because the ink got hot and the bag caught on fire!
Never thought about popping it in glassware. I've got a ton of corning ware.
Healthy Snacks
I have 4 little ones, and I am trying to do my summer meal plan!
