Vegetable Platter
Serve this with any of the nutritious dips and spreads found in this section or with a store bought humus, bean, or guacamole dip.
1. Asparagus, steamed
2. Beet slices, cooked
3. Belgian endive leaves
4. Broccoli, raw or blanched
5. Brussels sprouts, steamed or boiled tender crisp
6. Carrot sticks
7. Cauliflower flowerets, raw
8. Celery sticks
9. Cherry tomatoes
10. Cucumber sticks
11. Cherry tomatoes
12. Cucumber slices
13. Green beans, whole, steamed tender crisp
14. Kohlrabi strips, raw, if tender, or blanched mushrooms, whole raw
15. Pea pods, sugar snap or snow, raw or steamed tender crisp
16. Pepper strips, red, green, and/or yellow
17. Radishes, sliced or whole
18. Scallions, roots trimmed, green leaves slit lengthwise
19. Turnip sticks
20. Zucchini Strips
Snack Tips
• Plan snacks as a part of the day’s food plan.
• When shopping, let children help pick out fruits, vegetables, and cheeses for snacks. They will be more interested in eating these foods if they have been involved in selecting them.
• Set aside a “snack spot” in the refrigerator and cupboard; keep it stocked with nutritious ready-to-eat snacks.
• Offer snacks at regular times, such as midmorning and mid-afternoon. Don’t let children nibble constantly during the day.
• Avoid high sugar, fatty and salty snacks, such as candy and soda pop.
• Snacks are a good way to introduce new foods. Include a game or activity to learn about the new food and let the child help fix it.
• Plan snacks to help meet the suggested number of servings per day from the Food Guide Pyramid: 6 to 11 servings from the breads, cereal, rice and pasta group; 3 to 5 servings from the vegetable group; 2 to 4 servings from the fruit group; 2 to 3 servings from the milk, cheese and yogurt group; and 2 to 3 servings meat, poultry, fish, eggs, nuts and dry beans group.
• Never offer food as a reward for good behavior.
Simple Healthy Snack Ideas
• Raw vegetables, such as celery, carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, green pepper, green beans, cucumbers, mushrooms or zucchini may be served with a low fat dip.
• Fresh fruit in season: cut in slices or halves, such as apples, oranges, bananas, peaches, grapefruit, grapes, melons, pears, plums or strawberries.
• Low fat quick breads and muffins, such as pumpkin, zucchini, banana or bran.
• Non-sugared cereals, snack mixes made with popcorn and whole grain cereal.
• Low fat yogurt with fresh, frozen or canned fruit.
• Shakes with low fat milk or yogurt and fruit.
• Unsweetened fruit juices.
• Pyramid Tortilla Recipe
Here is an easy to do snack. For each person you will need:
1 8-inch tortilla
2 ounces thin sliced turkey or ham
2 Tablespoons shredded cheese
1/4 cup shredded lettuce
1 Tablespoon raisins
Low fat mayonnaise, cream cheese, or margarine
• Give each person a tortilla.
• Have them spread with mayonnaise, margarine or cream cheese.
• Then layer on the meat, cheese, lettuce and raisins.
• Roll up and enjoy.
• This snack could also be made using a slice of bread or an English muffin.
Hummus
1 onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbs. vegetable oil
2 cups cooked chickpeas (garbanzos), drained and rinsed if canned
½ cup fresh lemon juice
1 tbs. soy sauce
¼ tsp. salt
¼ cup tahini (sesame paste)
½ cup sesame seeds toasted and ground
1. Sauté the onion and garlic in the oil until the vegetables are solving.
2. Set the mixture aside.
3. In a blender or food processor, puree the chickpeas with the onion and garlic, lemon juice, soy sauce, salt, thin, sand sesame.
4. Serve the hummus with pita, fresh or toasted and/or as a dip with shred vegetables.
Note: If you have no tahini who can substitute it in a blender with 1 tbs. lemon juice, ½ tbs. water, ¼ cup of finely ground sesame seeds.
Guacamole
1 avocado
1 ½ tbs. lemon juice
¼ cup onion, minced
1 tbs. green chilies, minced and diced
1 small tomato, seeded and finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/8 tsp. salt
1. Skin the avocado and remove the flesh from the pit.
2. Place the flash in a medium bowl and add the lemon and mashed the avocado with a fork.
3. Stir in the onion, chilies, tomato, garlic and salt.
4. Chill the guacamole before serving.
5. You may serve it at room temperature.
Yield: 1 ¼ cups
Baba Ghanoush
2 pounds eggplant (2 medium or 1 large), whole and unpeeled
¼ cup tahini (sesame paste)
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
1 large clove garlic, crushed
¼ cup finely minced onion, crushed
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
1 tbs. oil
3 tbs. fresh parsley, minced
1. Prick the eggplant in several places with a fork, place it on a baking sheet, and broil it in a preheated broiler for about 20 minutes, turning the vegetable several times so that the skin chars on all sides.
2. Let the eggplant cool.
3. When the eggplant is cool enough to handle, cut it in half, scrape out the fresh into a bowl, discard the skin, and mash the eggplant with the tahini, lemon juice, garlic, onion, salt, and pepper.
4. Cover the mixture, and refrigerate it.
5. Before serving, sprinkle the spread with oil and minced parsley, and serve it with pita, fresh or toasted or as a dip for fresh vegetables.
Snacks You Can Eat Every Day
1. Nonfat, sugar-free yogurt with fruit (1 cup)
2. Baby carrots (3 oz)
3. Fresh fruit:
4. Banana (small)
5. Apple (medium)
6. Pear (medium)
7. Orange (medium)
8. Kiwi (2)
9. Cold cereal
10. Fig Newtons (2)
11. Graham crackers (2)
12. Instant oatmeal (1 oz)
13. Rice cakes (2)
14. Pretzels (1 oz)
15. Skim milk (8 oz)
Popcorn Recipes
Pecan Popcorn
1/2 Cup butter or margarine
1/2 Cup brown sugar, packed
3 Qt. unsalted popped corn
I Cup(s) whole pecans or mixed nuts
• Cream together butter and brown sugar until fluffy.
• Combine popcorn and pecans in a shallow baking pan.
• Add the butter mixture by spoonfuls and mix into the popcorn mixture.
• Bake at 350° stirring two or three times, until crisp, about 8 minutes.
Yield: 3 Quarts
Peanut Popcorn
5 -6 Cup(s) hot freshly popped corn
2 Tsp(s) salt
2 Cup(s) toasted peanuts
1/4 Cup(s) butter or margarine
1 Tblsp (s) peanut butter
• Toss popcorn with salt and peanuts.
• Melt butter over moderate heat and stir in peanut butter.
• Add to popcorn and toss well.
Yield: 2 quarts
Cheese Popcorn
5 to 6 Cup(s) hot freshly popped corn
2 Tsp(s) salt
1/4 Cup(s) butter or margarine
1/3 Cup(s) grated Romano or Parmesan Cheese
• Toss hot popcorn with salt.
• Melt butter over moderate heat and mix in cheese.
• Immediately pour over popcorn and toss well.
Yield: 1 1/2 quarts
Seasoned Pop Corn
Blue Cheese Pop Corn:
• Melt 1 Cup(s) butter or margarine.
• Stir in 1 package blue cheese salad dressing mix.
• Toss with 6 quarts freshly popped Jolly Time Pop Corn.
Parmesan Pop Corn:
• Melt 1/4 Cup(s) butter.
• Pour over 2 quarts popped Jolly Time Pop Corn.
• Add 1/2 Cup(s) grated Parmesan cheese and 1 – 2 Tsp(s) salt.
• Mix well.
Herb Seasoned Pop Corn:
• Melt 3 Tblsp(s) butter or margarine.
• Stir in l/2 Tsp(s) salt.
• Combine 1 Tsp(s) thyme, 1/2 Tsp(s) basil, I/2 Tsp(s) oregano and l/2 Tsp(s) rosemary. Add to butter.
• Pour over 2 quarts freshly popped Jolly Time Pop Corn.
• Toss well.
Curry Seasoned Pop Corn:
• Melt 3 Tblsp (s) butter or margarine.
• Stir in 1/2 Tsp(s) salt, 1 Tsp(s) curry powder, 1/4 Tsp(s) ground cinnamon, and 1/4 Tsp(s) ground ginger.
• Toss with 2 quarts popped Jolly Time Pop Corn.
Flavored Pop Corn:
• Sprinkle one or more of the following over hot buttered Pop Corn: Garlic salt, Celery salt, Seasoned salt, Chili powder, Grated American cheese, Hickory flavored Dry soup mix, Dill weed, Butter flavored, salt, Bacon-flavored bits
Introduction to Eating Healthy Snacks
Is snacking harmful?
Americans say they are very concerned about nutrition. 58% of those surveyed believe fat in food is a serious health problem. However, according to some food surveys, only 35% say they are doing all they can to eat a balanced diet.
A great majority admit they eat between meals. The top-selling snack food in America is potato chips. The number-one snack from vending machines is the Snickers candy bar.
Who should eat snacks?
• Infants and toddlers need to snack because they have such high energy demands and small stomachs.
• Teenagers who are rapidly growing and developing also need to snack because they require more calories and nutrients to sustain their growth spurts.
• Athletes involved in sports or endurance training need to snack to meet their increased energy demands. Carbohydrates (stored as a substance called glycogen in the liver and muscles) are used up during exercise and must be replenished.
• Laborers and construction workers have very high energy demands that cannot be met in three meals per day so they may need a snack.
• People who may not have time to sit down for a meal should snack so they don’t have an energy letdown in the late afternoon.
• People who don’t eat breakfast should carry a snack with them so they will have fuel flowing to their brains when they need to focus on their work.
• If you do not fit into one of the above categories, it is still all right to snack on healthy foods.
• Just think twice before snacking on high-calorie, high-fat foods. Candy bars and ice cream between meals can lead to weight gain.
What snacks are good?
• Well-planned snacks can help most people reach their dietary goals.
• Picking snacks to complement your meals or your diet is the key to snacking.
• Make sure you eat food from all five food groups during the day.
The five food groups are:
• Meat, poultry, fish, dried beans, eggs
• Grains
• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Milk, cheese, yogurt.
• Carbohydrates (grains, fruits, and vegetables) should make up at least half of your daily calories.
• For example, if all you had for breakfast was a bowl of cereal with low-fat milk and you became hungry at 10:00 a.m., pick a snack from the food groups that you missed.
• Because you had only two of the five food groups for breakfast, you should pick a snack from one or more of the other three, like fruits, fruit juice, vegetables, peanut butter on celery, apples, or bagels.
• Because most Americans do not eat enough complex carbohydrates you are usually safe choosing snack foods like whole-grain breads, cereals, bagels, fruits, and vegetables.
Active athletes or growing children who sometimes need foods with more calories can add these items to the list of snack foods: peanut butter sandwiches, low-fat milkshakes (with skim milk and low-fat ice cream), dried fruit, cottage cheese, and pasta with sauce.
Can I eat high-fat, high-calorie foods occasionally?
• Indulging once in a while is normal and healthy.
• People who swear off all sweets and high-fat foods can begin to crave sweets and fatty foods, which can lead to overeating.
• Instead, sit down and enjoy the taste and pleasant feelings you get from having that high-fat, high-calorie snack.
• If guilt overcomes you or you want to enjoy this kind of snack more often, prepare for the extra calories and fat by skipping that extra serving of food at dinner or by exercising a little longer.
• The fear of having to give up a favorite snack is one of the main reasons most Americans exercise.
• You can have your cake and eat it, too, as long as you maintain a regular and consistent exercise program.
Healthy Shake
3 scoops of vanilla frozen yogurt
1 banana
10 ounces of milk
• Place ingredients in a blender and mix for a few seconds.
Substitutions: You can use almost any soft fruit in this or use fruit juice instead of milk for those with dairy allergies.
Cream Cheese Herb Dip
1 pkg (8oz) cream cheese
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tbs. chopped parsley
1 tbs. minced chives
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2-3 Tablespoons milk, depending on how thick or thin you want to make the dip
1. In a small bowl, beat cream cheese, butter, and sour cream.
2. Stir in seasonings.
Additions: Cut up raw vegetables such as carrots, broccoli, celery, or breads like breadsticks or pita chips.
7 Ideas for Quick and Healthy Snacks
1. Top cream cheese on a bagel with shredded carrots or finely diced yellow and green peppers.
2. Buy vegetable sushi, available in most supermarkets.
3. Wrap a slice of deli meat and cheese in a tortilla.
4. Stuff a pita pocket with hummus and diced cucumber.
5. Combine ¾ cup vanilla yogurt and ½ cup peanut butter for a dip for apple slices, carrots and celery.
6. Make a smoothie by combining orange juice, protein powder, and a banana, mango or strawberries, or try more unusual fruits such as kiwi or raspberry or blueberry.
7. Make a fruit and yogurt combination and top it with honey and granola or wheat germ.