First off, I would like tosay that I hope everyone had a Happy, Healthy Super Bowl Sunday, Valentines Saturday and any other celebratory occasion that most likely involved massive quantities of food!
Now, I realize that these occasions have come and gone, but they will be back and you can rest assured that you don’t need football, cupid, or any other icon as an excuse to enjoy a great tasting snack! And even better yet, you can use the recipes I have listed here to create healthy, great tasting alternatives to traditional snack fare without your #1 fan(s) ever knowing the difference!
Avacado-Corn Salsa:
Makes 4 servings
1 medium avocado, diced
3/4 cup frozen corn, thawed
1/2 cup quartered grape tomatoes
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
2 teaspoons lime juice
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Toss avocado, corn, tomatoes, cilantro, lime juice and salt in a medium bowl.
Serve with pita bread, quesadilla triangles or atop rice and beans
Seven Layer Dip
Makes 6 cups
Ingredients:
16 oz. can fat free spicy or zesty refried beans
1 Tbsp. fresh squeezed lime juice
1-1/2 tsp. chili powder
? tsp. ground cumin
? tsp. garlic powder
11-1/2 ounce (about 1-1/4 cups) jar guacamole dip*
? cup chopped green onions
1 cup light sour cream
3 Tbsp. canned, drained, diced green chilis
1-1/2 seeded, chopped vine-ripened tomatoes
4 oz. shredded 75% light cheddar cheese
2 Tbsp. finely chopped cilantro leaves
1/2 cup sliced, drained black olives
Instructions:
In medium bowl, mix together beans, lime juice, chili powder, cumin and garlic.
Spoon bean mixture into a 6-cup glass serving bowl. Using a spatula, spread evenly to form a flat layer. Pour guacamole evenly over beans and smooth with back of a spoon. Sprinkle green onions evenly over top.
In a small bowl, mix sour cream and chilis. Spoon mixture evenly over onions and smooth. Sprinkle tomatoes over top.
In a second small bowl, mix cheese with cilantro. Sprinkle evenly over tomatoes. Sprinkle olives over that. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 1 day.
10 Minute Party Sub
Makes 8 servings
Ingredients:
16-ounce whole wheat French loaf
Olive oil spray
2-1/2 cups shredded romaine or iceberg lettuce leaves
2 medium tomatoes, sliced into ? inch thick slices
? teaspoon dried oregano leaves, or to taste
? cup slivered white onion
12 ounces shaved extra-lean red pepper seasoned deli turkey
3 ounces reduced-fat provolone cheese slices
3 ounces reduced-fat salami slices
4 ounces shaved 97% lean smoked deli ham
1 medium green bell pepper, cored, seeded and finely sliced in to rings, or to taste
? teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
Red wine vinegar, to taste
Instructions:
Cut the loaf lengthwise to open, being careful not to cut all of the way through. Open and mist lightly with spray. Sprinkle lettuce evenly over bottom half.
Top evenly with tomato, oregano, onion, then turkey. Lay cheese then salami slices over that. Mound ham over that. Arrange bell pepper rings over that.
Sprinkle with pepper flakes.
Homemade Sweet Potato Chips:
In lieu of salty potato chips or cheese puffs, consider tasty sweet potato chips. This is a really delicious treat and simple to make.
- Peel and slice sweet potatoes into round chips.
- Spread chips on cookie tray and spray with olive oil or vegetable cooking spray.
- Bake in oven on 400 degrees for about 15 minutes.
- Turn chips over and bake on the other side.
- Remove from oven and sprinkle with either salt, or a mix of brown sugar and cinnamon. Absolutely delicious!
Better For You Buffalo Wings:
Makes 7 servings (7 drumettes per serving)
2 teaspoons seasoned salt
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons flour
2 1/2 pounds (about 28) wing drumettes (look for skinless drumettes if available) 1/4 cup nonalcoholic or light beer (chicken broth or wine can also be used) light blue cheese dressing (optional)
Directions:
1. In a small mixing bowl, stir together the seasoned salt, chili powder, garlic powder, pepper, and flour. Remove and discard the skin from the wings (if you weren't able to find skinless drumettes). Dip each wing into the seasoning mixture, pressing the mixture onto the chicken to coat well.
2. Generously coat a large nonstick skillet with canola cooking spray and place over medium-high heat. Add the chicken wings (cooking in batches if necessary) and cook for about 4 minutes, or until the bottoms are browned. Flip with prongs and cook for about 4 minutes more.
3. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the beer. Cover the pan and cook for about 5 minutes. If the wings aren't cooked through, turn them over and cook for a few minutes more. Remove from the heat and serve hot with light blue cheese dressing if desired.
In addition to the above snack ideas, you can include healthy, convenient elements to your snack spread by including hummus, pesto (packaged or homemade) fresh, sliced fruit, steamed asparagus, salads, fruit skewers with yogurt dipping sauce or assorted fruit and vegetable platters.
Extra healthy snack tip: When shopping, try to choose local, organic ingredients. Organic products are grown without the use of pesticides and artificial fertilizers, colors or preservatives, making them easier for your body to digest.
Enjoy!
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