Is It Snacktime Yet?

Is It Snacktime Yet? We all like snacks, but healthful, good-tasting snacks aren t always easy to find. Most are filled with fat and non-nutritious calories and don t offer much beyond a quick jolt of sugar. I recommend that adults have only one snack a day, either mid-morning or mid-afternoon. Eating in moderation at breakfast, lunch, and dinner should provide the nutrition you need to fuel the day and a small snack can supplement these meals, if needed. In order to be prepared, determine early in the day that you will stay away from the fat and calorie-loaded snacks that are so handy at the store. Cut up fresh fruit and vegetables ahead of time and keep them handy for snacking. Try partnering vegetables with great tastes, such as Fresh Vegetable Avocado Dip or a lowfat prepared spread. Opt for low-sodium, whole-wheat crackers and string cheese, graham crackers and lowfat peanut butter, or a sliced banana and a cup of lowfat, fruitflavored yogurt. When you have a few minutes to prepare special snacks, consider Mix with a Kick, Super-Quick Pizza, or Caliente Corn Chips for a fun change of pace. The recipes in this chapter include salsas and spreads to add to your favorite vegetables, fruits, breads, and crackers. And, if you want to really add some spice to your snack life, offer Hot Pepper Shooters as a surprising crowd-pleaser! 3

68 Delicious Heart-Healthy Meals In No Time Mix with a Kick 6 c. popped popcorn, no added salt or fat 4 c. spoon-sized wheat biscuit cereal 2 c. unsalted small twist pretzels c. dry roasted peanuts, no salt added t. chili powder t. cumin powder t. hot pepper sauce t. garlic powder canola oil nonstick cooking spray Preheat the oven to 300 F. In a large bowl gently stir together the popcorn, cereal, pretzels, and peanuts. Spread the mixture into a 9 3-inch baking dish. In a small bowl, combine the chili powder, cumin, pepper sauce, and the garlic powder. Spray the popcorn mix 2 or 3 times with the cooking spray. Sprinkle the spice mix over the popcorn and stir to coat the mixture with the spices. Bake 30 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. Remove the dish from the oven and cool. Store the snack in an airtight container. Serves 2. Calories: 23 5g Saturated Fat: g % Calories from Fat: 8 Carbohydrates: 43g 6g 0mg 254mg The best note appliance for making fat free popcorn is an air-popper, found in most small kitchen appliance departments. It works without any added oils.

CHAPTER 3 Is It Snacktime Yet? 69 Crispy Crunchy Chicken Nuggets 3 c. seasoned crumb stuffing mix, crushed c. grated Parmesan cheese 3 T. lowfat margarine, melted c. lowfat buttermilk t. black pepper lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts Preheat the oven to 450 F. In a self-sealing plastic bag, combine the crushed stuffing mix and Parmesan cheese. In a small bowl stir together the margarine, buttermilk, and black pepper and set aside. Rinse the chicken breasts and pat dry. On a cutting board with a sharp knife, cut each chicken breast into 8 equal pieces. Dip a piece of chicken in the buttermilk mixture, allowing any excess liquid to drain off. Place the piece of chicken in the resealable plastic bag with the crumb mixture. Repeat this process with 2 more pieces of chicken. Seal the plastic bag and shake to coat the chicken evenly with the crumbs. Place the coated pieces on an ungreased baking sheet and repeat with the rest of the chicken. Place the nuggets into the oven and bake for 4 minutes, until lightly crispy. Remove the baking sheet, turn each nugget with tongs and bake for an additional 4 to 5 minutes until the nuggets are a golden brown and cooked completely through with no pink remaining. Place the nuggets on a plate and serve immediately. These may be served with a lowfat dip if desired. Makes 4 servings, 4 nuggets per serving. Calories: 329 3g Saturated Fat: 4g % Calories from Fat: 37 Carbohydrates: 7g 32g 69mg 740mg Offer this note healthy snack with a lowfat dip or spread as an accompaniment. Try using different flavored stuffing mixes for variety.

70 Delicious Heart-Healthy Meals In No Time Fresh Vegetable Avocado Dip 8 oz. plain, nonfat yogurt Haas avocado, peeled and halved t. garlic seasoning (salt-free) / 8 t. black pepper / 8 t. hot pepper sauce (you may add more, if desired) medium ripe tomato, chopped 2 green onions, finely chopped c. fresh parsley, finely chopped Place the yogurt, avocado, garlic seasoning, black pepper, and hot pepper sauce into the work bowl of a food processor and process until smooth. Using a spatula, put the avocado mixture into a bowl. Add the tomato, green onions, and parsley and stir to blend well. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours before serving. Makes 24 servings, tablespoon per serving. Calories: 2 g Saturated Fat: <g % Calories from Fat: 5 Carbohydrates: 2g g <mg 0mg Serve this note dip with a plate of fresh vegetables in bite-sized pieces. Dip each vegetable piece, pop it into your mouth, and enjoy the combination of flavors. Kids will find this a fun snack to eat!

CHAPTER 3 Is It Snacktime Yet? 7 Spicy Asian Meatballs lb. ground turkey breast 2 green onions, chopped clove garlic, minced c. fresh parsley, chopped 2 T. fresh cilantro, chopped t. hot Asian chile paste (optional) t. fresh ginger, grated t. orange zest 2 t. orange juice t. salt t. black pepper, freshly ground T. low-sodium soy sauce 2 T. egg white 2 T. plain breadcrumbs canola oil nonstick cooking spray Preheat the oven to 375 F. In a medium bowl, combine all of the ingredients, mixing well to blend. Shape the turkey mixture into -inch meatballs. Lightly coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. Place the meatballs on the sheet and bake for 2 to 5 minutes or until the meatballs are lightly browned and cooked through with no pink remaining. Serve the meatballs on a platter or combine them with the Orange Sesame Sauce (page 72), mixing well to coat all the meatballs. Makes 6 servings, 2 meatballs per serving. Calories: 57 3g Saturated Fat: g % Calories from Fat: 50 Carbohydrates: g 6g 23mg 25mg

72 Delicious Heart-Healthy Meals In No Time Orange-Sesame Sauce c. low-sodium soy sauce c. water c. rice wine vinegar t. sugar substitute t. sesame oil t. fresh orange juice t. orange zest 2 T. green onion, minced t. garlic, minced t. fresh ginger, minced t. hot Asian chile paste 2 t. cornstarch 2 T. cold water In a small sauce pan, combine all the ingredients except the cornstarch and cold water. Mix well to blend. Cook over medium heat until the mixture simmers. Mix the cornstarch with cold water until blended and add it to the saucepan, stirring until thickened. This sauce can be used with Spicy Asian Meatballs (page 7), added to a stir fry dish or used as a dipping sauce for egg rolls. Makes cups, 6 servings. Calories: <g Saturated Fat: <g % Calories from Fat: 27 Carbohydrates: g <g 0mg 265mg

CHAPTER 3 Is It Snacktime Yet? 73 Super-Quick Pizza onion bagel, halved and lightly toasted 4 T. chunky tomato marinara sauce 4 T. part-skim lowfat mozzarella cheese Preheat the broiler. Place the toasted bagel halves, cut side up, on broiler pan. On each bagel half, spoon 2 tablespoons marinara sauce and top it with 2 tablespoons of cheese. Place the broiler pan on the oven rack 4 inches from the heat for 2 minutes, or until the cheese melts. Makes 2 servings. Calories: 25 2g Saturated Fat: g % Calories from Fat: 3 Carbohydrates: 2g 7g 2mg 392mg

74 Delicious Heart-Healthy Meals In No Time Hummus 2 c. canned, no salt added garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained 4 T. lemon juice 2 T. water 4 T. tahini (sesame paste) 2 cloves garlic, chopped t. extra-virgin olive oil t. ground cumin t. salt additional water, as needed to adjust consistency c. fresh parsley, chopped Place all the ingredients, except the water and parsley, in a blender or food processor. Process, until the mixture is smooth, occasionally stopping to scrape the sides of the work bowl. If the mixture is too thick, adjust with water, adding to teaspoon at a time. Remove the hummus to a serving dish and garnish with chopped parsley. This hummus may be used as a dip for vegetables or with Baked Pita Triangles (page 75). Makes 4 cups, 2 servings. Calories: 84 4g Saturated Fat: <g % Calories from Fat: 46 Carbohydrates: 8g 3g 0mg 05mg Tahini is a note ground paste made from sesame seeds.you can find it in the gourmet section of your grocery store.

CHAPTER 3 Is It Snacktime Yet? 75 Baked Pita Triangles t. dried basil, crushed t. dried parsley, crushed 2 T. lowfat Parmesan cheese 2 nonfat whole wheat pita bread rounds olive oil nonstick cooking spray Preheat the oven to 350 F. In a small bowl combine the herbs and cheese. Cut the pita bread in half, split apart and cut each half into 4 wedges. Place all the pita pieces on a baking sheet. Working with a few at a time, spray the pita lightly with the cooking spray and sprinkle with a pinch of the cheese-herb mixture. Repeat this process until all of the pita triangles are coated. Divide any remaining cheese-herb mixture evenly among pita triangles. Bake 0 to 2 minutes until the triangles are crisp. The pita triangles can be stored in an airtight container. Serves 4. Calories: 96 g Saturated Fat: <g % Calories from Fat: 2 Carbohydrates: 9g 4g mg 208mg Using a nonstick cooking note spray instead of butter or margarine in this recipe allows the pita rounds to crisp nicely without any added fat.

76 Delicious Heart-Healthy Meals In No Time Jumbo Shrimp Platter with Zesty Cocktail Sauce Zesty Cocktail Sauce 8 oz. can tomato sauce (salt free) 2 t. fresh lemon juice t. Worcestershire sauce t. dry mustard t. black pepper, freshly ground 2 T. prepared horseradish In a medium bowl, combine all of the ingredients, mixing well to blend. Cover and refrigerate for hour before using. This sauce can be used as a dip for shrimp, chicken fingers, or vegetables. Makes cups, serves 2. Calories: 8 <g Saturated Fat: 0g % Calories from Fat: 2 Carbohydrates: 2g <g 0mg 9mg

CHAPTER 3 Is It Snacktime Yet? 77 Jumbo Shrimp Platter 2 large cooked shrimp, shells removed 2 celery sticks 2 carrot sticks c. Zesty Cocktail Sauce Spoon the Zesty Cocktail Sauce into a decorative glass bowl and place in the center of a serving platter. Arrange the shrimp, celery and carrots around the sauce. Serve immediately. Makes 4 servings. Calories: 5 g Saturated Fat: <g % Calories from Fat: 6 Carbohydrates: 3g 7g 32mg 324mg

78 Delicious Heart-Healthy Meals In No Time Curried Turkey Lettuce Roll-ups c. lowfat plain yogurt t. fresh lemon juice t. curry powder 4 slices deli turkey breast 4 large romaine lettuce leaves, center stem flattened In a small bowl, combine the yogurt, lemon juice, and curry powder. Lay the lettuce leaves on a flat working surface and top each one with a slice of turkey. Spread the curried yogurt mix on each turkey slice. Roll up, starting at the top end of the lettuce leaf. Serves 2. Calories: 04 3g Saturated Fat: 2g % Calories from Fat: 24 Carbohydrates: 8g 3g 35mg 530mg

CHAPTER 3 Is It Snacktime Yet? 79 Mango Salsa Fresca 2 ripe mangos, chopped 2 medium ripe tomatoes, chopped c. white onion, chopped c. fresh cilantro, chopped small serrano or jalapen[td]o chile pepper, minced 3 T. fresh lime juice t. ground cumin t. black pepper, freshly ground t. salt In a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients, mixing lightly to blend. This salsa can be covered and refrigerated for up to 4 hours before serving. You may use the salsa as a topping for eggs or quesadillas or as a dip with vegetables or Caliente Corn Chips (page 80). Makes 4 cups, serves 2. Calories: 32 <g Saturated Fat: <g % Calories from Fat: 5 Carbohydrates: 8g g 0mg 3mg

80 Delicious Heart-Healthy Meals In No Time Caliente Corn Chips 2 corn tortillas, preferably stale and dry t. salt t. red chile powder olive oil nonstick cooking spray Preheat the oven to 375 F. Cut each tortilla into 6 wedges. Place the wedges on a baking sheet and spray with the olive oil cooking spray. In a small bowl, combine the salt and chile powder. Scatter the spice mixture over the tortilla wedges. Place the tortilla wedges in the oven to bake. Check and stir the chips every 3 to 4 minutes as necessary. Bake for 5 minutes, or until the wedges are crisp and slightly golden brown. Serves 2. Calories: 58 g Saturated Fat: <g % Calories from Fat: 0 Carbohydrates: 2g 2g 0mg 98mg If you are note using fresh tortillas, place them on a baking sheet and allow them to dry at room temperature.you may cut the amount of salt in half or omit it altogether, if desired.

CHAPTER 3 Is It Snacktime Yet? 8 Belgian Endive Canapés lb. endive (about 2 heads) T. extra-virgin olive oil t. garlic powder 2 t. lemon juice t. lemon zest t. champagne vinegar 2 zucchini, washed and roughly chopped yellow squash, washed and roughly chopped shallot, finely chopped green onion, finely chopped c. flat leaf parsley, chopped t. black pepper, freshly ground t. Hungarian paprika Trim the ends off the endive and separate the leaves. Rinse each leaf well and discard any browned leaves. Set aside on paper towels to dry. In a medium bowl, whisk the olive oil, garlic powder, lemon juice, lemon zest, and champagne vinegar until well blended. Add the zucchini, yellow squash, shallot, green onion, parsley, and black pepper, mixing to combine. Spoon the vegetables equally into each endive leaf. Garnish with the Hungarian paprika. Makes 8 servings. Calories: 36 2g Saturated Fat: <g % Calories from Fat: 44 Carbohydrates: 4g g 0mg 0mg Hungarian note paprika is usually stronger in flavor than the Spanish paprika. If you have only Spanish paprika, you may add / 8 teaspoon cayenne pepper to spice up the flavor.

82 Delicious Heart-Healthy Meals In No Time California Quesadillas c. fat-free refried beans / 8 t. ground cumin t. garlic powder 2 6-inch fat-free flour tortillas c. lowfat jalapeño jack cheese T. green onion, chopped olive oil nonstick cooking spray In a small saucepan, combine the refried beans, cumin, and garlic. Warm over low heat. Spread the spiced beans on one of the flour tortillas. Coat a medium nonstick skillet with cooking spray and place the bean-covered tortilla in the skillet. Evenly spread the cheese and green onion over the beans. Top with the remaining tortilla and cook over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes or until the bottom tortilla is golden brown. Turn the quesadilla over and cook until the cheese melts and the tortilla is golden. Remove the quesadilla from the pan, cut into 6 wedges and serve with fresh salsa. Makes 2 servings. Calories: 49 g Saturated Fat: g % Calories from Fat: 6 Carbohydrates: 28g 0g mg 578mg

CHAPTER 3 Is It Snacktime Yet? 83 Hot Pepper Shooters 2 prepared hot cherry peppers, stemmed, seeded, rinsed and drained 4 thin slices prosciutto, each cut into 3 pieces 3 oz. part-skim lowfat mozzarella cheese, cut into 2 squares t. extra-virgin olive oil Pat the peppers dry with a paper towel. Wrap a slice of prosciutto around each cube of cheese. Stuff the peppers with the prosciutto-wrapped cheese. Place the stuffed peppers in a shallow serving dish and drizzle with olive oil. These can be made ahead of schedule, covered, and refrigerated until time to serve. Serves 6. Calories: 92 4g Saturated Fat: g % Calories from Fat: 36 Carbohydrates: 5g 9g mg 925mg