8 Healthy And Delicious Take-To-Work Snacks

These nutritious treats on crackers are going to annihilate your midday junk food cravings and show NO REMORSE.

Most healthy snacks offer very little textural contrast — they’re either all smushy, like smoothies and oatmeal, or all crunchy, like pretzels and granola bars. Having a little crunch with a little something creamy is more satisfying. I like crispbread crackers (like this) for the task because there is just the right amount of surface area to make things interesting without overdoing it. Their size also gives you a nutritional assist in the moderation department.

There are many brands of crispbread crackers, but one Swedish brand in particular (Wasa) is easy to find and has lots of variety, like sourdough, multi or whole grain, and sesame. All are attractive options as they are low in calories and fat but high in fiber, and they are often recommended by nutritionists as a satisfying, moderate snack. Really, it’s a crunchy, hearty alternative to sandwich bread.

3 TIPS FOR HEALTHY SNACKING AT WORK

1. Keep an arsenal of snack enhancers at work so you are not schlepping stuff back and forth.

• small bottle of good olive oil
• kosher salt
• nice pepper grinder
• honey
• small jar of cinnamon

2. Keep a few tools at work too.

• cutting board
• cheap paring knife

3. Pack smart.

• Pack your crispbread in Tupperware to keep it from cracking. You may even want to wrap it in plastic wrap so other ingredients in your snack pack don’t get moisture on your cracker. Wet crackers are the worst.

1. Apples and Honey with Nut Butter

Pack a whole apple in your bag. Smear peanut, almond, cashew — whatever butter you are into — onto your crispbread. Drape a small sheet of plastic wrap over the nut butter so it doesn’t smear all over, then pack it up. At snack time, thinly slice your apple, and drizzle with honey and cinnamon, which you hopefully have at work. You can substitute the apple for a banana to mix things up.

2. Avocado and Mozzarella

At home, slice your fresh mozzarella and wrap in plastic wrap. Pack your crispbread and a whole avocado to go. When you are ready to eat, slice your avocado. Top the crispbread with the mozzarella, add your sliced avocado, drizzle with olive oil, and season with kosher salt and pepper.

3. Hummus, Carrot, and Cucumber

Before work, use a vegetable peeler to make long strands with your carrot and cucumber and pack in a plastic baggie or container. Pack your crispbread and a container of hummus. When ready, spread your hummus on the crispbread and lay down those carrots and cukes.

4. Egg White Salad

This is a good one to plan the night before. Hard-boil 2 eggs (place in a small pan, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil. Turn off heat, cover with a lid, and let stand for 12 minutes. Drain the water, then place eggs in a bowl of ice water to cool.) Peel the eggs and then, using the whites only, chop them up and put into a small bowl. Add 1 tablespoon Greek yogurt, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill, and a pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper. Stir to combine.

Load the egg white salad into a container and pack your crispbread separately. Spoon over crispbread at lunchtime.

5. Dates and Goat Cheese

Cut up some goat cheese and place into a container. Throw in some chopped dates and sliced almonds, separated from the cheese by a plastic baggy. Pack your crispbread to go. Ready to eat? Smear the goat cheese on to your crispbread, top with dates and almonds, and drizzle with honey from your stash.

6. Tomato and Feta

Slice some tomatoes and place them in your container, then cover with plastic wrap. Crumble some feta into a pile in your container and sprinkle with dried oregano or Italian herbs. Pack your crispbread separately. When you get hungry, top your crispbread with tomato, feta and herbs, and drizzle with your stashed olive oil and freshly ground pepper.

7. Pineapple and Chipotle

At home, slice your pineapple (or you can use canned slices in juice), and scoop out ¼ cup cottage cheese. Place both in a container and sprinkle with a pinch of chipotle powder. Pack up your crispbread separately. Don’t assemble this one until you are ready to eat or you’ll have a sad, wet cracker. :(

8. Strawberries and Spice

At home, slice up some fresh strawberries and place in a plastic container. Spread a tablespoon of cream cheese on your crispbread and sprinkle with nutmeg, cinnamon, or vanilla salt. Wrap it in plastic wrap and pack in the container. When the time is right, layer the strawberries over the crispbread.

[via Buzzfeed]

12 Recipes for Healthy Homemade Chips

Crunchy and salty, how we love this snack time power couple! There’s no substitute for the crave-worthy flavor and satisfying texture that make carb-centric snacks so delicious. But store-bought chips are usually fried in an unhealthy amount of oil, which packs a significant amount of fat. Instead, try baking your own homemade chips by using vegetables, fruits and whole-wheat pitas. We’ve rounded up this list of healthier chip recipes that will certainly cure your case of munchies. Just don’t forget some salsa, hummus or dip!

Baked Sweet Potato Chips with Orange and Thyme

Orange juice and blood orange zest give an unexpected twist to the classic sweet potato chip. If you need to use more than one baking sheet, make sure to adjust the 20-minute bake time accordingly. Bonus: These are paleo-friendly!

DIY Pita Chips

It’s quick and easy to make your own pita chips, and this recipe tells you the how much of each spice is optimal for seasoning. Try adding Parmesan if you want a cheesy taste, or use nutritional yeast if you’re vegan. We recommend using whole-wheat pitas for a serving of heart-healthy whole grains.

Homemade Taro Chips

Known as the “potato of the tropics,” taro is a purple root vegetable that’s a good source of vitamins B6 and C. Eat these sophisticated chips au natural or class them up for a party by using them as a crunchy base for salmon tartar.

Garlic Bread Spinach Chips

Breadcrumbs, Parmesan and garlic give green leaves a kick in this savory snack that delivers a healthy serving of iron. Don’t skimp on the olive oil otherwise the delicious seasoning won’t stick to the spinach. And, be sure to use parchment paper on your baking sheet so your chips don’t burn.

Baked Cinnamon Apple Chips

Transform your apples into a cinnamon-y sweet treat! This recipe requires a three–hour baking and cool time, but the end result is worth it. We say fitting in a workout is the best way to make the time pass!

Baked Chili Cheese Fritos

Tortillas, spices and olive oil come together to give your taste buds a spicy punch in this gluten-free and vegan recipe. It’s got all of the flavor and none of the suspicious ingredients found in the store-bought version that used to turn your fingers orange. Sprinkle these crisps on to chili or a hearty winter soup.

Tofu Chips with Sesame and Miso

Asian-inspired seasoning made of miso paste and sesame seeds will take time to make, but the savory umami flavor is sure to get your taste buds’ attention. Pro tip: Make sure to press your tofu to release excess liquid before slicing it.

Beet Chips with Curried Yogurt Dip

The sweetness of beets enhances these veggie crisps. To save some calories, skip the frying and bake these instead. They’ll pair perfectly with a mild dip that’s got extra protein from Greek yogurt.

Lemon Dill Zucchini Chips

Tart taste lovers, rejoice! Lemony flavor steals the spotlight in this recipe. To slice your zucchinis as thin as possible to reduce baking time, use the thinnest setting on a mandolin slicer.

Microwave Sweet Potato Chips

If you don’t have an oven or a dehydrator, you can still make homemade chips with minimal equipment and ingredients. To prevent burning, make sure you keep a close eye as your sweet potato slices bake for 8 minutes or so since some microwaves emit an uneven amount of power.

Hint of Lime Baked Tortilla Chips

A dash of citrus ups the ante on your standard Tex-Mex spread. The secret? Bake tortillas until they start to crisp, sprinkle them with a zest and salt mixture and then return to the oven for a few final minutes… Olé!

Pita Cups with Homemade Hummus

Though not technically a chip, these pita cups make a unique — and healthy! —  appetizer. Use an empty can or cup to make circular pita rounds, press them into muffin tins and voilà! You’ve got yourself a handy little cup just begging to be filled with hummus, salsa or artichoke dip.

[via Life by Daily Burn]

Chickpeas are Chock Full of Antioxidants

Chickpeas or Garbanzo Beans are a legume many of us are familiar with, in fact they are the most widely consumed legume in the world, but do you know the many nutritional benefits they have?

Originating in the Middle East, chickpeas have a firm texture with a flavor somewhere between chestnuts and walnuts. Like most beans, they are rich in fiber; both soluble fiber, which helps to eliminate cholesterol from the body, and insoluble which acts like a “broom” in the intestinal tract (more on insoluble fiber later). They are a rich source of folate, vitamin E, potassium, iron, manganese, tryptophan, copper, zinc and calcium. As a high-potassium, low-sodium food they may help reduce blood pressure.

Chickpeas are the basis for hummus, the bean spread spiked with garlic and olive oil, great for a healthy satisfying snack. They're an imperfect round, and beige in color, and give a nut-like flavor and firm texture. More on health...

Full of Fiber!
Recent studies have demonstrated that the fiber in chickpeas can be metabolized by bacteria in the colon to produce short chain fatty acids (SCFAs). SCFAs provide fuel to the cells that line your intestinal wall, helping to lower your risk of colon problems, including possibly lowering your risk of colon cancer. The soluble fiber in garbanzo beans also helps with blood fat regulation, including lower levels of LDL-cholesterol, total cholesterol, and triglycerides. Two cups provide nearly 25 grams of fiber! Introducing new fiber rich foods to your diet can cause gas and bloating, so start off slow!

Curb your appetite: a recent study reported more satisfaction with foods when garbanzo beans were included; less calories and processed foods were also consumed.

Full of Antioxidants!
Researchers have recently found that many of the antioxidants present in garbanzo beans are especially concentrated in the outer seed coat that gives the beans their distinctive color. Darker-colored "desi-type" garbanzo beans appear to have greater concentrations of antioxidants than the cream-colored garbanzos, the "kabuli-type" that are regularly found at salad bars and in canned products. Antioxidants are found in both types as well as many minerals and other health promoting nutrients mentioned above. If you have previously stayed away from darker-colored or irregularly-shaped garbanzo beans, now’s the time to try them!

Garbanzo beans can be purchased dried or canned and sometimes fresh. Always rinse canned beans before using and dried beans should be soaked for at least 4 hours before cooking. Read package specific labeling for further details. There are also chickpea snacks on the market, that will leave you feeling full and satisfied – check labels for allergens, etc.

[via Supermarket Guru]

Prepackaged Meals that You Can Make Yourself

Prepackaged meals. we all try to avoid them, but actually may end up with a few in the cupboard. While they aren’t too pricy, a majority of the ingredient list is more than a little concerning. Hydrogenated this, hydrolyzed that. And the sodium content? Sheesh. Looking at the nutrition label of a popular boxed meal, and one serving of the stuff will give you 770mg of sodium. An adult’s daily intake is usually more than sufficient at 1,500mg—most of us don’t even need that much.

As always, we aim to provide you with recipes and meal idea made from locally sourced, organic ingredients, using what you already have in your pantry. In the long run, it's less expensive and the nourishment value is much higher than in prepackaged meals.  So, if you’re in search of a way to steer clear of putting your money towards meals that come in a box and don’t last very long, here are a few that you can make yourself.

Breadsticks

This recipe is referred to as “Breadsticks,” and while it does make amazing breadsticks, it can also be used to make pizza, calzones, dinner braids, or a quick loaf of bread. If you master this simple recipe, you will never have to buy one of trans fat tubes of dough again.

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

Combine 1 tablespoon yeast, 1 ½ cup warm water, ½ teaspoon sugar. Let them rise and set on top of your stove; it’s getting warm, which makes for an ideal place for the yeast to get going.

Once the yeast is bubbly, add 2 tablespoons sugar, ½ teaspoon salt, and about 3 cups of flour—or a little more if needed—just enough to make a nice, soft dough. (It shouldn’t be sticking to the bowl or your hands.)

Take your ball of dough out of your mixing bowl, grease the bowl, and put the dough back in. Cover the bowl with a damp towel, and place it back on the stove.

Let it rise for ten minutes.

Now, on a floured surface, roll the dough out until it’s about ½ inch thick. With a pizza cutter, cut into 4×2-inch strips. Dip the strips into melted butter, then place them on a baking sheet. Let them rise for 15 minutes, then bake them for 12-14 minutes.

Brownies

No need to buy a mix when you’ve got cocoa powder on hand. You can make several batches of brownies for the cost of one mix.

Mix together:

• 1 cup softened butter
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla

After those are mixed well, add:

• 1 ½ cup flour
• ½ cup cocoa powder
• ½ teaspoon salt

Pour the batter into a greased and floured 13×9 pan, and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

For a family of four, cutting the recipe in half is just about perfect; there’s enough for dinner and for a few leftovers for the next day, and you can save the rest of the ingredients for another batch later on.

Chicken Pasta Salad

Stir together:

• 12 oz. package bowtie pasta, cooked
• 12 oz. package rainbow pasta, cooked
• 6 chicken breasts (cooked and shredded or cubed)
• 1 can crushed pineapple, lightly drained
• 2 cups celery, finely chopped
• 2 cups red grapes, quartered
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 bottle coleslaw dressing

This is just what the recipe calls for. It makes a lot, so it’s perfect for when you have to serve a lot of people. Salads like this are great because you're able to use whatever you have on had; apples instead of grapes, cucumbers instead of celery, canned chicken, more mayo if you don’t have dressing, etc. Don’t be afraid to break the rules.

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

In a food processor, blend the following:

• 1 can chickpeas
• 2 heaping tablespoons tahini
• Juice of one freshly squeezed lemon; or 2 tablespoons of the bottled kind
• ½ teaspoons salt
• 1 roasted red pepper (you can use a small jar of roasted red peppers)
• 2 cloves of chopped garlic sauteed in 2 tablespoons of olive oil

Blend ingredients together for a few minutes, and serve with crackers, veggies, or use it as a sandwich spread.

Sidenote: while throwing everything into the blender makes a good hummus, mixing everything else – the tahini, lemon juice, salt, garlic, and oil — and then blending it in with the beans makes it even better.

Cheese and Broccoli Soup

In a large microwavable bowl, melt 6 tablespoons butter, then add 4 tablespoons flour and 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon; stir well.
Return to microwave for 1 minute, then whisk in 4 cups milk.
Return to microwave for 18 minutes or until thick; stop and stir every 4 minutes.
Add one jar of Cheez Wiz and stir until it melts into the soup.
Add 2 large bunches of chopped, cooked broccoli.

[via Everyday Family]