9 Healthy Predinner Snacks

Dinner's at eight, but you just can't wait...try one of these nine healthy snacks to tide you over.

Cashew-Strawberry Crunch
Think of this as a gourmet cook's PB & J. Spread 1 tablespoon of cashew butter on a slice of Ryvita Fruit Crunch. (Or substitute peanut butter and Triscuits.) Drizzle with ½ tablespoon honey and top with sliced strawberries.

Health bonus: Nut butters are full of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats.

One-Minute Antipasto Plate
Roll a thin slice of prosciutto or ham around a part-skim mozzarella string cheese. Eat with a few olives and grapes, or add roasted bell peppers (from a jar) drizzled with balsamic vinegar.

Health bonus: Contains almost a quarter of a woman's 1,000-milligram recommended daily allowance for calcium.

Pineapple and Pistachios
Combine about ¼ cup dried pineapple pieces with about 25 pistachio nuts. (For a treat, use chile-lime pistachio nuts, available at specialty stores.) Other winning dried-fruit-and-nut combos: raisins and peanuts, apricots and almonds, cherries and hazelnuts.

Health bonus: Pineapple and nuts are both good sources of antioxidants.

Cottage Cheese and Apples
Slice an apple, such as Fuji or Granny Smith, and top with ½ cup of low-fat cottage cheese (look for 4-ounce four-packs from Breakstone). Or replace the fresh apple with two drained cinnamon-spiced apple rings, such as Musselman's (which can be found in the canned-fruit aisle).

Health bonus: Provides protein, calcium, and fiber.

Cheese Melt
Spread ½ teaspoon of spicy mustard on a cocktail-size slice of thin whole-grain rye bread. Add a thin square of sharp Cheddar (about the same size as the bread) and broil until the cheese melts, then top with a slice of tomato and a sprinkling of caraway seeds.

Health bonus: Rich in calcium.

Parmesan Pita Crisps
Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan evenly over a 4-inch whole-wheat pita. Dust pita with ¼ teaspoon dried oregano and broil until the cheese browns. Cut into quarters.

Health bonus: Good balance of protein, fat, and fiber.

Creamy Feta-Walnut Dip
Place 2 cups plain nonfat yogurt in a sieve lined with a coffee filter. Let stand in the refrigerator for 1 hour or overnight. Discard the liquid and spoon the thickened yogurt into a small bowl. Add ¾ cup (3 ounces) crumbled Feta cheese, 2 cloves minced garlic, 2 tablespoons finely chopped toasted walnuts, ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and ¼ teaspoon hot sauce. Mix well. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to allow the flavors to blend. Makes 1½ cups.

Pair Feta-Walnut Dip with cherry tomatoes, a whole-wheat pita, or baby carrots.

Health bonus: An easy way to get calcium, protein, and monounsaturated fat.

Edamame
Grab a handful of frozen shelled soybeans and run them under steaming-hot water for a quick thaw. For a tangy twist, add a spritz of lemon.

Health bonus: Contains 8 grams of fiber and lots of cholesterol-lowering soy protein.

Fresh Vegetables With Dressing
Slice a cucumber into strips and place on a plate with baby carrots or baby corn. Dip in a lower-fat dressing, such as Annie's Naturals Roasted Red Pepper Vinaigrette or Trader Joe's Carrot-Ginger.

Health bonus: Fiber-rich and very low-calorie.

[via Real Simple]

Nuts for Nutella? Learn How to Make Your Own

We know, it’s a dilemma. Nutella is so good … and yet so not local: It takes at least six countries to make a jar of the stuff. Luckily you don’t have to choose your gut over your guilt complex when it comes to this homemade treat, since it doesn’t get much more local than your own kitchen (assuming your chocolate and hazelnuts are fair-trade).

Carey Nershi of Reclaiming Provincial is making a version that’s a slightly grown-up version of the one you may be familiar with. It’s nutty and not too sweet, with equal parts milk and dark chocolate and the teensiest hint of almond. If you’d like to keep it dairy-free, you can substitute coconut oil and condensed almond milk.

All in all, it’s a great (and dare I say far superior) alternative to the store-bought variety.

Homemade Nutella

Makes about 2 cups

To roast and peel the hazelnuts:

• 1 1/4 cups hazelnuts
• 2 cups water
• 3 tablespoons baking soda

To make the Nutella:

• 1 1/4 cups hazelnuts, roasted and peeled
• 5 ounces milk chocolate, chopped
• 5 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
• 6 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tablespoons confectionery sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon almond extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spread the hazelnuts out on a baking sheet and roast for 15 minutes, stirring every five minutes.

When hazelnuts have finished roasting, bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a large pot. Prepare a separate bowl of cool water and set aside on the counter. Once the water on the stovetop is boiling, add 3 tablespoons of baking soda, followed by the hazelnuts. Boil for three minutes, drain, then add the hazelnuts to the bowl of cool water. Peel hazelnuts and discard skins.

Blend hazelnuts in a food processor or blender until they form a thick, smooth paste. This should take approximately five minutes. It will be crumbly at first but the crumbs will begin to come together to form a butter.

Add the butter, sugar, cocoa powder, salt, and extracts. Continue to blend until smooth, approximately one to two minutes.

Melt together the chocolates and heavy cream in a double boiler, stirring until a smooth ganache forms. Remove from heat and let cool for five minutes.

Once ganache has cooled slightly, add it to the food processor or blender and blend until just combined (around 15 seconds).

Transfer to jars and store in the fridge for up to a week. (The Nutella will firm up slightly in the fridge, so let it sit out at room temperature for approximately 30 minutes to soften the consistency).

 

[full recipe via grist]