Healthy Snacks & Snacks Under 100 calories….

Of interest to those viewers who would like to lose weight, keep it off, be healthier or simply eat well

Ellen Roche   Dietitian  RTE Today Show
Tues 21st Jan 2014

For the extended list and recipes for salsa, hummus, stewed fruit recipes… see below

Ideas for Fruit

2 mandarins = 1 portion of fruit  =  (70 calories)
½ cup Blueberries 40g =  1 portion of fruit =  (20 calories)
Encourage a variety of colours of fruit mention bananas as higher in calories but noted high in fibre too.

2/3 cup Stewed fruit:  apple, pear, cinnamon, star anise and dollop of natural yogurt (100 calories)… recipe below

4 x ginger infused apricots: apricots, chopped ginger and 1 tbspn of OJ, soak for 30 mins or overnight. (80 calories)  … recipe below

Dried figs –  helpful for those with a sweet tooth to wean off sugar / confectionary. 1 fig = 20 calories and 1 g fibre

Alternative to Crisps

1 portion popcorn = 1 small bag =  15g    (65 calories)
Healthier alternative to crisps, provide some fibre (10% of daily needs)
Be careful with packets of… some have a high fat content and added salt
Try pop own at home in saucepan with small amount of healthy rapeseed oil

Nuts about Nuts!

Nuts – the number of each nut equivalent to 100 calories………
Almonds (12),  Peanuts (16), Pistachio (24),  Walnuts (8) Brazil Nut (8),

Nuts are a very compact nutritious snack, rich in energy, protein, good fats and lots of antioxidants.   The healthiest choices of nuts include almonds, walnuts, peanuts, hazel nuts and pistachios.

Choose unsalted nuts where possible.
Some people find that purchasing nuts in the shell slows helps them to eat a little more slowly as have to break upon the outer shell for each one.

CRACKERS plus healthy topping options = 100 calories

Some people might have a sandwich (300-500 calories) as a late evening snack; if watching the weight and waistline, here are a few lighter options
Think of it like a savings scheme: a small saving on calories each day leads to a significant amount of weight loss at the end of the week…. “swap n’ save”…
Also helps those who have lost weight in the past and want to keep it off for the long term

1 x ryvita (rye cracker) and ½ teaspoon of nut butter
Tips; choose peanut butter with no added salt or sugar
Rye crackers are low GI and high in fibre

2 x oatcakes & Light cream cheese 1 heaped teaspoon and 1 cherry tomato
Tip choose oat cakes made with olive oil instead of other types of fat

2 x multigrain rice cakes with 2 teaspoons of hummus

Veg out on Cruditee

Celery, cucumber, carrot sticks with a cool minty chickpea dip (see below)
Bring as an add on to your regular lunch or as a healthier snack.
Provides lost of vitamins, minerals and anti oxidants — anti cancer and anti heart disease compounds, which you just can’t obtain from a multivitamin tablet!

Extended list..
Lower calories snacks     Calories

Digestive                                         70
Rich tea x 2                                     75
Jaffa cake                                        55
Polo                                                  45

Special K Bar                                  80
Weetabix bar                                   75
Alpen Lite bar                                  70
Nakd bar                                          90

Pkt popcorn 30g                              135
Pkt popcorn 15g                                68
Velvet crunch crisps                          80
Tayto treble crunch                            80
Fruit / veg crisps(check label)         55

Sugar free mints x ½ pkt                   40
Sugar free chewing gum x 1              3

Cadbury Freddo chocolate bar          95
Cadbury Dairy milk  (20g)                   99
Maltesers mini pack                             99
Cadburys choc highlights made 50;50 low fat milk + water    70
Dunnes own brand  light chocolate mousse                              70
Cadburys high lights mousse                                                        60

Sugar free jelly pot                                10
Angel delight (no added sugar)
made low fat milk                                  85
Solero  ice cream                                  90
Solero Fruit Ice                                       60
Milk Pops (icepops from Aldi)             70
Ice pops Pear Aldi own brand             51
Rowntrees fruit pastiles ice pop (natural colourings)         60
1 pot diet or lite yogurt, low fat natural                                    55-80
2 tspn Liz’s or stable diet brand granola (add to yogurt)   30

Almonds (14), Cashews    (10), Brazil Nut (8),                 100
Hazelnuts (10),  Macadamias (6), Peanuts (16),
Pistachio (25), Pecan (10), Walnuts(8)
Olives x 6                                                                                   28
1 carrot, 2 tspn hummus                                                       100
1 celery stick, 2 tpsn tomato salsa / relish + 2 tspn Philadelphia lite     85
Grilled portobello  mushrooms x2, 30g mozzarella lite, tomato salsa  100
1 rice cake + 1 tspn peanut butter                                                                 60
Ryvita 2, 1 low fat cheese triangle, 2 cherry tomatoes                              100
2 oat cakes + 1 tspn peanut butter                                                                95
Laughing cow light or Low Low cheese triangle x 1                                  30
Frozen veg stir fry mix; 1 handfull, stir fried with 1 calorie spray oil         50

RECIPES

HUMMUS
You will need…..

400g tin chickpeas, drain off water
3 tbspn tahini (sesame seed paste)
1 tbspn flaxseed / olive / rapeseed oil
1 clove garlic of desired (chop very finely or mince)
Juice half lemon
Ground black pepper

Method: 
Place chickpeas in a blender or food processor. Blend until almost smooth.
Add remainder or ingredients and pulse for a few seconds until all ingredients are mixed well. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Minty Chickpea Dip / Spread
You will need…

400g tin of chickpeas, drained
4 tbspn low fat natural yogurt
1-2 tbspn lemon juice to taste
Handful of fresh mint leaves
Pepper

Method:
Place chickpeas in a blender or food processor. Blend until almost smooth.
Add remainder or ingredients and pulse for a few seconds until all ingredients are mixed well. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Tomato Salsa

250g regular or cherry tomatoes
2 spring onions, trimmed and thinly sliced at a diagonal angle
Juice of half a lemon or lime
1 tbspn extra virgin olive oil or rapeseed oil
1 dash of tabasco sauce
Handful of coriander, chopped (if available)

Method: 
Chop the tomatoes into small bite size pieces. Place in a bowl and add the other ingredients, stir lightly and store in the fridge until required.

Stewed Fruit
You will need….

3 eating apples
3 pears
3 star anise
Few drops of good quality vanilla extract or seeds from 2” vanilla pod
6 tbspn water
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Method
Peel, core and chop apples and pears.  Place fruit into a saucepan with the water over a low heat. Add the star anise, cinnamon and vanilla and simmer for 15-20 mins, stirring every few minutes. Serves 4 people. Serve hot with a dollop of natural yogurt, eat cold on its own, or add to porridge.
Apricots and dried figs also work well in this quick and easy recipe.

Ginger Apricots
You will need…

10 dried apricots
2 tbspn unsweetened orange juice or water
1 teaspoon of ginger powder or 1 inch cube of fresh ginger, cut into aprox 10 pieces.

Method
Place all ingredients into a bowl and leave covered in the fridge to infuse for 30 mins or overnight.

For further information, contact the clinic (087) 6802248