Top 13 Snack Ideas

Top 13 Snack Ideas

Phase 1

• Raw veggies, including celery, green or red bell peppers, cauliflower and broccoli florets, served with hummus or a South Beach Diet-friendly dressing
• Dill pickles (seek out the no-sugar-added variety and limit your consumption if you're watching sodium intake)
• Edamame (green soybeans, sold by the bag both in the shell and shelled in the frozen foods section of most supermarkets)
• Sunflower seeds (count 1 ounce or 3 tablespoons toward your daily nut/seed allowance)
• Soy nuts or dry roasted edamame (count 1/4 cup toward your daily nut/seed allowance)

In addition to the above, you may also enjoy the following snacks in Phases 2 and 3:

• Carrot sticks
• Whole grain crackers
• High-fiber, low-sugar, whole-grain cereal
• Air-popped or microwavable popcorn (check the label to be sure it doesn't contain trans fats)
• Apple slices
• Frozen grapes
• Toasted whole-wheat pita bread, sliced into triangles, with hummus
• Toasted whole-wheat tortillas or wraps, sliced into triangles, served with salsa or a bean-based dip

Baked Sweet Potato Fries

Baked Sweet Potato Fries
Prep time: 5 minutes | Cook time: 30 minutes | Serves: 4

Description:
Sweet potatoes make these golden oven fries much healthier than the fried white potatoes we all grew up eating. If you want to add a spicy touch, use Hungarian hot paprika. (Phase 2)

Ingredients:
2 medium sweet potatoes, scrubbed and dried
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika

Directions:
Heat oven to 425° F. Slice each sweet potato lengthwise into 8 pieces. Toss with oil, salt, and paprika. Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake until lightly browned on the bottom, about 15 minutes.
Turn slices and bake until bottom is browned and potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes more. Serve hot.

Nutritional Information: 
100 calories
3.5 g fat (0 g sat)
17 g carbohydrate
1 g protein
2 g dietary fiber
170 mg sodium

Southwest Pepita and Pecan Mix (Phase 1)

Southwest Pepita and Pecan Mix (Phase 1)
Description
The sweet and smoky aromas of the Southwest will fill your kitchen as you bake this zesty snack. Make it for a party or pack it into individual snack bags and take it to work. Nutrient-rich pumpkin seeds provide fiber, protein, minerals, omega-3 fatty acids, and more.
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Serves 20
 
Ingredients
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 large egg white
2 cups shelled, unsalted raw pumpkin seeds
1 1/2 cups pecan halves
1 cup shelled, unsalted sunflower seeds

Instructions
Position rack in center of oven and heat to 375° F. Lightly coat a baking sheet with cooking spray or vegetable oil. Combine chili powder, salt, cumin, and cayenne in a mixing bowl.
Whisk egg white in a large mixing bowl until foamy, about 15 seconds. Add pumpkin seeds, pecans, and sunflower seeds; mix with a slotted spoon to combine. Sprinkle one-third of the spice mixture over seed mixture and toss to combine and coat evenly. Repeat with remaining spice mixture.
Spread seed mixture on the baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for 10 minutes, break up into clumps, turn pan, and continue baking until crisp and browned, about 10 minutes more.
Remove from oven and cool. Break up into pieces with your fingers and serve. This snack mix can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks at room temperature or 1 month in the freezer. Heat in a 375° F oven for 5 minutes to re-crisp, if necessary.

Nutritional information
Per 1/4 cup serving:
170 calories
16 g fat (2 g sat)
5 g carbohydrate
6 g protein
2 g dietary fiber
240 mg sodium