Healthy snacks recipes

A popular opinion is that we should eat several small meals a day instead of the standard three. These healthy snacks will help you to do that while letting you feel you are cheating on your diet, but aren't. Perfect!

We have focused on recipes that are simple, can be made and stored in the pantry or refrigerator for several days and are high in nutrients and low in calories. Plus, all of them incorporate cancer fighting vitamins that you need every day. What could be better than that?

Healthy snacks should be a major part of every healthy diet because it keeps you away from the freezer full of ice cream or out of the cookie jar. We often eat for reasons other than hunger (see our healthy eating tips) so it's good to have these healthy snacks prepared and ready to go when you get the snacking urge! Some of them you will have to make when you get the urge to snack...but, if you have all the ingredients on hand, that should be easy enough to do.



Healthy snack recipes
My personal healthy snack is so simple it's a bit embarrassing to even call it a recipe. I keep it on hand nearly all the time and it keeps me honest!

Healthy Trail Mix
8 0z each dried cherries, craisins, dried cranberries, raisins (I use the golden raisins because they are plump and add color)1-2 cups chopped nuts such as walnuts, almonds, pecans or cashews

Mix these together and store in an airtight container. I don't know how long these will last because it doesn't stay around long at my house. But quite a while.

Hummus
2 15-oz. cans garbanzo beans
4 or 5 large cloves garlic
1/2 cup tahini (sesame seed paste)
3 to 4 tbsp fresh lime juice
3 tbsp olive oil
Salt, to taste
Pita chips, veggies or other dippers

Drain garbanzo beans, reserving liquid. Combine beans, garlic, tahini, lime juice and olive oil. Process in a food processor until smooth. Add enough of the reserved bean liquid to make desired dip consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Veggie Wraps
Coarsely chopped carrots
Coarsely chopped onion
Coarsely bean sprouts
Coarsely chopped green and red pepper
Coarsely chopped tomato
balsamic vinegar
Large lettuce leaves, any kind except iceberg
Balsamic Vinegar

Combine all ingredients except lettuce and tomatoes can be chopped in your food processor using the pulse feature. Mix all chopped veggies in bowl and mix in balsamic. Spoon into lettuce leaves and wrap into a roll.

Popcorn
Here's another easy snack and you will NEVER believe it falls into the healthy snack category: popcorn! Yep, so long as you get your popcorn from an organic source, don't put butter all over it, don't microwave it and don't feel you have to eat a bushel of it, this is a very quick and healthy snack. High in fiber, it comes under the category of whole grains and contains powerful antioxidants called polyphenols that remove free radicals, known to be a primary cause of cancer, from your body. The fun just keeps coming!!!

Green tea smoothie
2 large peaches, quartered
3 bags of green tea
1 cup hot water
1 1/2 cup chipped ice
1 cup peach necter chilled
2 cups peach yogurt

Chop the chilled peaches. Brew tea bags in 1 cup water. Allow to steep five to ten minutes longer than called for; then remove tea bags, cool the liquid. In blender or large food processor combine the brewed tea, peach nectar, peaches and yogurt. Mix well and place in 4 chilled serving glasses. Serve right away.

Fruit Smoothie
1 large banana
1/2 cup strawberries, cored
1/2 cup blueberries*
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1 cup chipped ice
1/2 tsp vanilla, optional

Put banana and 1/2 of orange juice in blender or food processor (we actually use a smoothie maker) and whir until smooth. Add berries and yogurt and whir until smooth. Add ice chips and vanilla and whir until thick and creamy and still slightly frozen. Serves 2.

*Use any berries that you like. They all make for a healthy snack.

Spiced nuts
2 Tbs honey
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cumin
Pinch of ground cloves & cinnamon
Pinch of salt
1 large egg white
2 cups walnut halves (1/2 pound)
2 cups pecan halves (1/2 pound)

Whisk together honey, spices and salt. Beat egg whites until frothy and stiff. Blend with honey mixture and add nuts. Stir to coat. Heat oven to 350^o. Spread nut mixture on cookie sheet. Bake, stirring a couple of times, for 15-20 minutes. Cool and store in airtight containers.These are good sources of antioxidants. Just remember not to overdo it at one sitting! The keyword here is "snack."

Herb Pita Bread
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tablespoons finely chopped oregano, fresh if possible
6 (6-to 8-inch) pocketless pita bread rounds
Kosher salt to taste

Heat oil in heavy skillet. Add crushed garlic and cook until brown, turning once. Discard garlic, add chopped oregano and set aside. Brush Pita bread lightly with oil. Put on baking sheet and place in 350^o oven for about 5-10 minutes until heated through and starting to brown. Remove from oven, brush with oregano/garlic oil, cut into triangles. Serve warm or cool completely and store in airtight container.

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Tomatoes and Feta Cheese
This is really easy to make when you need a healthy snack in a hurry.
1 7-to 8-ounce package feta cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus additional to drizzle
1 tablespoon minced shallot
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
1 pound large cherry tomatoes or 2 large tomatoes, sliced

Mix all ingredients except tomatoes. When ready to eat, cut cherry tomatoes in half or slice whole tomatoes. Top with feta mixture. Drizzle with a little olive oil if preferred. Very tasty and very healthy snack food.


New healthy snack recipes will be added as we find them or develop them. Healthy and snack don't always go together! So please check back often. Our goal is to keep all of us cancer free.

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