SMART MUNCHES

SMART MUNCHES

FRESH FRUIT SALAD: Cut 3 or 4 (or more) fresh fruits in season into bite-sized pieces and toss together in a bowl. For a quick, fat-free dressing squeeze the juice from 1/4 of a lime, mix with a dab of honey, and drizzle over fruit. This will add extra tang and also keep fruits from browning. Great base fruits are tart apples, oranges, and bananas. Adding berries or grapes in the summer is sensational! Satsuma tangerines are wonderful in winter. Other ideas include pineapple, kiwi, starfruit, and melon. Fun, nutritious mix-ins are raisins, chopped dates, unsweetened flaked coconut, or chopped raw nuts. Many health experts recommend a fruit-only breakfast because the body is still in a cleansing mode, and fruits pack lots of energy for jammin' mornings. Nosh on some salad for breakfast and share with a family member, or pack leftovers in your brown-bag lunch. Makes an incredible after-school snack, too!

YOGURT, GRANOLA, & FRESH FRUIT: Grab your favorite cereal bowl and place about 1/2 cup low-fat or fat-free granola in it. Top with a couple dollops of creamy organic non-fat vanilla yogurt, then cover with sliced bananas, strawberries, or fruit of your choice....yummm!

QUICKBREADS: Ever tried them? Most quickbreads can be made super-fast in one bowl and take about an hour to bake--even non-cooks can pull this off. Zucchini, Pumpkin, and Banana breads are the most popular, and by using smart ingredients (whole grain flours, honey or other natural sweeteners, and applesauce instead of butter or oil), they can be a source of great taste and superb nutrition. Quickbreads keep for several days, longer if made with honey, and also freeze well. Many recipes make two loaves, so you can freeze one for later and chow down on one now. Great warm or at room temp, plain or spread with a thin layer of Neufchatel cheese (light cream cheese). More good news: quickbreads can satisfy a sweet-tooth as well as any candy bar or pop-tart can, but a thick, scrumptious slice of banana bread will "stick to your ribs" a lot longer and is a much better source of fuel for your busy body. Quickbread is a wise choice for breakfast, snack, or dessert. If you don't have any healthy recipes, the Internet will easily provide you with many-for FREE!

RAW VEGGIES & DIP: Find a large air-tight storage container or gallon-size zip-lock bag and fill with your favorite raw veggies: carrots, celery, radishes, bell peppers, cauliflower, broccoli, green onions, mushrooms, turnip, kohlrabi, etc. These will keep for about 4 days of major munching. Transfer an individual portion to a smaller container when hitting the road, for a crunchy, "smart munch" that provides lots of water, carbs, protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and enzymes. Veggies won't weigh you down either, or make you sluggish or sleepy! Munch plain or serve with a homemade or bottled low-fat dressing or dip.

CELERY OR APPLE & NUT BUTTER: Everyone knows about peanut butter, but did you know that other nut butters are terrific, too? Almond and soy nut butter are popular, and they taste great, which is nifty news especially for people who are allergic to peanuts. Other nut butters include sesame (tahini), cashew, hazelnut, pecan, sunflower, and macadamia nut butters. Fresh ground is always best, but you can buy prepared nut butters at most natural food stores (in bulk or in jars) Many traditional grocery chains have natural foods sections now which carry the more common nut butters (usually peanut and almond) as well. Nut butters can be made from raw or roasted nuts, contain salt or be salt free, be crunchy or creamy. Avoid "hydrogenated" butters (oil does not separate)--hydrogenation is bad! Nut butters can also be made from scratch using a food processor, blender, or other household gadget. Some juicers come with nut-butter attachments. Nut butters are great on whole-grain toast, too! Most nut butters are a good source of protein and tahini packs calcium as well. Go easy, though, since nut butters are high in fat, and too much of a good thing is not good.

REFRIED BEANS, SALSA, & BAKED TORTILLA CHIPS: Warm some fat-free refried beans topped with salsa and serve with baked tortilla chips. A little organic sour cream or non-dairy sour cream on the top or on the side is a great addition. Afraid of baked chips? You won't miss the oil, extra salt, or other junk with all these lively natural flavors zipping around in your mouth. Makes a great party munch!

"BAKED" POTATO: Whether you're looking for a substantial snack or a meal, a baked potato can be a fun, nutritious, and low-fat gold mine. If you have access to a microwave, you can have your smart munch usually in less than 10 minutes, instead of the hour or so it takes to bake in an oven. The trick to the low-fat part of this easy edible is learning to be adventuresome and avoid the traditional fixins' (i.e. butter, regular sour cream, cheese sauce). If you've got to jam right away, fluff your microwaved potato with a fork, top with salsa, BBQ sauce, or cocktail sauce and a dab of nonfat sour cream (optional), nuke for a few more seconds to warm toppings, and you're done. More time on your hands? Try these delicious stuffing/topping ideas: steamed broccoli and cauliflower (or other fave veggies), cooked beans (like pintos or black beans), raw or saut�ed mushrooms, or small amounts of salad shrimp or diced chicken. Top with salsa, BBQ, or cocktail sauce and warm in microwave or oven. For an added touch, dab a dollop of low-fat or non-fat sour cream or non-dairy sour cream and sprinkle with a tiny bit of cow, almond, rice, or soy cheese. You don't need a lot to get both the fun and the flavor. Oh, and try eating the skin, too--lots of goodies for your body in there.

COTTAGE "FRIES": Our low-fat friend the potato can also be made into low-fat "fries". Simply scrub a potato and if you don't have a french-fry cutter, use a sharp knife to cut fries according to the size and thickness you like them. Arrange the fries on a large cookie sheet sprayed with cooking spray, and give the fries a little squirt too. Sprinkle fries with seasoning. A little salt and/or granulated garlic and lots of paprika taste good. Some folks like pepper, or dry mustard. Or use an all-purpose seasoning. If making your own herb concoction, mix them all together first, then sprinkle for evenness. Bake fries at 350-375 degrees until done, usually about an hour or so. Turn once during baking. If you have a need for speed, halve your raw potato and parboil or steam until less firm, but not soft; then cut into fries, season, and bake until done. For extra crispness, broil briefly at the end of cooking. Serve plain or with natural ketchup or BBQ sauce.

MASHED POTATO: One more great potato idea, and then we're done with potatoes. Mashed potato can be transformed from boring to wild-and-crazy with a fresh imagination for interesting mix-ins. Mash your steamed or boiled potato until smooth, using a little cow, rice, soy, or nut milk and perhaps a dab of nonfat sour cream or non-dairy alternative. Then mix in some raw pressed or crushed garlic, or roasted garlic (wrap a large clove or a few small ones in foil and bake at 375 degrees about 30-40 minutes, then scoop out the soft stuff), a sprinkle each of salt and pepper, a squirt of mustard, and a little prepared horseradish. Sounds weird, but it is WOW! Serve alone or with steamed veggies on the side or mixed in--green beans are the best! If you eat meat, you can throw in a teaspoon of minced chicken or other meat. Experiment with other mix-ins.

BROWN RICE: Rice is very versatile like potatoes. Mild in flavor, it can be made to taste like whatever you want, simply by mixing stuff with it. Nutritionally speaking, brown rice packs significantly more nutrients than white rice, while only slightly higher in calories. For example, 1 cup of brown rice offers 3.32 grams of fiber, but white only has .97 grams. The best tasting rice is prepared with vegetable or chicken stock instead of plain water. Steam or cook veggies in a wok and toss with rice and herbs and you have a delicious smart munch. If you eat meat, tiny strips or cubes of meat may be thrown in for flavor. Lightly toasted nuts or seeds can be mixed in for added nutrition, texture, and taste.

GREEN SALAD: A great way to get your calcium-rich dark leafy greens is to toss them with the milder iceberg lettuce we're all accustomed to. Then you can mix-in anything you want for variety. Some mouth-watering ideas: chopped or ground raw nuts or seeds, avocado, fruit, raisins or dried cranberries, pepperoncini, veggie chunks, tuna, diced chicken, crushed baked tortilla chips, sprinkle of Parmesan cheese, various seasonings (ever try lemon pepper?). The key to a health-safe salad munch is finding the right dressing. Traditional bottled dressings are generally very high in fat, sodium, sugar, and MSG, so if you tend to drench your salad or eat salad often, stick to low-fat or non-fat varieties. Check labels! Or for greater ingredient control, make your own!

POPCORN: Forget the artery-clogging, hormone-laden butter! Invest in a small pump-spray bottle and fill with either low-sodium Tamari or Bragg's Liquid Aminos. Spray your air-popped popcorn to taste and toss with a fork or spoon--you won't need salt.

FRUIT SMOOTHIES: Cut up fresh fruit into chunks and freeze. When you're ready to make your smoothie, place a few chunks of frozen fruit in a blender, throw in about 8 ounces (1 cup) rice or almond milk (or organic cow milk), a dash of vanilla, protein powder if you like, and a tablespoonful of any flavor frozen juice concentrate (optional). Blend just until smooth. Pour into a tall glass and enjoy!

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