Recipes for Healthy and Delicious Snacks
By Ann Martin
Here are some healthy recipes to create and you can even expand upon these snack ideas in your own way and to your family’s tastes. Sky is the limit! Remember, sometimes all you need is a base recipe and you can then add a number of variations to the recipe to create something new and tasty! Grab your Noritake colorwave plates and set out these delicious snacks for all to enjoy.
Recipe for Trail Mix
We all know that trail mix can be filled with sugars and additives. But, if you can make your own, you know exactly what ingredients are going into the mix. Here are a few ingredients to include: a low-sugar granola, raw nuts (such as almonds or pecans), dried fruits (such as dried cranberries or apricots), and some white or dark chocolate pieces. The amounts can be customized to how you like your granola. If you enjoy dried fruit, mix in some more. If you like almonds, shake in few more. To keep the trail mix healthy, stick with raw nuts and dried fruits that have not been sugar-coated. I even like to add some sunflower or pumpkin seeds in mine for a variation.
Recipe for Homemade Salsa
This recipe for homemade salsa comes from Paula Dean from the Food Network. The combination of these fresh ingredients makes for a fresh and mouth-watering salsa that is great when paired up with baked tortilla chips. This recipe makes for a quick and healthy snack in minutes.
Ingredients:
3 large ripe tomatoes, diced or 1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes with their juice
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 small green bell pepper, seeds and veins removed, and minced
1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chiles with juice
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
Other ingredients you may want to add:
1 small red onion, finely diced
2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 large avocado, peeled and diced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 mango, peeled and diced
1/2 cup pineapple chunks
2 limes, juiced
Directions:
Combine all ingredients, and any extra ingredients you may want to add, in a large glass bowl. Stir well with a spoon. Cover with plastic wrap and chill until serving time.
Recipe for Homemade Guacamole
Here’s another recipe from a chef at the Food Network, Alton Brown. His guacamole is simply scrumptious! Try serving the guacamole with blue corn chips.
Ingredients:
3 Haas avocados, halved, seeded and peeled
1 lime, juiced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 medium onion, diced
2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1 clove garlic, minced
Directions:
In a large bowl place the scooped avocado pulp and lime juice, toss to coat. Drain, and reserve the lime juice, after all of the avocados have been coated. Using a potato masher add the salt, cumin, and cayenne and mash. Then, fold in the onions, tomatoes, cilantro, and garlic. Add 1 tablespoon of the reserved lime juice. Let sit at room temperature for 1 hour and then serve.
Recipe for a Grilled Antipasto Platter
Every summer, I keep coming back to for this grilled antipasto platter recipe. This is a delectable healthy meal recipe. Again, this recipe is taken from one of the chef’s from the Food Network, Tyler Florence. As you can see, the Food Network is a wonderful resource for healthy and delicious foods. I also enjoy the website, because people like you and me can rate and review the recipes, so that you are not going into the recipe blind. Go ahead and place this beautiful grilled antipasto on your dinnerware and prepared to have your family feast on these delicious flavors.
Ingredients:
Garlic and Herb Oil:
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
6 cloves garlic, chopped
4 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves chopped
4 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
10 baby artichokes
2 lemons, halved
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed and for garnish
2 medium eggplant, sliced thick
4 medium zucchini, sliced
4 red bell peppers, halved and cored
1 bunch scallions
5 tomatoes, halved
1/2 pound alfonso olives, for garnish
1/2 pound ricotta salata, crumbled for garnish
Fresh basil leaves, for garnish
Fresh chervil leaves, for garnish
Directions:
To make the Garlic and Herb Oil, put all the ingredients into a small saucepan and put it over low heat. Cook for about 5 minutes, just until it becomes aromatic. Set aside and allow the oil to cool.
Bring a large pot of water to a simmer. Squeeze in the juice from 1 lemon and throw the lemon halves in as well. Trim and halve the artichokes and remove the chokes. Put them into the pot and cook them until they are tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Heat the grill to low. Have a large shallow dish filled with 1 cup olive oil. Coat the eggplant, zucchini, peppers, artichokes, scallions, and tomatoes separately with the oil. Grill the vegetables, basting generously with the Garlic and Herb Oil, until tender and soft: about 10 minutes for the eggplant, 8 minutes for the zucchini, 15 minutes for the peppers, 10 minutes for the artichokes, and 5 minutes for the scallions and tomatoes. Arrange them on a large platter and garnish with the olives, cheese, and herbs. Squeeze over the remaining lemon juice and drizzle with a bit of olive oil.
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