FitSugar -- Healthy, happy you.

Six Snacks With 10 Grams of Protein or More

FitSugar — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 05:30:00 -0700

When it comes to snacks, you want to choose ones low in calories and high in protein for sustained energy. Depending on weight and activity level, a woman needs between 40 and 60 grams of protein daily. Sometimes it can be difficult to meet your protein quota in meals alone, so here are some of my favorite snacks with at least 10 grams of protein.

Source

5 Snacking Tips to Help You Lose Weight

FitSugar — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 03:30:00 -0700

I know the idea of snacking may seem like a great way to gain weight, but if you have a few smart snacking tactics under your belt, you'll actually be able to slim down. Check out these snacking tips from MSNBC.

Stop constant cravings: Most snackers reach for something unhealthy to nosh on but the problem isn't necessarily the type of food, but rather how much they eat. You can still satiate your sweet tooth, but just enjoy so in moderation. Enjoy one small square of dark chocolate instead of the whole bar, or two spoonfuls of ice cream instead of half the pint.
Liquid calories: Other beverages besides water can really rack up the calories. I'm not saying you should eliminate coffee, tea, or juice, but just be mindful of your calorie intake. Opt for water most of the time, so you can consume your calories in a more satisfying way with actual foods you crunch or chew.

For other great snacking tips

Your Healthy Snack Ideas

FitSugar — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 02:30:00 -0700

After reading all your wonderful snack suggestions my afternoon snack has transformed into an inspired treat. There were so many great ideas, and I love reading that you all eat your fruits and veggies throughout the day.

Aside from the various energy bars and seasonal fruit that we all eat and love, here are some great snack ideas:

Edamame
Pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
Whole grain wheat thins with the Laughing Cow light garlic and herb cheese
Radishes or cucumbers with balsamic vinegar
2 Wasa Crackers with 2 tablespoons of Trader Joe's chipotle hummus spread on and topped with sliced grape tomatoes
100 calorie mini bag of popcorn
Non-fat or low fat yogurt (Greek yogurt is higher in protein) and fruit or cereal or both

If you are looking for a new take on the frozen banana treat, missyd has a great recipe. To check it out

Speak Up: Favorite Healthy Snack

FitSugar — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 12:30:00 -0700

When my energy level takes a nose dive in the late afternoon, I reach for a snack. Lately, my power-through-the-rest-of-the-day snack is a mozzarella cheese stick, a handful of nuts, and a piece of fruit. Let me say this though, I am getting a little bored with it. So I am curious what you reach for to energize yourself in the midmorning or the long hours between lunch and dinner.

Share your healthy snack idea in the comments section below, because I need some inspiration.

Kashi TLC Crackers

FitSugar — Mon, 14 May 2007 10:15:00 -0700

You know how much I am in love with Kashi. Their granola bars, their cereal, their oatmeal, their frozen entrées - all are made with whole grains and REAL food. When I buy one of their products, I don't have to wonder if it's good for me - I KNOW it is.

I was excited to try their TLC Original 7-Grain Crackers.

They have such a unique sweet and salty flavor - not at all bland. I love that you can actually see all the grain goodness. This is one healthy snack my mouth is happy about.

They are a delicious combination of whole grains including oats, hard red winter wheat, rye, long grain brown rice, triticale, barley, buckwheat, and sesame seeds. Plus they're made with no hydrogenated oils so they've got no trans fat!

Each serving size of 15 crackers contains 130 calories, 3g of fat, no cholesterol, 160mg of sodium, 22g of carbs, 2g of fiber, 3g of Sugars, and 3g or protein.

Perfect for snacking on their own, topping with cheese, or dipping in hummus, I definitely recommend picking up a box.

Want to see some other pictures? Then

FruitaBü: Organic Smoooshed Fruit

FitSugar — Tue, 20 Feb 2007 02:30:00 -0800

FruitaBü, is a fun, organic, natural, real fruit treat. I discovered them at my local health food store, tried a free sample, and got hooked. They're not as healthy as eating an actual piece of fruit, but I'd reach for this over a candy bar any day.

The ingredients are all things you've heard of - organic apple puree concentrate, organic strawberry puree, natural elderberry juice concentrate for color, organic strawberry flavor, and organic lemon juice concentrate. That's it. And no added sugar.

Each serving is equal to 1/2 a serving of real fruit. They're portable and easy to pack in your purse or desk drawer. These are perfect for when you're craving something sweet and chewy, like gummy worms, but FruitaBü Fruit Flats are a much healthier choice.

They even have an incredibly catchy "anthem:" "Fruit to the People...Fruit that's fast that's good to go...Fruit to the people. Keep it real now. Real fruit." Interested in hearing it? Then

Snack Attack: Frozen Fruit + Nonfat Whipped Topping

FitSugar — Wed, 07 Feb 2007 07:30:00 -0800

We are always looking for yummy and healthy things to snack on. Sick of just eating plain fruit but still want to get the nutritional benefits of fruit? Well, thanks to user, blueberry07, you can! Her light snack idea for Frozen Fruit and Nonfat Whipped Topping sounds like a hit for anyone with a freezer.

"The title's pretty self-explanatory, but I love eating frozen fruit with nonfat whipped topping (aka nonfat whipped "cream"). My favorite fruits to eat frozen are blueberries, mango, and pineapple, but anything will do! When I want berries, mango, or pineapple, I buy frozen fruit. But on occasion, I'll want grapes, which I freeze on my own."

Thank you blueberry 07! Sounds tasty, light and easy on the wallet (and waistline), doesn't it? I can't wait to do this for dessert tonight or maybe even with breakfast tomorrow! Such an easy idea to use frozen fruit and a great way to trick the mind into thinking you're eating some frosty, high-calorie treat.

Do you have a "go to" snack that is healthy? Maybe bumps on a log or rice cakes with natural peanut butter are your thing. If so, share your ideas and recipes in the Snack Attack Group! I'd love to feature your fabulous ideas on FitSugar's upcoming healthy snack post!

Snack Attack: Pudding in a Cone

FitSugar — Fri, 26 Jan 2007 11:30:00 -0800

We are always looking for yummy and healthy things to snack on. Looking for a way to satisfy your sweet tooth without the calorie gain? Well, thanks to user, AtlantaNoleGirl, you now can! Her yummy Pudding in a Cone snack sounds like a hit for adults and kids. Thank you!

"This is a snack I enjoy even when I'm not counting calories- but when I am, it certainly helps me kill my cravings. It's simple. I scoop one Fat-Free Jello Pudding Cup (I like Chocolate, but use whatever you want) into an ice cream cone (the cake style cones). Then I eat it like you would an ice cream cone.

The pudding is 100 calories, and the cone is surprisingly only 30! It's perfect because it has got rich creamy chocolate and a satisfying crunch for under 150 calories!"

Sounds yummy and oh so easy, doesn't it? I can't wait to do this tonight!

Do you have a "go to" snack that is healthy? Maybe bumps on a log or rice cakes with natural peanut butter are you thing. Share your ideas and recipes in the Snack Attack Group! I'd love to feature your fabulous ideas on FitSugar's upcoming healthy snack post!

Snack Attack: Healthy Trifle

FitSugar — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 10:00:00 -0800

Looking for a yummy snack? Or an easy breakfast?

Thank you to user Suzanne for sharing with us her snack idea for a healthy trifle recipe (and the beautiful picture of it too).

What could be better than all your “start the day” healthy foods assembled into the yummiest breakfast or snack you’ve ever tasted – and ready to just scoop into a bowl and enjoy before running out the door!

Breakfast/Snack Trifle:

1/2 cup dried unsweetened cranberries
1/2 cup fresh Blueberries
1/2 cup strawberries in bite sized pieces
6-8 (4 oz). packs Dannon Light & Fit Vanilla Cream yogurt
3/4 cup muesli or granola or crumbled protein bar or any other whole grain thing you like to start your day with...
1/3 cup raw sliced almonds
1/4 cup uncooked rolled oats

In a pretty bowl, sprinkle the cranberries on the bottom. Top with 1/3 of your yogurt to cover. Top that with the fresh fruits. Then 1/3 more of the yogurt – then sprinkle on your whole grain of choice, top with remainder of the yogurt and sprinkle the top with the sliced almonds and oats.

Why I like it: The base of this recipe is a calcium rich vanilla cream yogurt that has only 3 grams of carbs and an impressive 5 grams of protein with only 3 grams of fat. Add to that the red fruits, whole grains, nuts and the touch of vitamin C from the strawberries and you’re good to go. While you’re dishing out your morning portion, why not scoop up a bit to pack and go for a midday snack!

Have your own healthy snacks? Join the Snack Attack Group and share you ideas with everyone! You could be picked to be featured for an upcoming "Snack Attack!"

Snack Attack: Pears, Blue cheese and walnuts

FitSugar — Mon, 20 Nov 2006 09:10:00 -0800

1 Bosc Pear, sliced
1 ounce creamy Blue cheese - like Danish
1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Spread a thin layer of cheese onto the pear slice and sprinkle with nuts. YUM.

Why we like it:
Pears are high fiber and have a good amount of vitamin C. They are a good cracker substitute too.
Blue cheese In my opinion what is NOT to like about blue cheese plus it provides calcium. If you don't like the Blue try a soft goat cheese.
Walnuts are high in omega 3 fatty acids.

Fit's tip: Bosc pears are an instant gratification pear - they are eaten when they're hard, so there's often no need to wait for them to ripen.

Snack Attack: Make your own Trail Mix

FitSugar — Wed, 15 Nov 2006 09:00:00 -0800

Trail mix is a great treat and there are so many variations which means you can make you own to suit all your snacking needs.

Just mix up some dried fruit (that hasn’t been loaded with sugar) with some nuts (that haven’t been loaded with salt or extra oils). If you need a bit of chocolate (I often do), add a small handful of chocolate chips (or mini chips) to the mix. But control yourself and make sure the ratio is about 3:1 - nuts and fruit, to chocolate.

Why we like it:
Nuts are high in fiber and protein.
Dried fruits are high in fiber and have a great chewy texture to entertain your mouth (isn’t that really the purpose of a snack).
Chocolate needs no explanation.

For some of my favorite mixes

Snack Attack: Stuffed Celery Canape

FitSugar — Mon, 13 Nov 2006 09:00:00 -0800

Looking to update the classic childhood snack of peanut butter and celery? Well for starters, calling it a canape helps. For some slightly more mature variations read on.

Low fat chive cream cheese. Good creamy texture of cream cheese (but with reduced calories and fat) and the chives add a bit of zing to the flavor.
Light Laughing Cow cheese wedge. You might also know these as as Babybel, but the light cheeses are soft and spreadable and come in multiple yummy flavors.
Hummus. You know I love hummus. It adds some iron to the crunch of the celery.
Almond Butter. I like mine raw, salted and chunky (I did say "slightly more mature.")

Why we like it:
Celery is a staple of most kitchens, so hopefully you will have some around to experiment with. It is a great veggie - super low in calories, high in fiber and vitamin C.

Source

Snack Attack: Pita - Not Just for Pockets

FitSugar — Wed, 08 Nov 2006 09:21:00 -0800

If you thought that pita bread was only for sandwiches, I'm here to tell that pita is for so much more - you can make your own pita chips at home.

Here's how:
Preheat your oven to 400° first.
Take 2 circles of pita and separate the bread in half, so you have 4 circles. Place them on top of each other and cut them all into 8 wedges.

Lightly spray wedges with olive oil cooking spray and sprinkle them with a little salt and pepper.

Bake on a cookie sheet for 7 - 10 minutes, or until toasted.

Let the chips cool, then use them to dip into salsa, hummus, or tzatziki. They're also great for nachos.

Why we like it:
Whole wheat pita is high in fiber and low in carbs.
Baked chips are considerably less fattening than fried chips. They keep for a couple of days in the refrigerator. If they seem limp after storage, just pop them into the oven for a few minutes to re-crisp.

Fit's tip: Create different flavored chips by sprinkling the chips with different herbs, spices and/or garlic before you bake the pita wedges.

Snack Attack: Yogurt and Apples

FitSugar — Fri, 03 Nov 2006 09:00:00 -0800

Ingredients:

1 cup plain, non-fat yogurt
1 Granny Smith apple cut into bite size chunks, skin left on
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Place all the ingredients in a medium sized bowl, or Tupperware dish if this is an "on the go" snack. Simply mix ingredients until all the chunks are covered evenly with yogurt and cinnamon. YUM.

Why we like it:
Non-fat yogurt is loaded with calcium and and protein.
Apples are in season right now, so they are tasty and provide some crunch.
Cinnamon sweetens the yogurt, plus early research indicates that cinnamon may help prevent the onset of Type 2 diabetes.