Healthy Snacks are a must when friends & relatives are partying at your place. WF brings you a healthy range of excellent options.
Summer Yule, MS, RDN a registered dietitian, nutrition communications specialist provides us exciting innovative, healthy, easy-to-make snack to add on the platter and enjoy with family & friends.
- Try Caprese skewers by alternating mini mozzarella balls, grape tomatoes, and small basil leaves on small skewers. The red, white, and green in this colourful snack are perfect for the holiday.
- Shrimp cocktail is one of the easiest snacks if you purchase cooked shrimp. Just thaw and serve with the sauce! It is low in calories but high in filling protein. Plus, it is delicious!
- Dip strawberries in dark chocolate and decorate with gold-colored sprinkles. This dessert is much lower in calories than most treats that involve chocolate.
No, that’s not all, we have more recipes from nutritionists & other health experts.
Chocolate Almond Fruit Kabobs
Fruit kabobs are easy, healthy, and delicious (and can be made using frozen fruit, which is often a better option in the winter).
The good thing about this recipe is that you can switch up the fruit. We used strawberries, banana and kiwi here, but you can also use melon and/or other berries.
Ingredients
- 100 g of dark chocolate (70% cocoa or more).
- strawberries, slicing the banana, and peeling + slicing the kiwi
Directions
- Break your chocolate bar into 3-4 smaller pieces and add the pieces into a small saucepan.
- Cook the chocolate over low heat for about 3 minutes, stirring frequently with a spoon until all the chocolate is melted.
- You can also melt the chocolate using the double boiler method.
- Simply fill the bottom pot with water and put the chocolate pieces into a bowl that fits securely over the pot (making sure the water does not touch the bowl). Cook over low heat, stirring until all the chocolate is melted.
- While that’s cooking, prep the fruit by cutting off the tops of the strawberries, slicing the banana, and peeling + slicing the kiwi (or simply removing the pre-cut frozen fruit from the bag).
- Assemble your kabobs by alternating between strawberry, banana, and kiwi on each bamboo skewer. Drizzle the melted chocolate over your kabobs and top with chopped almonds.
Credit: Wendy Lopez & Jessica Jones
Walnut-fig-ricotta-basil bites
Ingredients
Stack the following in this order:
- 1/2 dried fig (your choice of type) with some of the seeds scooped out
- 1/2 tsp whole-milk ricotta
- small piece of fresh basil
- 1 drop honey
- 1 whole walnut
Direction
The combo provides fiber, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and healthy fats that is totally satisfying and simple to make. Hope you enjoy!
Credit: Lauren manaker MS, RDN, LD. (inspired by recipe from walnuts.org)
Matcha Almond Butter Cups
Ingredients
- 100-grams of dark chocolate
- 1/4 cup of creamy almond butter
- 3/4 teaspoons of matcha
Direction
Start by breaking the chocolate into small pieces, then melt it (warm it over very low heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently with a spoon until all the almond butter is easy to pour).
Once those are both melted, assemble 6 cupcake holders on a tray or within a muffin pan. Pour one small layer of dark chocolate in each cup.
Then pour a layer of almond butter.
Top with another layer of dark chocolate and then place into fridge for 2-3 hours.
Add the matcha to a new bowl, and when the cups are fully chilled use a pastry brush to dust the top of each with matcha powder.
Credit: Wendy Lopez & Jessica Jones
Blueberry Mascarpone Crostinis
Ingredients
- 18 (1/4-inch thick) french baguette slices
- 1 Tbs. olive oil
- 12 Tbs. mascarponecheese
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
- 1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp. sugar
- ½ tsp. kosher salt
- ¼ tsp. freshly cracked black-pepper
- 2 Tbs. thinly sliced fresh basil leaves
Direction
- Preheat your oven to 375 F. Brush bread slices with olive oil. Arrange on baking sheet and bake until crisp and toasted, 8-10 minutes, turning once.
- Meanwhile, in medium non-stick skillet, heat blueberries, vinegar and sugar just until blueberries are tender and a sauce forms, 4-5 minutes. Set aside and let cool.
- Top toasts with mascarpone cheese (about 2 teaspoons per toast) and sprinkle with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Top with blueberry mixture and fresh basil.
Credit: Christy Brissette, MS, RD