Healthy Snack Recipes
Written By Catherine Newman
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Recipes
- Sour Cream and Onion Popcorn (see below)
- Chile-Lime Pumpkin Seeds
- Ready-to-Whir Smoothies
Sour Cream and Onion Popcorn
Here's a recipe that delights every powdery-fingered savory snack lover we know. Look for the buttermilk powder near the coffee and tea, in the dried milk section of your supermarket: It's a tangy, addictive stand-in for sour cream with a nice little burst of calcium to boot.
If it's a greater selling point in your house, call it "Cool Ranch Popcorn," and if your kids miss the green flecks (mine don't) add a bit of dried chives, parsley, or dill.
Recipe
- 1 tablespoon buttermilk powder
- 1 teaspoon onion salt
- 1/3 cup popcorn
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
In a small bowl, stir together the buttermilk powder and onion salt. Now use your favorite method to pop the popcorn in the oil, then dump it into a large paper grocery bag (also works to mix in a large bowl), sprinkle on the seasoning mix, and shake the bag (or mix thoroughly in the bowl). Pour into a bowl and try to encourage everyone to eat only a reasonable serving.
Next page: Recipe for Chile-Lime Pumpkin Seeds
Chile-Lime Pumpkin Seeds
These are the hulled, green kind of pumpkin seed you buy at the natural foods store — not the white kind you scraped out of your jack-o'-lantern, though those can be deliciously roasted in the oven. Pumpkin seeds are full of good things: dietary fiber, protein, and healthy unsaturated fats, including essential fatty acids (EFAs). Plus, they're yummy. My kids don't object to the chiles in this recipe, which surprises me, so you might want to try them on your kids too. Or just omit them.
Recipe
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 cup hulled, raw pumpkin seeds (also known as pepitas)
- Juice and grated zest of half a lime
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon chile flakes (optional)
Heat the oil over medium heat in a large, heavy skillet until a drop of water sizzles on contact (about 5 minutes). Add the seeds and cook, stirring constantly, until browned (keep an eye on them, as they progress quickly from browning to burning). Turn off the heat and sprinkle on the lime juice, stirring constantly, until it evaporates, then stir in the zest, salt, and chile flakes (if using). Cool in the pan before transferring to a bowl.
Next page: Recipe for Ready-to-Whir Smoothies
Ready-to-Whir Smoothies
With a quick spin in the blender, these customized make-ahead frozen smoothie packets let your child drink to her health.
Simply measure 1/2 cup of your kid's favorite fruit and 1/2 cup of low-fat yogurt (see suggestions below) and freeze them in a ziplock bag. In the morning before breakfast (or any time, really), pull a packet from the freezer, put it in a blender with 1/2 cup of milk and 1/2 cup of juice, and whir until smooth.
Try these combinations:
- Bananas and blueberries with banana yogurt and pineapple-orange-banana juice
- Strawberries and bananas with strawberry yogurt and orange juice
- Raspberries and blueberries with vanilla yogurt and cranberry juice
