Snack satisfaction
This article was originally published in January 2002
Go to recipe: Quick and Easy Hummus
Remember: Protein, fat and carbohydrates, the triumvirate of a healthy snack, make mini-meals satisfying and complete. Whether you adopt the grazing pattern of eating four to six smaller meals a day or you’re looking to eat healthier in 2002, here’s a list to help you snack smart.
1. Dr Soy Trail Mix: a combination of dry roasted non-GMO soybeans and a variety of unsulfured dried fruits. Each re-sealable bag contains five servings; every serving is only 110 calories and contains seven grams of protein. Try the California Blend with dried raisins, dates, cranberries, bananas and apples.
2. Newman’s Organic Pop’s Corn: American gothic “Pa” Newman and daughter Nell are now popping corn. This microwavable popcorn comes in three varieties — Butter Flavored, Light Butter Flavored and No Butter, No Salt.
3. Cascadian Farms Frozen Edamame (Soybeans): The hippest party hors d’oeuvre also makes an easy, healthy snack. Edamame [eh-dah-MAH-meh] is the Japanese name for soybeans. Shell these high-protein beans, cook them well and eat them plain or toss them with a simple salad dressing, such as balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper.
4. Whole-grain breads: Buy a different loaf of whole-grain bread every week. Look for whole-wheat flour or some other whole grain as the first or second flour listed. Try locally baked loaves by The Bread Garden, Island Bakery and Touchstone.
5. Whole-grain cereals: Make breakfast an all-day affair: Store a baggie of cereal in your work desk drawer. Sample Barbara’s Puffins and Arrowhead Mills Perfect Harvest Cereal, which contains organic whole grains including spelt, barley and toasted quinoa.
6. Citrus Fruits: Nature hands us a colorful, sunny favor each winter: Citrus fruits are in-season. Buy several orange and yellow fruits to satisfy your sweet tooth — tangerines, satsuma Mandarin oranges, grapefruits — and please your body with a wealth of vitamin C, folic acid and fiber.
7. Pears and cheese: Eat these winter delicacies with protein- and calcium-rich cheeses. Washington Organic D’Anjou Pears are full-flavored and complement a wide variety of cheeses. Ask for recommendations in the PCC deli.
8. Vegetables and peanut butter: Mom was pretty smart after all. Celery “boats” filled with protein-rich peanut butter make for a healthy combination. And many apple varieties lend their own flavor to this snack: tart yet sweet Pink Ladies, juicy, tart Granny Smiths and semi-sweet Braeburns.
9. Sweet potatoes: This root vegetable offers both sweetness and nutrition: It’s packed with carotenoids, vitamin C, potassium and fiber. Cut one into small cubes, sprinkle it with garam masala or cinammon, and bake for about 20 minutes in a 375°F oven. Depending on how long you bake it, these cubes can be soft and chewy, or pleasingly crunchy.
10. Bean spreads: Make a simple bean dip from canned beans — or buy a ready-made spread in the PCC deli, such as Hummus (below). Pair your dip with a whole-grain tortilla or cracker, and you’ll garner protein, iron, folic acid and fiber for your body.
Quick and Easy Hummus
Yield: about 2 cups dip; Time: 15 minutes
- 1 garlic clove
- 1/4 cup tahini (sesame paste)
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 2 cups canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste
- Salt
- Extra-virgin olive oil
In a food processor or blender combine the garlic clove, tahini and lemon juice and process for one minute. Add the chickpeas and process until smooth. Add water, a little at a time, to achieve desired consistency. Add the cumin, cayenne and salt and process. Taste and adjust seasonings. Transfer to a serving bowl, smooth top and drizzle with olive oil.