The Healthy Bride

It has been a warm, beautiful, dry summer here in Seattle and we deserve it!  Sometimes when it’s warm, I have a hard time finding good things to eat that are not either really sweet (ice cream???) or really salty (chips???).  I decided to go on a quest for a list of the top 10 Healthy Snacks for Hot Weather which follow in no particular order.

1. Fresh Fruit Breakfast Smoothie  In summer there is so much fresh fruit that goes with a perfect start to the day.

2. Edamame & Fresh pineapple chunks. I love pineapple!

3. Baked pita chips with raspberry vinegar hummus (recipe follows)

4. Low Fat Cottage Cheese with Fresh Blueberries and/or Raspberries

5. Chilled Hard Boiled Egg with a fresh nectarine

6. Large, tall glass of Herbal Iced Tea (Hibiscus Ginger preferred) with 10 whole grain crackers

7. Fresh Pear Slices with Almond Butter

8. Julies Organic Fudge Bar (100 calories and worth it!)

9.  Whole wheat wrap with lettuce, avocado, basil and low fat feta cheese.

10.  Bake your own potato, beet, or sweet potato chips. (Slice vegetables thinly, pour 1T olive oil into a zip lock and shake, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and bake in oven at 350°F (177°C) until crispy.)

Hummus with Raspberry Vinegar

1 tablespoon olive oil
1-1/2 cups diced onion
2 Tblspoon Raspberry Vinegar
1 (15-1/2 oz) can chickpeas/garbanzo beans drained
1 Tblespoon chopped cilantro
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt

1. heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add onion, and saute 5 minutes or until ionion begins to brown.  Add vinegar, and bring to a boil and cook 2 minutes or until vinegar evaporates.  Cool to reoom temperature.

2.  Drain chickpeas through a sieve over a bowl, reserving 1/4 cup liquid.  Place chickpeas and chopped cilantro in a food processor, and process until mixture resembles coarse meal.  Add onion mixture, 1/4 cup reserved liquid, cumin, pepper and salt, and process until smooth.  Garnish with cilantro sprigs if desired.  yield 2 cups (serving size 2 Tablespoons)

Calories 44 (27% from fat), Fat 1.3g, Protein 1.9 g, Carb 6.6gm, Fiber 1g, Chol 0mg, Iron .6mg, Sodium 75mg, Calc 14mg