Live Healthy Live Well

Healthy Veggie Snacks

Fall is a great time to enjoy picnics, pot luck dinners or tailgating parties with friends and family.  Instead of fixing a traditional high fat food items, look for a healthy and tasty alternative. Here are some healthy ideas to try.

• Start with fresh vegetables and fruits.  Serve cut up veggies with low-fat dips.
• Fruit kabob (fresh fruit cut up and put on a skewer) with a yogurt dip make a pretty and tasty treat.
• Serve Chili with extra beans for additional fiber and use extra lean ground beef or lean ground turkey to reduce fat content.

Love your traditional recipe?  Make your favorite tailgate recipe a little healthier with these simple changes: substitute reduced-fat cheese, fat-free sour cream, less meat in your dip, or serve them with whole grain chips or crackers.

Three recipes are included for your eating pleasure:

• Try Hummus and pita chips or whole grain crackers.
• Make a Marinated Broccoli salad for a high vitamin, lower calorie treat.
• Try Cowboy (or Cowgirl) Caviar for a delicious dip with whole grain tortilla chips or crackers.

 Hummus

 Ingredients:

• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
• 2  tablespoons olive oil
• 1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained, liquid reserved
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, 2 tablespoons Tahini, or 2 tablespoons peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Optional – 1/8 teaspoon red pepper or ½ teaspoon cumin (to taste)

Directions:

Place garbanzo beans in a blender or food processor with approximately 1 tablespoon reserved liquid. Process until smooth. Mix in the garlic, olive oil, sesame seeds, salt and pepper. Blend to desired consistency, increasing the amount of reserved garbanzo bean liquid as desired.  Chill in refrigerator until served; serve with whole wheat pita chips, whole wheat tortillas, or fresh veggies.

Keeps for 5 days refrigerated.

Marinated Broccoli Salad

Ingredients:                                             

4 cups broccoli florets

4 medium carrots, thinly sliced

2 small onions, sliced and separated in rings

1 can (2 ¼ oz.) sliced ripe olives, drained

1 jar (2 oz.) diced pimentos, drained

1 bottle (8 oz.) light Italian Salad Dressing

¾ cups chopped walnuts

Directions:

1.  Wash hands and assemble clean equipment.

2.  In a bowl, combine the broccoli, carrots, onions, olives and pimentos.  Add dressing and toss to coat.

3.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.  Just before serving stir in walnuts.

Makes 8 servings.

Nutrient Analysis, per serving: 145 calories, 10 g. carbohydrates, 4 g. protein, 11 g. fat, Cholesterol 2 mg., 4 g. fiber, Sodium 321 mg.

Cowboy Caviar

Ingredients:

• 1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, drained
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained
• 1 (15-ounce) can corn, drained
• 1 (15-ounce) can crushed tomatoes or 2 medium tomatoes chopped
• 1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chiles, drained or small green pepper chopped
• ¼ cup onion, finely chopped
• 3 limes juiced (optional)
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil or ¼ cup low-fat Italian Dressing
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Mix kidney beans, black beans, corn, tomatoes, chilies, and onion in a large bowl.

2. Add lime juice, oil, salt, and pepper; toss gently to combine.

3. Serve alone or with tortilla chips

Makes: 16 (½ cup) servings

Nutrient Analysis per ½ cup serving: 90 calories, 1.5 grams of fat, 0 Cholesterol, 260 mg of sodium, 17 grams of Carbohydrate, 5 grams Dietary Fiber, 4 grams of Protein.

Sources:

Eating Smart – Being Active, Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program, Ohio State University Extension.

Cooking for a Life Time, The University of Georgia College of Family and Consumer Sciences, Cooperative Extension, http://www.fcs.uga.edu/ext/food/

Adapted from – SHS Wellness Programs, Utah Valley University, http://www.uvu.edu/wellnessed/nutrition/healthy_options_recipes.html

Broccoli salad photo credit- http://blog.preventcancer.org

Writer:  Michelle Treber, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, Pickaway County, Heart of Ohio EERA, treber.1@osu.edu

Reviewers:  Dana Brown, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, Morrow County, Heart of Ohio EERA, brown.4643@osu.edu
Lisa Barlage, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, Ross and Vinton Counties, Ohio Valley EERA, barlage.7@osu.edu