When you’re jonesing for a snack, it’s all too easy to give into temptation and reach for a bag of potato chips or a jumbo Snickers bar. Then, we regret it—instantly. It’s time to take the shame out of snack time.
Instead of eating processed snacks you pluck off the deli shelf, take some time to put together your own dessert or canapé. Preparing your own snacks can control calories, curb your appetite, and also reward you with numerous health and beauty benefits.
1Cannellini Cilantro Hummus
Calories: 80
Beauty Benefits: White beans have folate, which aids in cell turnover to keep your skin looking younger. It also helps your hair stay healthy.
Ingredients:
– 1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
– 1 can (15 ounces) cannellini beans, drained
– 2 tablespoons lemon juice
– 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
– 1 teaspoon ground cumin
– ½ teaspoon chili powder
– ½ teaspoon kosher salt
– ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
– 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
– 1 teaspoon chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish
2Guacamole
Calories: About 90 per serving, or 1/4 cup
Beauty Benefit: Avocadoes also have folate, which keeps skin looking younger and hair fuller. This snack also contains tomatoes that have Vitamin E, a nutrient that enhances scalp circulation, promotes healthy hair growth and can prevent hair loss.
Ingredients:
– 3 ripe avocados, peeled and pitted
– 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
– 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
– 2 teaspoons minced fire-roasted or fresh jalapeño chilies
– 1 teaspoon minced garlic
– 1 teaspoon salt
– 1 ½ cups seeded, diced tomatoes
3Sliced Peaches with Raspberries, Blueberries, and Chocolate Chips
Calories: 46
Beauty Benefits: Chocolate with 70 percent or more cocoa content helps relieve stress and helps your skin retain moisture. Raspberries and blueberries contain antioxidants that protect your skin from UV damage.
Ingredients:
– 2 small ripe peaches, sliced
– ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
– Pinch of nutmeg
– ¼ cup (1 ounce) fresh raspberries
– ¼ cup (1 ounce) fresh blueberries
– 1 ½ tablespoons mini chocolate chips (70% or greater chocolate)
4Salsa Verde
(add healthy chips)
Calories: 50 calories
Beauty Benefits: Flaxseed has omega-3s, which help to lower inflammation and prevent wrinkles and acne from the inside out.
Ingredients:
– 3 cups loosely packed parsley
– 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
– 2 tablespoons flaxseed oil
– 3 tablespoons lemon juice
– 3 garlic cloves, chopped
– 2 drained anchovy fillets or 2 teaspoons anchovy paste
– ¼ cup thinly sliced green onions
– 1 tablespoon whole grain Dijon mustard
– ½ teaspoon whole grain Dijon mustard
– Salt and freshly ground pepper
5Chocolate Banana Creamers
Calories: 74 calories
Beauty Benefits: Bananas have Vitamin B6 which helps to promote healthy skin. It is proven to help ease eczema and dermatitis.
Ingredients:
– 1 large (8-inch) ripe banana
– 16 small wooden skewers (preferably two-prong design)
– 3 ounces 72% dark bittersweet chocolate, chopped, or ¾ cup of dark chocolate chips
6Tofu Mousse
Calories: 79 calories
Beauty Benefits: Bananas have Vitamin B6 which helps promote skin health. It may also help ease eczema and dermatitis.
Tofu has calcium which helps strengthens bones, which helps ward off the aging bone disease, Osteoporosis, and begets better posture. Tofu also has protein, which helps to repair the skin and regulate blood sugar levels. This in turn helps prevent acne and ward off wrinkles.
Ingredients:
– 12 ounces extra firm tofu
– 2 medium bananas
– Grated zest (the outermost orange-color peel) from one orange
– Juice from one orange
– 2 ounces baking chocolate
– 2 ounces cocoa powder
– 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
– 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons sugar
7Chia Salsa Cruda
(pair with lettuce or whole wheat crostini)
Calories: 50 calories
Beauty Benefits: Tomatoes have lycopene, which helps the skin protect itself against UV damage. Chia seeds are a vegetarian source for omega 3, which helps keep skin, hair and nails young and healthy.
Ingredients:
– ½ teaspoon chia seeds
– 4 cups diced fresh tomatoes, drained, reserving any liquid
– 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
– 1 teaspoon minced garlic
– ¼ teaspoon grated lemon zest
– 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
– 1 teaspoon fig vinegar
– 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar (optional)
– ½ teaspoon salt
– ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
8A Handful of (about 14) Almonds
Calories: 100 calories
Beauty Benefits: Almonds have Vitamin E, which helps enhance scalp circulation. Vitamin E also promotes healthy growth and may help prevent hair loss.
Almonds also have Magnesium, which helps the body. A natural statin, Magnesium bolsters and creates enzyme that lowers bad cholesterol (LDL) and triglycerides and raises good cholesterol (HDL). It is also key to the production of energy, produces energy, which gives you the bounce to exercise.
9Simon’s Popcorn
Calories: 62 calories
Beauty Benefits: Monounsaturated fat oils such as olive oil helps to keep you fuller, longer, along with the fiber in the popcorn, which will help you regulate your weight.
Ingredients:
– ½ cup popcorn kernels
– A monounsaturated fat oil (such as olive oil)
– Garlic salt or cinnamon
10Oven-Baked Butternut Squash Fries
Calories: 80 calories
Beauty Benefits: Canola oil has omega 3, which can be tied to great skin and hair. Garlic encourages blood flow for great skin.
Ingredients:
– 1 ½ tablespoons canola or extra-virgin olive oil
– 2 teaspoons minced garlic
– 1 teaspoon ground cumin
– 1 teaspoon chili powder
– 1 teaspoon salt
– ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
– 5 cups butternut squash (about 2 pounds), peeled, seeded, and chopped into ½-inch chunks
