100 cal snacks article.

[Guest guest]

Just wanted to share. Hope this helps some of ya.

God bless.

Deb

Snack Smackdown: The 10 Healthiest 100-Calorie Treats

Those 100-calorie snack packs are tasty, convenient, and perfectly

portioned for calorie counters. And they're selling like iPhones on

opening day. But what's nutritious about a handful of Cheese Nips or

Oreo Thins (even with no creamy centers to lick!)? Instead, try

these

10 far healthier 100-calorie treats. Stash them in your desk drawer,

fridge, and/or car -- wherever hunger pangs hit you. The best part:

Most will curb your appetite for hours because they're high in

filling fiber or satisfying protein.

1. Mid-Morning Fill-Up Just add hot water to a 100-calorie packet

of

McCann's Instant Cinnamon Roll Irish Oatmeal, which smells ahh-

mazing

and comes sweetened with Splenda. No doughnut guilt and there's a

bonus: 3 grams of filling, cholesterol-fighting oat fiber.

2. Peanut Butter Crackers Make sandwiches out of 6 All Bran Multi-

Grain Crackers (45 deliciously crunchy calories) and 1½ teaspoons

peanut butter (45 smooth calories). You'll get about 2 grams of

fiber

and a little healthy fat.

3. Apple Mousse Mix a cup of unsweetened applesauce (50 calories)

with 3 tablespoons of fat-free nondairy topping (45 calories), and ¼

teaspoon of cinnamon. Make a batch at a time and refrigerate in

portable snack cups. Supplies 20% of your daily vitamin C and counts

as 1 serving of fruit. Sweet.

4. Veggies and Dip Flavor up ready-to-eat veggies from the produce

section -- which have almost no calories -- with a dip: 2

tablespoons

of hummus (60 calories) or light ranch dressing (80 calories). For

the veggies, think broccoli and cauliflower florets, baby carrots,

snap peas, pepper strips, baby squash -- all of them filled with

fiber, vitamins, and protective phytonutrients.

5. Café Mocha Stir a packet of Swiss Miss No-Sugar-Added Hot

Chocolate mix (60 calories) into hot coffee for an instant afternoon

pick-me-up that only tastes decadent. It actually delivers 30% of

your calcium, 6% of your iron, and even a gram of fiber. Add a

splash

of milk for more goodness. Compare that to 200 calories for the

smallest Caffe Mocha at Starbucks (2% milk, no whip), with 6g of

fat.

6. Mexican Potato Microwave a medium potato and slice in half (80

calories). Save one piece for tomorrow. Mash the other half inside

the potato skin and top it with 2 tablespoons of salsa (10

calories).

Eat the whole thing, skin too. Warm-spicy-satisfying and 2 grams

each

of protein and fiber, some vitamin C, plus a little iron.

7. Finger Food Munch edamame like nuts: ½ cup of these quick-cooked

frozen soybeans (about 95 calories) makes a great nibble, which is

why they're a staple at hip bars -- which probably don't care that

they're serving you 8 grams of protein, 4g of fiber, and lots of

minerals.

8. Snack on a Mini-Meal When you're starving but trying to hold

back, try this: Wrap a Morningstar Farms Vegan Burger (100

calories),

a tomato slice, hamburger pickles, and a little mustard or ketchup

in

lettuce leaves instead of bread. The 10g of protein will keep you

filled till it's really mealtime.

9. Happy Hour Combo Mix 1/2 cup of tomato juice (22 calories) with

½

tsp Worcestershire sauce, 2 drops of Tabasco sauce, and a dash of

lemon juice. Serve over ice with a celery stick and about a dozen

dry

roasted peanuts (about 60 calories). Have a second " drink " if you

like -- no biggie!

10. Healthy Confetti Crisps If chips are your downfall, make a

batch

of these RealAge crisps and divide into 6 portions (95 calories

each). Much through a bag while sipping your club soda and lime. If

you remember to, enjoy the good fat from the olive oil and the fiber

and vitamins in the veggies -- though these taste so good you may

forget they're healthy.

REALAGE CONFETTI CRISPS

6 servings, 95 calories each

2 Tbsps. olive oil

1/2 tsp. garlic salt

1/2 tsp. dried dill weed

1/8 tsp. pepper

1 cup each of peeled and thinly sliced purple potatoes, carrots, and

parsnips

Mix the oil and seasonings together, add the vegetables, and toss to

coat. Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet lightly sprayed

with olive oil. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes, or until

crisp

and golden brown.

If being able to easily button your tightest jeans isn't incentive

enough not to double up on 100-calorie snacks -- their one

temptation, we know -- try this: Steadily maintaining a desirable

weight can make your RealAge 6 years younger.

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