Low Fat Snacks

These days we are all looking for the healthy snack. Something that is slightly sweet and satifying. Many times when eating healthy we forget about our sweet tooth. But never fear, it will remind you it is not being fed.

To be able to stay on a healthy diet you need to have that healthy satisying snack. I have compiled a list of satisfying snacks that you can eat without going off of your diet.

When on a diet I find that my sweet tooth tends to rear it's ugly little head causing ice cream, donuts, and other good things to call out my name. The cookies recipes below should help you feed your sweet tooth and resist those sugary no-no's. They are all low fat, low sugar, low calorie snacks. But they have that sweetness in them that make you feel satisfied. Try them, I think you'll like them.

• Air-popped popcorn
• Animal crackers
• Bagels
• Bread-sticks
• Canned or frozen fruit
• Fat-free baked goods
• Fig bars
• Frozen fruit bars
• Gelatin, regular or sugar free
• Ginger snaps
• Graham crackers
• Hard candy
• Hot cocoa mix, regular or sugar free
• Ice milk
• Melba toast
• Nonfat yogurt
• Nonfat frozen yogurt, plain or sugar free
• Popsicles
• Pretzels
• Raw Vegetables
• Rice cakes
• Saltine crackers
• Sorbet
• Tomato juice
• Vanilla wafers
• Vegetable juice

Ingredients:

1/2 cup instant oatmeal

2 tsp honey

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

3/4 cup flour

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 cup softened butter

4 tbsp buttermilk

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Grind oatmeal in blender untill it is a fine powder.

Add together ground oatmeal, flour baking soda, salt, and honey.

Cut in butter

Add buttermilk and blend well.

Roll very thin on a floured countertop and cut with cookie cutters.

Bake on ungreased cookie sheet for 10 to 12 minutes or until browned.

Ingredients:

2 3/4 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ginger

1/4 tsp allspice

1 cup packed brown sugar

3/4 cup softened margarine

1 egg

1/2 cup light molasses

Directions:

Combine flour, baking soda and spices in bowl and set aside.

Cream sugar and margarine.

Beat in egg and molasses until light and fluffy.

Stir in flour mixture until well blended.

Chill for 2 or more hours.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Shape dough into 3/4" balls, roll in sugar and place on lightly greased cookie sheet. 2 inches apart.

Flatten with bottom of glass dipped in sugar.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes, until set.

Ingredients:

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 cup unbleached flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup softened margarine

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/3 cup honey

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup milk

Directions:

Sift together whole wheat flour, unbleached flour, cinnamon, baking powder and baking soda, set aside.

Cream margarine, brown sugar and honey until light and fluffy.

Stir in sifted ingredients alternating with vanilla and milk.

Cover dough and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Divide chilled dough into four pieces.

On a floured surface roll out each quarter separately into a 5 x 15" rectangle.

Cut small rectangles with sharp knife and place on ungreased cookie sheet.

Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar mixture, if desired.

Bake for 13 to 15 minutes.

When trying to lose weight many people lose sight of the fact that you need to change out food. What I mean is, don't get yourself I the same thing day after day. Be creative.

Here are a few snack ideas to help you out,

• Red bell pepper slices with guacamole - Red bell peppers are high in antioxidants and guacamole is high in healthy fat and fiber.
• cottage cheese, flaxseed, and cinnamon - cottage cheese is a filling high protein food, flaxseed helps control blood sugar, cinnamon also helps to lower blood sugar.
• tomatoes and mozzarella cheese - tomatoes are rich in vitamin C, potassium and lycopene while mozzarella cheese is rich in protein, calcium and vitamin B12.
• pear slices with ricotta cheese - pears contain antioxidants while ricotta cheese is rich in protein and calcium.

All of these snacks contain approximately 200 calories.