100-Calorie Quick Picks

CC Note: Special to the Fayette Front Page

(NAPSI)-Take one look down the snack aisle or at a vending machine and you’ll notice that 100-calorie choices are a popular weight-management trend. And you’re likely to eat less when the package is small than when it’s large, according to research conducted at Cornell University.

To give you plenty of snack options, we’ve put together some of our favorite 100-calorie snacks that you can try at home:

• Frozen banana--Peel a small banana, place on a popsicle stick, roll in 2 tablespoons yogurt and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon crushed Total Cranberry Crunch or low-fat granola. Freeze until yogurt is firm.

• Total trail mix--Toss ¼ cup Whole Grain Total with 1 tablespoon raisins and 2 teaspoons peanuts.

• Salsa dunk--Enjoy ½ cup baby carrots, ½ cup broccoli florets, and 20 pretzel sticks with ¼ cup of your favorite salsa.

• Yogurt parfait--Layer ½ of a 6-ounce container of light yogurt with blueberries in a tall glass. Sprinkle with a couple tablespoons Total cereal.

• Open-face quesadilla--Sprinkle a 6-inch corn tortilla with 2 tablespoons reduced-fat shredded cheese and microwave about 15-20 seconds, or until bubbly. Cut into wedges and top with salsa.

• Minibowl--Enjoy 1/3 cup Total Honey Clusters served with 1/3 cup skim milk.

• Souper snack--Heat a cup of tomato soup; sprinkle ¼ cup oyster crackers over top.

• Cheesy corn--Sprinkle 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese onto 4 cups of freshly popped 94 percent fat-free microwave popcorn.

• Strawberry smoothie--In a blender, blend together 1 cup frozen unsweetened strawberries with ½ cup skim milk.

• Ants on a log--Spread 2 teaspoons peanut butter on 2 celery sticks; top each with 3 or 4 raisins.

• Minipizza--Top half an English muffin with 1 tablespoon pasta sauce and 2 tablespoons reduced-fat mozzarella cheese. Heat in microwave or toaster oven until cheese bubbles.

• Roast beef roll-ups--Wrap thin slices of lean roast beef around 4 asparagus spears, carrot or celery sticks.

• Grilled pineapple--Place 3 slices canned pineapple (canned in juice or water) on a small baking sheet. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon brown sugar and broil until sugar bubbles.

• Middle Eastern snack--Dip 10 cherry tomatoes into 2 tablespoons hummus.

• Sweet potato treat--Microwave a medium sweet potato until soft, about 7 or 8 minutes. Let cool a couple of minutes, cut in half and sprinkle with ground cinnamon or nutmeg.

by Mindy Hermann

Mindy Hermann, M.B.A., R.D., is a nutrition writer for women’s, health and fitness magazines. She is the co-author of “Change One” and the American Medical Association’s “Family Health Cookbook.”

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