A Great Snack: Green Apple and Peanut Butter Sandwich

So I started working out pretty hard core at the start of the year.  I'm not trying to lose weight but I am working out 5 days a week in the gym with a trainer on certain days and I cut my calories to 1400 a day!  I want to focus on lean muscle and to get some of the fat off!  I'm at 20% body fat - which is not bad at all!  I'm 5'7, 130 lbs but I want to have more of a muscular build and get this flab off my belly so it's super flat!  So - with this new routine comes new and healthier recipes!!  I'm eating every 2-3 hours so I started my search of healthier snacks and betters meals!  I LOVE this one and had to share it!  This is a South Beach recipe and it's SO easy and super healthy!  With my BUSY schedule of a full time job, 2 kiddos under 5, hubby who travels and now 5 days of working out pretty hard core...I need fast, easy and healthy!  So here is my snack recipe.  Enjoy it!  It's holds you over great as a snack!

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon of creamy or crunchy trans-fat-free peanut butter
1 large whole-grain crispbread cracker (use 1 piece of Ezekiel bread if you are Gluten free)
1/8 Granny Smith apple, thinly sliced

Directions:
Spread peanut butter on cracker and top with apple slices.

Makes 1 serving.

Nutrition:
Per serving: Calories 130, 8 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 5 g protein, 13 g carbs, 3g dietary fiber, 65 mg sodium

LARABAR - Another GREAT Snack Idea!

If you are looking for a healthy and fast snack, you have to try these LARABARs. These bars are super yummy and the best thing about them is you know every single ingredient listed! They have about 10 great flavors that I know of like apple pie, chocolate chip cookie, peanut butter cookie, carrot cake, etc. These are yummy and really good for you! Most of them are gluten free (read your ingredients to make sure) and contain 100% natural ingredients. Check them out in your health food section at your local grocery store!!

Herbed Cream Cheese and Walnut Spread

Ok, so this one is yummy and a great alternative to your typical “ranch” dressing with your veggies. I’m a huge believer of eating a small snack in between meals so you don’t overeat at your meal because you were starving…but sometimes it's hard to find new and healthy snacks! This Herbed Cream Cheese and Walnut spread will go great with celery, but I have started to add additional raw veggies like carrots, cucumbers, fresh peppers and cauliflower to mix it up a bit! Or, eat it with crackers. This will last in your refrigerator for several days and it’s a quick "grab it and go" for your busy day!  If you don’t have a dairy allergy, you’ll love this one! My mom showed me this one years ago and I've been making it every since!

Ingredients:

• ½ cup walnuts
• 1 package of reduced fat cream cheese 
• 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh chives
• A dash of Salt and Pepper to taste
• 15 med celery stalks (each about 9 “long) – or other raw veggies you like

Directions:

Heat oven to 275F. Spread walnuts on a baking sheet and bake until fragrant and toasted, about 10 minutes. Then, roughly chop the walnuts. Combine the walnuts, cream cheese and chives in a mixing bowl. Mix well. Add salt and pepper to taste. Using a rubber spatula, fill each celery stalk with about 1 tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture. Cut each stalk in half or cut several raw mixed veggies and dip into your spread.

Nutritional Value:

Makes 10 (3 piece) servings

Per Serving 90 cal, 4g protein, 4 g carbs, 7 g fat, 3 g sat fat, 1 g fiber, 115 mg sodium

Recipe source: inspired by South Beach Diet