Snack Attack.

Tonight we experienced, what is about the closest Utah ever gets to being Hollywood-esque. The Sundance film festival always comes around this time of year, and it seems like 1/2 of Utah ventures up north to wander the streets of Park City in hopes of some celeb spotting. We bundled up, went to dinner, and walked around Main Street for a bit. It was preetttty chilly. I think any hopes of spotting any celebs were dashed by my survival instincts.

a. I hate being cold.
b. Because I hate being cold, (as was above mentioned,) I walk as fast as possible from one location to the next. Eyes on the prize = getting inside and getting warm. No time to star gaze, unless of course you are in the way of me getting inside.
c. My Giant North Face coat has a large fur hood that blocks my peripheral. Warmth over Beauty.

So, I'm sure I passed Paris, Ashton, JT, and Angelina...but I was to worried about my own warmth to give them the time of day. ;) Let's be honest...I'm not one of those people who just runs into famous people left and right like my sister Nichole. Although...I've met Fred Willard, and one time I saw MC Hammer outside of Pure in Las Vegas.

On to actual important things...One of my booty boot campers asked about some good snack ideas that both she and her daughter could eat that she could feel good about. I came up with a list of my favorites...

- Any sort of cut up fruits and vegetables. Having fresh, pre-cut vegetables and hummus or a fat free dip on hand is a great way to satisfy cravings for something crunchy, with an option that is low in calories and fat. Having whole fruits on hand such as apples, bananas, pears, clemantines, and oranges are also great and easy to take on the go. Frozen grapes can be a great treat to munch on. A favorite snack of mine is cut up bananas or apples with peanut butter or almond butter.

- Caramel Corn Quakes. These are a great option if you are looking for something sweet. Kids love them too.

- Nuts are also a great option. I am a big fan of the all natural almonds. The only problem you can run into when you are dealing with nuts is portion control. It's very easy to keep grabbing and grabbing without realizing that you've gone overboard. Nuts are high in calories, so you don't want to overdo it.

 - I LOVE sweet potato fries. They are so delicious, and kids love them too. They are a great after school snack, or side dish to a healthy lunch or dinner.

 - Fake out chips and salsa. Set your oven to broil. Take a whole wheat tortilla, I prefer the La Tortilla Factory Low Carb Tortillas, and spray a cookie sheet. Place the tortilla on the cookie sheet and cut it into pieces using a pizza cutter. Give them a once over coat with cooking spray and throw them into your oven for a few minutes. As soon as they crisp up, take them out and eat them with some fresh salsa or hummus. I prefer mango salsa...yum.

- Air popped popcorn is  a great low calorie snack that kids love. One cup of air popped popcorn is about 33 calories. Be careful not to ruin those great stats by dousing it in butter and salt. I prefer some spray butter and just a sprinkle of salt for taste.

 - Low fat zucchini cookies. This is, hands down, one of my favorite recipes. If you haven't made these cookies yet, you are crazy. Every time I make them and give them away people can't believe they are healthy. They only have about 80 calories per cookie. I like to double or triple the batch and put them in the freezer in a big ziplock bag. Take them out and put them in the microwave for 15 seconds and you'll be happy as a clam. 

 

- Homemade Peanut Butter Banana Protein Bars

- Edamame  I LOVE the individual packs you can get at Costco. A great protein filled snack.

- String Cheese

- Low Fat/Fat Free Yogurt with Fiber One Cereal

- Whole grain crackers and Laughing Cow Cheese

- Bran muffins. These are another favorite recipe that I will make and put in the freezer to have on hand for quick snacks or breakfast.

- Deli Turkey and whole grain crackers

- Healthy protein bars and meal replacement bars. My favorites are Cliff Bars, Zone Perfect Bars, Pure Protein Bars, and Balance Gold Bars. 

- Hard Boiled Eggs

- Protein Shakes

- Cottage cheese and your choice of fruit or veggies. I like either tomatoes with some salt and pepper, or cut up fruit. 

- 100 Calorie Packs...I'm not a huge fan of these because they don't hold much nutritional value, but they are great for portion control and can be great to keep on hand for your kids.

- Sugar Free Fudgecicles. 

- Diet Rootbeer and fat free vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt. 

- Fat Free/Sugar free pudding cups

- Fruit Leather

- Whole wheat toast with Peanut Butter 

Hopefully these ideas can help you make your snacks healthy ones! What is your favorite snack/your kids favorite snacks? I would say my all time fave right now is air popped popcorn. Have you ever met anyone famous? I forgot to mention my sister and I rode Thunder Mountain Railroad at Disneyland with Lou Diamond Phillips...la la la la la la bumba!