I usually fill the fridge and cupboards over Christmas with sausage rolls, mini pork pies, scotch eggs and crisps ect which my OH loves but his waistline and arteries don't.
Has anybody got any tasty healthy suggestions for snacking?
One diabetic ad a weight fighter here so I know how you feel. We're trying veggie crisps, they'll take some getting used to :happy7:
We're loading up with diabetic sweets as that's my weakness, plus I'mmaking my own sausage rolls so the pastry hasn't got loads of fat in.
Good quality dried dates, and figs. Other dried fruit for a treat - mango, pineapple, apricot. Dates stuffed with walnuts. Very very dark chocolate, eg 85% cocoa solids.
Satsumas. Grated Carrots with raisins. Apple slices with a few crisps. Pomegrate. Plain yogurt (0% fat) with frozen fruit stirred in. Crudite with low calorie dip. Ginger tea. Homemade vegetable soup.
Quote from: manicscousers on November 06, 2012, 13:51:58
One diabetic ad a weight fighter here so I know how you feel. We're trying veggie crisps, they'll take some getting used to :happy7:
We're loading up with diabetic sweets as that's my weakness, plus I'mmaking my own sausage rolls so the pastry hasn't got loads of fat in.
I would be really interested in your lower fat pastry recipe manicscousers.
Veggie crisps and diabetic sweets sound a good idea. Found a website that sell chocolate sweetened with stevia so maybe some homemade chocolates are in order. :toothy10:
'Found a website that sell chocolate sweetened with stevia so maybe some homemade chocolates are in order. '
Wow, could you put the link up, sounds good
I just use either pure or olive oil spread and cut down the proportions from 8 ozs to 1 lb to 6 ozs to 1 lb :happy7:
Quote from: manicscousers on November 06, 2012, 13:51:58
One diabetic ad a weight fighter here so I know how you feel. We're trying veggie crisps, they'll take some getting used to :happy7:
We're loading up with diabetic sweets as that's my weakness, plus I'mmaking my own sausage rolls so the pastry hasn't got loads of fat in.
Watch those diabetic sweets and chocs......if you have too many you will spnd Christmas in the bathroom :occasion16: :fart:
You could use filo pastry as a low fat alternative.
And of course using a fat such as Olivio in a short pastry is a lot healthier as well.
Hummus and raw veg dips, tsatsiki, nuts, peppers in oil stuffed with cream cheese, chunks of celery with a bit of peanut butter in the groove and cherry tomato on top, Russian eggs made with greek yoghurt instead of mayonnaise, iceberg lettuce leaves with a couple of slices of thin ham or chicken inside then rolled up, fish sticks and salad, monkey nuts that you crack yourself, so you take longer before you get to the nuts to make them go further. Other nuts that need to be cracked. Non-food treats to do in the time you'd otherwise sit down and snack, sounds corny, but board games or playing on the Wii if you have one (we don't but watched our kids having their hands busy for hours when they got a wii for Christmas). Stuffed olives, gherkins. Sausages in jars can be used rolled up in lettuce with a bit of mustard or horseradish, rather than in a bun. Smoked salmon bits (they are quite cheap) or real salmon slices with horseradish rolled up in lettuce leaves. This may be a time to savour luxury fruit, such as star fruit, pomegranate, litchi and sharon fruit etc. If they are not ready prepared, but need to be peeled, they keep hands busy for longer during the 'snack-attack' times. Ham wrapped melon slices are not just a starter, but also a nice snack. Smoked mackerel strips make a tasty morsel on a bed of rocket.
Quote from: manicscousers on November 06, 2012, 20:16:09
'Found a website that sell chocolate sweetened with stevia so maybe some homemade chocolates are in order. '
Wow, could you put the link up, sounds good
Just google stevia and chocolate and you should come up with at least 4 uk retailers also Ebay and Amazon sell them.
Quoteif you have too many you will spend Christmas in the bathroom
We had a problem one year with sugar free polo mints.
I am not convinced that veggie crisps are better for you than potato. They are high in fat and salt. Is there must nutrutional value left after they have been fried?
I suppose the other solution is to get used to a regime of no snacking.
Correction: They are not called 'fish sticks', but seafood sticks or crab sticks.
In France they tend to eat canapés on small toasts, which is less fatty than pastry! You can eat fish roes, patés made of tuna or mackerel or salmon (dead easy to make), creamed cheeses, tapenade (olive or sundried tomato spread), hams, cheese etc. They always go down a treat. Also a grapefruit hedgehog: half a grapefruit spiked with toothpicks of hams, cheeses, peppers, baby tomatoes (I know i know, it's not the season), fruits etc. Pretty healthy as you choose what to spike it with.
For sweets what about a compromise with fresh fruit dipped in melted chocolate? There is a little chocolate but it's more of a taster, and you still get sweetness from the fruit. works well with the fruit in season: pears, pineapple, mango, kiwi fruit, oranges etc.
Thanks for all the ideas. Out with the pork pies, scotch eggs, sausage rolls and in with the canapes on toast, filo pastry, dips ect ect. Hopefully no dieting over christmas :icon_cheers:
To be honest I've been mulling this over for a bit and thinking: we overeat so much at Xmas anyway why do we need snacks? but I do have snacks available for the ones that get through their 4 course lunch and are still peckish at 5 o'clock. We have a fruit bowl and a "nuts in shells" bowl. As Galina, I think, said: the longer it takes to get it in your mouth the less you'll end up eating! For most people it's nothing to do with hunger, more having something to do with your hands!
We also have loads of veg, smoked salmon, pickles, chutneys etc in the fridge and anyone who feels hungry is welcome to tuck in. Usually they stop at the fruit and nuts though!
I'm just going to chop up loads of fruit and leave it in the fridge, help myself when I want a snack. I don't overeat at Christmas but I do snack. I'd rather have fruit, anyway, but I seem to eat more if it's mixed ? :toothy10:
Quote from: grawrc on November 08, 2012, 12:17:51
To be honest I've been mulling this over for a bit and thinking: we overeat so much at Xmas anyway why do we need snacks? but I do have snacks available for the ones that get through their 4 course lunch and are still peckish at 5 o'clock. We have a fruit bowl and a "nuts in shells" bowl. As Galina, I think, said: the longer it takes to get it in your mouth the less you'll end up eating! For most people it's nothing to do with hunger, more having something to do with your hands!
We also have loads of veg, smoked salmon, pickles, chutneys etc in the fridge and anyone who feels hungry is welcome to tuck in. Usually they stop at the fruit and nuts though!
Trouble is my OH loves to graze at christmas, and I'm sure he would feel very hard done by if the fridge was empty. He usually only has the main course for xmas lunch so he can leave room to graze later!(and for the rest of the week)
Well,after losing me Dad in March,we have Mum to us this Christmas and shes already been going out and filling her Basket with M&S xmas sweeties and
nutz and crispies.....so if it aint bad enough ive gotta drink for me and me Dad as the girls dont partake ive also gotta munch me way thru bags of fodder.
Ok,the Diabolic restraints will be applied where I can and like Macmac Ill tone down the full on hogging as my xmas troff will be filled with Quark and fresh fruit dip pieces sprinkled with All spice powder as it adds an extra zing to apple and ripe Pear slices,for the ultimate lip shudder,cut a large Orange in half and pore a shot of Mandarine Napoleon Orange Liquer into it then sprinkle some All Spice over it and suck the juice out thru the spice ,your lips will be tingling for ages...... :tongue3:....plus your getting your Vitamin C.... :icon_cheers:
Gazza