Healthy Snacking

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The Federal Government's Swap It, Don't Stop It campaign is one which aims to help us become more healthy, by substituting healthier foods and activities for things we ordinarily do.  I was thinking about that and the Go For 2 and 5 campaign to get us eating two serves of fruit and five of vegetables each day.

This led me to thinking about ways to have nice, healthy snacks which feature fruit and vegetables. Can we really enjoy our food and still eat healthy?  Yes we can.

Here's some of the ideas I came up with in a quick brainstorming session:

1. A slice of fruit bread toast (I use gluten free) topped with sliced banana, a half teaspoon of honey and a sprinkle of cinnamon.
2. Cut a peach in half and remove the seed.  Cook in a non-stick frypan, to heat through.  Serve topped with two teaspoons of flaked almonds and half a teaspoon of honey.
3. Cut a tomato in half. Top each half with a little low-fat cheese and your favourite herbs.  Cook in microwave until cheese is melted and tomato heated through.
4. Cut carrot and celery sticks and serve with hommus for a dip.
5. For something a little more dressed up, (if you have an afternoon tea), cut a sheet of puff pastry into quarters.  In the middle of each piece, place a thick slice of tomato, a thin slice of onion, a little capsicum, a couple of slices of olive, and a fresh basil leaf.  Add a little shaved parmesan, and bake in a moderate oven until pastry is puffed and crisp.
6. Fill mushroom cups with bread crumbs, herbs, the finely diced stems of the mushrooms, a small amount of margarine and low-fat cheese, and bake in a moderate oven.
7. Microwave a potato in its jacket, and top with baked beans, or light sour cream and chives.
8. Freeze some pieces of fruit (eg banana, grape, berries) and eat like an ice block. (You can even put paddle pop sticks in the fruit before freezing. 
9. Blend berries or banana with skim milk and yoghurt to make a smoothie.
10. Traffic light skewers.  Thread skewers with pieces of watermelon, rockmelon and honey-dew melon. A really yummy snack to serve. (You can serve with a dip made of light Greek-style yoghurt mixed with a little honey.)