Snacking can be a very positive part of your day. It can help manage a healthy appetite by avoiding over-eating at meals, or eating the “wrong” things. Snacks can also help provide lots of vitamins and minerals throughout the day.
Recent studies prove that snacking on the right foods at the right time can turn your body into a fat-burning machine. Get your metabolism going with a pre-dinner snack, 1-2 hours before your main meal. Doing so will help you stop eating once you’re full, which is sometimes hard to do. The key to snacking is to keep the snack light so you won’t overdo it, but to make it hearty enough that it will satiate you. Also, aim for a snack that’s 6 grams of fiber, 10 grams of protein, and one that is approximately 200 calories.
Antipasto Power Plate
This easy-to-assemble snack packs a protein punch with the proscuitto, and there’s plenty of fiber in the chickpeas and zucchini.
Ingredients
1 thin slice prosciutto
One 2% mozzarella string cheese
2 olives
1 cup zucchini
1/4 cup chickpeas
Directions
Wrap the prosciutto around the string cheese. Enjoy with the olives and veggies on the side.
Mini Pizza Pocket
The vegetables bulk this snack up, without adding any extra fat. The lycopene in the tomato sauce is fat soluble, so the cheese helps with the absorption of this nutrient.
Ingredients
1 mini 100% whole wheat pita pocket
1 oz of 2% reduced fat mozzarella cheese
2 tbsp pasta sauce
1 cup spinach
2 onion slices
Directions
Assemble and place in toaster oven until cheese is melted.
Skinny Dip & Chips
The black pepper and hot sauce kick your metabolism up a notch. The Greek yogurt and walnuts are full of protein that’ll help you stay fuller for longer.
Ingredients
For the dip:
1/2 cup of 2% Greek yogurt
1 tsp walnuts
Garlic
Black pepper
1 tsp hot sauce
What to dip:
1/2 oz blue potato chips (8 chips)
1 cup cherry tomatoes
Directions
Mix all dip components. Enjoy the dip with 8 blue potato chips and the cherry tomatoes.
Cheesy Apple Sandwich
The apples are full of water and keep you feeling full, while the lemon juice regulates your metabolism and regulates your body’s sugar absorption.
Ingredients
4 apple slices (these act as the “bread”)
3 tbsp low-fat ricotta cheese
10 almonds
Lemon juice
Directions
Core apple and slice in thick pieces. Spread cheese and almonds on top of the apple slices. Sprinkle with lemon juice.
Recipe created especially for The Dr. Oz Show by food stylist, Ulli Stachl.
Flax Meal Smoothie
Ingredients
6 oz Greek yogurt
1 cup almond milk
1/4 cup almonds
1 cup blueberries
4 strawberries
1/4 banana
1 tbsp flax meal
A few ice cubes
Directions
Add Greek yogurt, almonds, almond milk and ice to blender and blend to desired consistency.
Add berries, banana and wheat germ and re-blend until smoothie is completely mixed.
Wheat Germ Salad Dressing
Ingredients
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp tarragon
5 tbsp wheat germ oil
1 tbsp wheat germ
1 tbsp honey
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Pour cider vinegar and wheat germ oil into bowl and stir. Add mustard, tarragon, wheat germ and honey to bowl and mix ingredients together.
Add salt and pepper for flavor and dress salad.
Wheat Germ Popcorn
Ingredients
1 serving popcorn
2 tbsp wheat germ
Directions
Sprinkle wheat germ onto bowl of popcorn. Gently toss popcorn to mix.
Wheat Germ Salmon
Ingredients
2 (6 oz) skinless salmon fillets
2 1/2 tbsp Dijon mustard
3 tbsp wheat germ
1 1/2 tsp mustard powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions
Make marinade using mustard powder, olive oil, cayenne pepper and mustard powder.
Coat salmon fillets with marinade, and then dip salmon into wheat germ. Cook salmon in skillet, and enjoy!