Snacks can help keep hunger at bay between meals and also provide good nutrition. If you are tired of the same old snacks, introducing some gourmet recipes can help you create nutritious and tasty treats. Using a combination of healthy ingredients will allow you to prepare snacks packed with vitamins and minerals and keep you satisfied until your next meal.
Caviar on Toasts
You may consider caviar an expensive and unattainable food. In his book "Surreal Gourmet Bites: Showstoppers and Conversation Starters," Bob Blumer notes that you can create small bites of caviar in nutritious and palate-pleasing ways. Use wasabi caviar, Blumer recommends, because it is inexpensive and packs a spicy taste into just a few bites. Combine the wasabi caviar with a small amount of traditional caviar to enhance the taste and appearance and create a snack high in protein and potassium. Spoon a teaspoon of the mixture onto whole wheat toasts or crackers to add fiber to your snack.
Crudites with White Bean Puree
Crudites are thin slices or strips of vegetables paired with dips to create a healthy and gourmet snack. Vegetables add nutrients, including fiber and vitamin C, to your diet. Choose your favorite vegetables, such as carrots, celery, bell peppers, broccoli or zucchini, and slice thinly. Puree white beans with herbs to create a tasty and gourmet dip to accompany your crudites. Place low-sodium canned white beans in a food processor with minced garlic and onions. Add rosemary and a dash of cayenne pepper and puree until smooth.
Crackers with Goat Cheese and Red Peppers
A combination of crackers, goat cheese and roasted red bell peppers supplies fiber, calcium and vitamin C. Michalene Busico, Jennifer Clair and Viktor Budnik, authors of "Knack Gourmet Cooking on a Budget," recommend jarred roasted red bell peppers because they are convenient as well as healthy. Arrange your favorite whole-grain crackers on a plate and spread with goat cheese. Goat cheese is available in different flavors so experiment to find your favorite. Use just a small amount on each cracker to avoid consuming too much saturated fat. Layer a roasted red bell pepper on top of the goat cheese.
Stuffed Tomatoes
Cherry or Roma tomatoes will add vitamin C to your snack. You can pair these tomatoes with many different nutritious, gourmet ingredients. Halve the tomatoes and scoop out the seeds. Spoon your choice of filling inside the hollowed out tomatoes and sprinkle with chives. Cottage cheese mixed with caraway seeds and celery salt is a calcium- and protein-rich filling. Reduced-fat cream cheese with chopped black olives and green chilies is another nutritious choice.
References
- "Surreal Gourmet Bites: Showstoppers and Conversation Starters"; Bob Blumer; 2004
- "Knack Gourmet Cooking on a Budget"; Michalene Busico, Jennifer Clair and Viktor Budnik; 2010
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