Mother's Day is a special day set aside to honor your Mom and to thank her for the many things she does for you. Food is often part of your celebration. Serving healthy foods is one way to show your Mom that you care about her. Use a few of her favorite ingredients to help you build a tasty and nutritious selection of snacks.
Fruit Bouquet
Flowers are a common gift for Mother's Day, and you can make a flower-themed snack as another way to give your Mom a bouquet. Choose several types of fruit, such as bananas, melon or apples. Use a miniature flower-shaped cookie cutter to cut several flowers from the fruits. Arrange on a platter in a bouquet and add small green or purple grapes as centers in the flowers. Cut in half if necessary to keep in place. Use a vegetable peeler to cut long strips of green apple peel or watermelon rind to become the stems.
Smoked Salmon Canapes
Smoked salmon is a good source of protein and healthy unsaturated fats and is often added to appetizers or snacks. Make several slices of whole wheat toast, which will add fiber to the snack, and cut into shapes using cookie cutters. Flowers or hearts are popular choices for Mother's Day. Spread toast shapes with reduced-fat cream cheese and layer smoked salmon on top. Snip some fresh chives over the top of the toasts and arrange on a platter for serving.
Mini Crepes with Berries
Breakfast in bed is a common Mother's Day tradition that can be carried over into snack time. Combine 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour with a sprinkle of salt. Add 2 cups low-fat milk, two large eggs and 2 tbsp. melted butter. A 1/2-tsp. vanilla can be added to enhance the flavor, if desired. Mix well. Spray a skilled with nonstick cooking spray and spoon 1 or 2 tbsp. of the batter into the hot pan to make miniature sized crepes. Tilt the pan to spread the batter until thin. Cook for one to two minutes, or until set enough to flip. Turn with a spatula and cook for one to two minutes more. Serve with fresh strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and raspberries for a boost of fiber and vitamin C.
Spicy Vegetable Dip
Vegetables make healthy snacks because they supply fiber, potassium and vitamin A, and are also quite filling. If you mother enjoys spicy foods, this snack can be served with her in mind. Combine a 16-oz. carton of plain non-fat yogurt with a can of diced, pickled jalapenos. Stir in chopped black olives and 2 tbsp. low-sodium tomato salsa. Garnish with fresh chopped tomatoes and minced red onion. Serve with fresh vegetables, such as zucchini, carrots, broccoli or sliced tomatoes.
References
- "The Mother Daughter Cookbook: Recipes to Nourish Relationships"; Lynette Rohrer Shirk; 2007
- "Quick and Easy Cooking"; Cheryl D. Thomas Peters; 1988
Member Comments