Oats and Buttermilk Snack Cake



Oats and Buttermilk Snack Cake
Ingredients

  •     1 1/2 cups buttermilk
  •     1/2 cup steel-cut oats
  •     1/2 cup oat flour
  •     1 cup all-purpose flour
  •     1 teaspoon baking powder
  •     1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  •     1/2 teaspoon salt
  •     2/3 cup packed brown sugar
  •     1/4 cup butter, softened
  •     1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  •     1 large egg $
  •     Cooking spray
  •     1 tablespoon powdered sugar (optional)

Preparation

    Combine buttermilk and oats; cover and refrigerate 8 hours.
    Preheat oven to 375°.
    Lightly spoon flours into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, stirring with a whisk.
    Place sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and egg; beat until well blended. Stir in oat mixture; beat until well blended. Add flour mixture, beating just until moist.
    Spoon batter into a 13 x 9-inch baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 375° for 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack. Cut into squares. Garnish with powdered sugar, if desired.


Peach-Oat Muffins



Peach-Oat Muffins
Ingredients
   
  •     1/4 cup chopped pecans
  •     1 3/4 cups uncooked regular oats
  •     1 cup sugar
  •     1/2 cup canola oil
  •     2 large eggs
  •     1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  •     1 teaspoon baking soda
  •     1/2 teaspoon salt
  •     1 cup peach nectar
  •     1 cup nonfat buttermilk
  •     5 cups wheat bran cereal
  •     1/3 cup chopped dried peaches

Preparation

    1. Heat pecans in a small nonstick skillet over medium-low heat, stirring often, 2 to 4 minutes or until toasted.
    2. Process oats in a food processor or blender, about 45 seconds or until finely ground.
    3. Beat sugar and oil at medium speed with an electric mixer 1 minute. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition. (Mixture will be light yellow.)
    4. Combine ground oats, flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl. Stir together peach nectar and buttermilk in a small bowl. Add oat mixture to sugar mixture alternately with peach mixture, beginning and ending with oat mixture. Stir until blended after each addition. Gently stir in bran flakes, dried peaches, and toasted pecans. Spoon batter evenly into lightly greased muffin cups, filling three-fourths full.
    5. Bake at 375° for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
    Note: Muffins may be frozen for up to 1 month. Heat in toaster oven or microwave at HIGH 30 seconds. For testing purposes only, we used Post Premium Bran Flakes cereal.

Santa Fe Snack Seeds




Santa Fe Snack Seeds
Ingredients
  •     1/4 cup olive oil $
  •     1 teaspoon ground cumin
  •     1 teaspoon chili powder
  •     1/4 cup sugar
  •     2 tablespoons honey
  •     2 cups pumpkin seeds
  •     2 cups sunflower seeds

Preparation

    1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet until hot; add cumin and chili powder. Cook over medium-high heat 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add sugar and honey, and stir until sugar dissolves.
    2. Stir in pumpkin and sunflower seeds; cook, stirring constantly, 8 minutes or until seeds are toasted and mixture smells good.
    3. Carefully spoon seed mixture onto a big piece of lightly greased aluminum foil. Cool completely. Store seeds in an airtight container up to 2 weeks.
   

Garlic-Parmesan Popcorn




Garlic-Parmesan Popcorn

Ingredients  
  •     3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  •     2 cloves garlic, minced
  •     2 tablespoons vegetable oil $
  •     1 cup popcorn kernels $$
  •     1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan $
  •     1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  •     Salt

Preparation

    In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add garlic and cook 1 minute, stirring, then remove saucepan from heat and set aside to cool slightly.
    Warm vegetable oil in a large, deep pot with a tight-fitting lid over high heat. When oil is hot, add unpopped popcorn, cover pot, and cook 1 minute. Vigorously slide pot back and forth over burner until popcorn begins to pop. Continue cooking and shaking pot until popping subsides, about 5 minutes. Remove pot from heat and transfer popcorn to large serving bowl.
    Pour butter-garlic mixture over popcorn, sprinkle with Parmesan and cayenne and toss to coat. Season with salt and serve.

Popcorn Balls



Popcorn Balls

Ingredients
  •     1 tablespoon canola oil $
  •     3 tablespoons unpopped popcorn kernels $
  •     2 tablespoons unsalted butter $
  •     2 1/4 cups mini marshmallows
  •     1 cup honey-nut toasted oat cereal
  •     1 ounce pretzel sticks, broken into pieces
  •     1/4 cup chopped dry-roasted peanuts, salted $

Preparation

    1. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add kernels; cover and cook 4 minutes, shaking pan frequently. When popping slows, remove pan from heat. Let stand.
    2. Melt butter in a pan over low heat. Add marshmallows; cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Add 3 cups popcorn and remaining ingredients; stir. Cool 2 minutes. Form into 10 (3-inch) balls. Cool 5 minutes.

Healthy Cookie Dough Apple “Donut” Snacks




Healthy Cookie Dough Apple “Donut” Snacks

Ingredients

  •     ½ cup raw cashews
  •     1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted
  •     ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  •     Pinch salt
  •     1 package Hail Merry Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Macaroons, refrigerated or frozen
  •     2 medium organic apples

Instructions

    Place the cashews in a spice grinder or food processor*, and process until finely ground and beginning to clump. Add the coconut oil, vanilla, and salt, and process again until smooth and creamy.
    Finely dice the macaroons (they are easy to cut when chilled).
    Core the apples and slice horizontally into ¼- to ½-inch thick rounds.**
    Spread the cashew butter onto one side of each apple round. Top with cookie dough macaroon bits (be generous!), gently pressing into the cashew butter (they should settle in nicely).
    Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. The coconut oil will help the cashew butter set up for a rich glaze that holds tight to those cookie dough bits. Devour.


27 Delicious And Healthy Snack Recipes




27 Delicious And Healthy Snack Recipes


Healthy Snack Ideas For Kids And Adults, a new report created by Robert Hughes on the site Vkool.com shows benefits of healthy snacks, and a wide range of delicious snack recipes that are easy to make. In the first part of this report, people will discover reasons to eat healthy snacks including:

  •     Healthy snacks helps increase nutrient intake.
  •     It can sustain energy levels.
  •     Healthy snacks after exercising may replace people's energy stores and accelerate muscle recovery.
  •     Healthy snacks can help people avoid eating unhealthy foods.
  •     It helps keep the metabolism constantly running.
  •     It may banish the food coma.
  •     It can prevent people from overeating.

In the second part of this article, Robert Hughes reveals to readers benefits of eating healthy snacks such as:

  •     Incorporating healthy snacks between meals can help support weight loss and maintain an active metabolism.
  •     Eating healthy snacks (such as hazelnuts, almonds, walnuts or cashews) can help lower bad cholesterol levels, and reduce the risk of developing blood clots.
  •     Healthy snacking is a good way to manage blood glucose levels.

In the final part of the "Healthy Snack Ideas For Kids And Adults" report, people will discover detailed instructions to make snack recipes that are high in nutrients and have few calories including:

  •     Honey-glazed almonds
  •     Peanut butter and chocolate dipped pretzels
  •     Chewy caramel apple cookies
  •     Carrots, peanut and dipping sauce
  •     Orange muffins
  •     Oatmeal snack
  •     Kale chips
  •     Baked potato fries

People will also find tips and advice on how to plan and prepare nutritious snacks such as:

  •     Choose high-protein snacks such as low-fat and fat-free yogurt, low-fat cottage cheese, reduced-fat cheese, nuts, and hard-boiled eggs
  •     Choose snacks from more than one food group (such as reduced-fat cheese and whole-grain crackers, apples and peanut butter, carrot sticks and yogurt) rather than single-item snacks (such as yogurt, crackers, cheese) to consume a wider variety of nutrients
  •     Choose snacks that contribute to recommended food groups involving fruits, vegetables, low-fat yogurt, whole grain breads and crackers

 "Healthy Snack Ideas For Kids And Adults is a good report that covers a collection of healthy snack recipes for kids and adults. In this report, the author indicates that excess snacking can contribute to obesity.  People should eat snacks that are made from food groups such as vegetables, fruits, and whole grain nuts."