Snacks
Snacks are no longer just for kids. In fact, they are a very important piece of the Take Control Of Your Health Program. Choosing healthy foods is as important at snack time as at mealtime. Snacks can add fiber and nutrients to your diet without unwanted calories. They can give you an energy boost during the day and prevent you from overeating at meals, and they can also stabilize your blood sugar. The trick to snacks is to plan ahead so that you do not get yourself into a situation where you are too hungry, and ready to grab anything to eat, good or bad.
Think of a snack as a “mini meal” that will help you have a healthy diet, rather than as an opportunity to consume treats. With proper portions and the correct food choices, snacking will enhance, not hinder, your diet. In addition to the snack recipes in this section, please also remember that any leftovers that remain from any of the other recipes you have prepared, would make excellent snack choices. In fact, it is recommended that you prepare more than you need for any given meal, in order to have extra portions of already prepared food on hand. This will not only save time preparing additional snacks, it will ensure that you have something healthy to grab between meals.
Of course planning your snacks is the key to success. It is not wise to wait until you are starving to look for a snack. In addition to leftovers, now that you know your individual metabolic type, you can be sure to have snack food on hand that is easily transportable, such as cut up organic vegetables, cubes of raw cheese, small containers of salad-ready lettuce and salad dressing, or hummus. In addition to the recipes shared in this book, below is a list of snack ideas:
• Fresh organic fruit or a handful of dried fruit
• Fresh raw organic vegetables—such as cut up carrots, celery, red and green pepper, with nut butter or yogurt.
• Whole grain or rice crackers with nut butter or cheese
• Yogurt and berries
• A handful of raw nuts and/or seeds
• Hummus and carrot sticks
• A homemade smoothie with yogurt, raw egg, fruit, and/or whey powder
• A piece of cold leftover chicken or turkey with raw veggie of choice
• Roast beef slices with Dijon mustard and cucumber
• Hard boiled eggs
• Romaine lettuce leaves with turkey and avocado
8 ounces chicken liver
1 cup sliced mushrooms
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup chopped yellow onions
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons cognac , or other dark alcohol
½ teaspoon of salt
[ teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
[ teaspoon of cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon of powdered allspice
Milk, as needed for consistency
2. Sauté mushrooms in butter and olive oil for 5 minutes. Remove mushrooms with a slotted spoon and set aside.
3. In the same pan add onions, liver, and garlic and cook 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
4. Put all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Cover and blend until mixture is well combined. If mixture is too thick, add some milk (1 tablespoon at a time).
5. Pack in crocks or a mold and refrigerate for 4–24 hours. Serve in the crocks or unmold and serve on a small plate. Will taste best at room temperature.
Recipe Type Calories Total Fat (grams) Carbs (grams) Protein (grams) Protein 116 9 2 81 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 tablespoons flax seeds
Sliced banana or apple
1. Grind the flax seeds in a coffee grinder. Add cinnamon.
2. Top fruit with flax mix.
Recipe Type Calories Total Fat (grams) Carbs (grams) Protein (grams)
Mixed Protein 88 4 12 3 94 4 13 3
1 red bell pepper (CT), or 8 ounces sliced mushrooms (PT)
1 yellow bell pepper (CT), or ½ head cauliflower, cut in florets (PT)
8 celery stalks
2 tablespoons diced scallions
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon fresh minced ginger
2 tablespoons tamari soy sauce
3 tablespoons almond butter
2 tablespoons brown rice syrup
1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained
3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
½ teaspoon Tabasco
2 tablespoons gomasio (ground sesame seeds and sea salt) ½ teaspoon sea salt
2. In a food processor, combine scallions, garlic, ginger, tamari, almond butter, rice syrup, chickpeas, vinegar, and hot sauce. Blend for about 4 minutes.
3. With the food processor running, add the gomasio and salt and blend for another 30 seconds.4. Place dip in a bowl and place on a chilled platter. Spread the cutup vegetables around dip bowl and serve.
Recipe Type Calories Total Fat (grams) Carbs (grams) Protein (grams)
Mixed Carb
Protein
126 5 18 5
125 5 18 5
127 5 18 5
1 head leaf lettuce (butter or red leaf)
1 avocado, peeled and sliced into strips
2 scallions, minced
1 red pepper, minced
Alfalfa sprouts
Dressing:
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt to taste
¼ cup olive oil
2. Top with some minced scallions and a few pieces of red pepper. Add some sprouts and roll the leaf carefully.
3. Secure with toothpick. Continue the process with the remaining ingredients.
4. Whisk together lemon juice through salt. Then add olive oil. Serve with lettuce rolls.
Recipe Type Calories Total Fat (grams) Carbs (grams) Protein (grams) Mixed 198 17 11 3
6 eggs, hard boiled
1 ripe avocado, diced
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons plain yogurt (PT), or low-fat plain yogurt (CT)
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
Sea salt and pepper, to taste
Paprika, to garnish
1. Cut each egg in half lengthwise and remove yolks. Place yolks in a bowl and mash with a fork. Add the avocado and lemon juice and mash together with yolks.
2. Add the yogurt and mustard. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 3. Spoon yolk mixture evenly into egg white halves. Garnish with a sprinkling of paprika.Recipe Type Calories Total Fat (grams) Carbs (grams) Protein (grams)
Mixed Carb
Protein 72 5 3 4 73 5 3 4 73 5 3 4
Juice of 3 lemons
2 garlic cloves
Salt, to taste
2 celery stalks, sliced
Pita crisps (recipe follows)
[ cup olive oil
Coarse salt, to taste
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Split the pita breads in half horizontally, brush cut sides with olive oil. Cut each round into eight wedges.
2. Arrange, cut sides up, on a rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with coarse salt and ground pepper. Bake until golden and crisp, 10 to 12 minutes.
Note: For a low-carb, wheat-free substitution, you may also use the hummus as a vegetable dip instead of using pita crisps. Recipe Type Calories Total Fat (grams) Carbs (grams) Protein (grams) Mixed 372 11 56 164 spinach-chicken sausages, each cut into 4 pieces
2 large green apples, each cut into 8 pieces
1 medium onion
lime wedges, for serving
1. Cut the onion in eighths: First, cut it from the top to root into quarters; then cut each quarter in half crosswise. This makes it easy to separate the onion into individual layers.
2. Thread the sausage pieces on skewers, alternating them with pieces of apple and onion.3. Heat the grill to high. Place the sausage skewers on the grill until the sausage browns.
4. Remove and serve with lime wedges.
Recipe Type Calories Total Fat (grams) Carbs (grams) Protein (grams)
½ cup raw almonds
1. Heat a small cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add almonds and pumpkin seeds with a sprinkle of cayenne pepper, to taste. Stirring frequently, toast until nuts and seeds are lightly browned. Remove from pan immediately.
2. Divide into four portions and serve.Recipe Type Calories Total Fat (grams) Carbs (grams) Protein (grams) Mixed 140 11 8 5
12 large mushrooms
2 tablespoons minced shallots
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup finely chopped fresh spinach (PT), or chard (CT)
2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, chopped fine
1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
3. Chop the mushroom stems to make 1 cup.
4. Heat the olive oil in a medium sauté pan over medium high heat until glistening. Add the mushroom stems, shallots, and garlic; sauté until tender and just starting to brown. Stir in the spinach, pine nuts, cheese, and parsley. Cook until spinach wilts, about 1–2 minutes.
5. Spoon spinach mixture into mushroom caps. Place stuffed mushrooms on a lightly oiled baking dish and cook for 8–10 minutes.
Recipe Type Calories Total Fat (grams) Carbs (grams) Protein (grams)Mixed 113 10 4 4
Carb 115 10 4 5
Protein 110 10 3 4
4 ripe avocados
3 large ripe tomatoes, chopped
1 packed cup alfalfa or sunflower sprouts, coarsely chopped Juice of 2 lemons
1 garlic clove, pressed
2 scallions, minced
2 teaspoons fresh cilantro, minced
Drizzle umeboshi vinegar
Toasted sesame seeds
2. Smash remaining avocados, and mix with tomatoes, sprouts, lemon juice, garlic, scallions, and cilantro.
3. Stuff the 4 avocado halves with the tomato mixture. 4. Sprinkle with umeboshi vinegar and toasted sesame seeds
Recipe Type Calories Total Fat (grams) Carbs (grams) Protein (grams) Mixed 404 32 32 9
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 medium red onion, chopped
1 cup cooked brown rice
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup sunflower seeds, raw, soaked overnight
¼ cup warm water
S cup melted raw butter or olive oil
½ cup flour
½ cup nutritional yeast
¼ cup tamari
1½ teaspoons dried basil
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
2. Place all the ingredients in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth.
3. Pour the mixture into pans. Bake 40 minutes, or till firm. 4. Loosen loaves from pans with a spatula and empty onto a cooling rack. Once cooled, wrap well in plastic to store. 5. Can be stored in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
CT: Eat this sparingly as seeds are not your ideal food. Recipe Type Calories Total Fat (grams) Carbs (grams) Protein (grams) Mixed 192 14 14 6
2 avocados, cut into ½-inch pieces
2 scallions, chopped
2 small tomatoes, seeded and diced
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons hot sauce
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
Baguette:*
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove of garlic, finely minced
½ teaspoon salt
36 whole-wheat French bread slices
2. Preheat oven at 375°F. Combine the 3 tablespoons of olive oil, garlic, and salt. Spread bread slices in a single-layer on a baking pan, and brush evenly with the olive oil and garlic mixture. Bake for 10 minutes or until toasted; cool.
3. Top each toast evenly with avocado mixture. Sprinkle with cilantro before serving.Continued on page 263
PT: Instead of serving avocado mixture on bread or crackers, serve over a piece of grilled chicken thigh, or add 1 cup of cooked and diced chicken thigh to avocado mixture and serve in a romaine lettuce leaf.
Recipe Type Mixed
Protein
Calories Total Fat (grams) Carbs (grams)
330 26
290 22
10 8
Protein (grams)
20
17
Calories 120
Avocado + Chicken Thigh Without Skin:
Calories 202
Avocado + With Skin:
Calories 318
Carb Type (Avocado + Baguette):
Calories Total Fat (grams) 440 32
*Baguette calories are so high due to 6 pieces baguette per serving.
4 cups rice milk (CT), or almond milk (PT)
1 large banana
2 tablespoons Whey protein powder or 4 raw eggs
1 tablespoon bee pollen
¼ cup almond butter (PT)
1 teaspoon spirulina or other green powder
2 tablespoons flax seeds
1 cup blueberries
1 inch piece fresh ginger
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 fluid ounces aloe vera juice
2 cups water
Recipe Type Calories Total Fat (grams) Carbs (grams) Protein (grams)
Mixed Carb
Protein 425 25 36 19 425 25 37 18 426 25 36 19
2 cups steamed spinach
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped green onions
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 cup plain yogurt (PT), or low-fat yogurt (CT) ½ cup finely grated raw parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
[ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
2. In a medium skillet over medium heat, heat oil until shimmering. Add the onions and garlic. Cook, stirring often until fragrant and softened, about 2 minutes.
3. Transfer into a bowl. Add the spinach, yogurt, cheese, lemon juice, cayenne pepper and salt, to taste. Mix well and put in serving bowl.
PT: Serve with celery sticks and cauliflower florets.Recipe Type Calories Total Fat (grams) Carbs (grams) Protein (grams)
Mixed Carb
Protein
150 9 10 9
151 8 11 10
149 9 9 9