By Karen Ansel; image from Freepik.com
Craving something spicy or chocolatey? Make your own low-kilojoule munchies with our simple and satisfying recipes.
Craving something chocolatey?
Try dipped pretzels
These slim sticks will satisfy the most wicked cocoa craving without seeming like poor substitutes. Using pretzels with less than 100mg of sodium per pack will help keep bloat at bay. Microwave half a cup mini chocolate chips until just melted (about one-and-a-half to two-and-a-half minutes). Stir well. Dip ends (about one centimetre) of pretzel sticks into chocolate until coated, then place on a baking sheet lined with baking paper. Cool at room temperature for one hour (or 20 minutes in the fridge).
Makes 7 servings. Per serving of 10 pretzels: 420kJ, 5g fat (3g sat), 15g carbs, 96mg sodium, 1g fibre, 2g protein
READ MORE: These Are The Best, Healthiest Cereals To Eat For Breakfast Right Now
Craving something spicy?
Try chilli-spiced tortilla chips
Shop-bought chips are fried in fat and loaded with sodium, whereas these tongue-tingling triangles get their flavour from chilli powder, which contains metabolism-boosting capsaicin. Cut 10 corn tortillas into sixths. Arrange onabaking sheet, then spritz with olive-oil spray and sprinkle with a quarter teaspoon chilli powder, half a teaspoon cumin and a quarter teaspoon sea salt. Bake at 180°C for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool.
Makes 7 servings. Per serving of eight chips: 420kJ, 2g fat (0g sat), 20g carbs, 105mg sodium, 1g fibre, 1g protein
READ MORE: 4 Delicious Desk Lunches That Don’t Involve Bread
Craving something sweet and salty?
Try caramel popcorn
This sweet whole-grain snack tastes as sinful as any you can buy, but it has 75 percent less sugar – and 100 percent less guilt. Melt two tablespoons unsalted butter in a large pot over low heat. Whisk in two tablespoons brown sugar, a quarter teaspoon salt and one tablespoon water. When blended, add seven cups airpopped popcorn and 30g lightly salted peanuts (about 35 nuts). Toss until mixture is evenly distributed, then allow to cool.
Makes 7 servings. Per serving of one cup: 420kJ, 6g fat (3g sat), 11g carbs, 85mg sodium, 1g fibre, 2g protein
You need to try these 5 easy detox dinners that taste exactly like comfort food. Plus: 10 power breakfast recipes that every active girl needs in her life.
