Snacks

I'm soooo ready for warm weather, a little sunshine, and a tasty fresh garden salads. The produce aisle has been looking (and tasting) pretty sad lately.  I know it's late in winter when the novelty of squash and root vegetables has worn off and even the apples start tasting like mushy cardboard.  So what does one do? Turn to processed comfort foods of course. 

I noticed myself sliding down the slippery slope....Honey Chex for breakfast, overdosing on tortilla chips, tempted to buy frozen mac n cheese for dinner.  Don't do it!  Spring is on the way (Jim has mini lettuces and bok choy sprouted in the basement as we speak).  Until then I'm trying to make the best of what's available.  A few of my favorite healthy snacks lately include:

Grapefruit

We were on a real clementine kick for awhile but the prices spiked and the sweet juicy factor plummeted.  Grapefruits have recently been running around $1.00 each at our local grocery store.  It might sound a little pricey but Jim and I always split one so $.50/person for a mid morning snack is not bad at all. Not to mention it's juicy, delicious, packed full of antioxidants, and can even help lower your cholesterol. 

Carrots & Hummus
I usually enjoy an almost daily snack of blue chips & hummus but I found myself eating WAY too many chips so I've made the switch to carrots and throw in a few chips as a reward at the end. Hummus has a good amount of Omega-3 fatty acid and carrots improve your vision, nourish your skin, and lower your risk of heart disease.

Celery Ants on a log are one of those childhood foods that should not be forgotten.  I got these great containers on Zulily awhile back.  They have a separate little tray designed to keep your granola from getting soggy in your yogurt but works really great for this snack too.  

Celery helps support your immune system, regulate your blood pressure, and is an anti-inflammatory.  I increase the health factor by adding in flax and chia seeds.

 Celery on the bottom and peanut or almond butter topped with sliced almonds, chia seeds, ground flax seed, and raisins.  Just dip the celery in and enjoy. I make this  a lot for Jim and I to take to work.

 
What are your favorite snacks to beat the winter blues?