Monday, April 22, 2013

Low Carb Snacks




Tips & Tricks on Low Carb Snacks
Photo Credit almonds image by Nicola Gavin from Fotolia.com


A low-carb diet keeps your carbohydrate intake to just 50 to 150 g per day, and sometimes even lower. Carbs are found in many foods, but are concentrated in breads, pasta, cereal, fruits and sugar. When following a low-carb diet, many traditional snacks such as chips, crackers, cereal bars, cookies and even most fruit are off the menu. With a little creativity and tricking of your taste buds, you can find snacks to satisfy your cravings.

Crunchy

Pork rinds are a carb-free, crunchy snack that replace chips or crackers. They come in dozens of flavors and can be embellished with dip. Try dipping barbecue-flavored in sour cream or blue cheese dressing. You can create chips with slices of pepperoni. Place the slices in a single layer on a paper towel and microwave for 45 to 60 seconds. Eat alone or dip in cool ranch dressing. If you miss chips and salsa or guacamole, use celery sticks or jicama as a substitute. The salsa and guacamole are already relatively low in carbs and these vegetables contain just 1 to 2 g of carbs per stalk or slice.

Sweet

If you crave something sweet, turn to whipped cream or ricotta cheese. Mix in no-calorie sweetener and flavorings, such as cocoa powder, vanilla or almond extract or a bit of dry sugar-free jello powder. Add a few chopped almonds or walnuts for texture, if you like. Whipped cream is the option with the least carbohydrates. You can also make a mock cheesecake by mixing 8 oz. of softened cream cheese, ½ cup no-calorie sweetener -- do not use aspartame because it will not withstand cooking -- and one egg. Pour into greased mini-muffin tins and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 15 to 20 minutes. On a hot day, you could also freeze sugar-free gelatin in molds for a low-carb, sweet ice pop.

Salty

Cottage cheese can be made into a low-carb, salty snack. Mix in salsa or green onions, caraway and pepper for a savory treat. An elegant salty snack is Parmesan cheese crackers. Take heaping tablespoons of shredded Parmesan cheese and mound on a cookie sheet. Bake in a 400 degree Fahrenheit oven for 3 to 5 minutes, until crisp. Remove immediately and enjoy. Smoked or tamari-flavored almonds are another salty snack that fit into a low-carb lifestyle.

Convenient

Keep a few convenient snacks on hand for the times you do not have time to create one from scratch. String cheese and deli meat are simple choices -- try rolling them together for an easy snack. Commercial low-carb bars and shakes are also available for those times you need something quick. Keep a few hard-boiled eggs in the refrigerator for days you need a grab-and-go snack. Beef jerky and stuffed olives are other low-carb options that may satisfy salty cravings.
Source: LiveStrong.com

http://www.livestrong.com/article/440324-tips-tricks-on-low-carb-snacks/#ixzz2Bm3SbsHR
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