This article was written for Annabel & Grace, which is now part of Rest Less.
Having popped (well, I say popped, it was more like clunked) on the scales this morning and found to my dismay that I am mysteriously and inexorably getting heavier, I have decided to stop eating and drinking for a day or two and only indulge in 100 calorie snacks.
By that, I mean I’m going to stop scoffing chocolate, sugary puddings and my ‘odd’ glass of Sauvignon. I am going to be good!
But, being a ‘slightly older’ woman, experience tells me there will be times when I am desperate – tummy rumbling, eyes swizzling from left to right in a manic manner trying to find something in the fridge that is calorifically safe to eat, and of course, those “oh sod it” moments where I end up driving to the Co-Op and buying an industrial size packet of Sweet Chilli Crisps.
So, in case you are in the same boat as yours truly, here are my top ten favourite guilt-free, totally innocent 100 calorie snackettes. Click on the blue links for the recipes.
1 PESTO EGG MUFFIN BITES Make a batch of these 74 calories muffins to eat throughout the week (if your family don’t get there first!)
2 FAT & SUGAR FREE YOGHURT Don’t usually recommend low fat products but needs must. Yoghurt contains calcium, vitamin B12, potassium and magnesium.
3 STRAWBERRY AND BANANA ICE LOLLY Cut a banana in half, stick a lollipop stick in one end. Dip it in melted dark chocolate (at least 70%), sprinkle over dessicated coconut, chopped nuts, sprinkles or chopped dried fruits, then pop in the freezer. Satisfies a sugar craving.
4 EDAMAME DIP Made with chilli, lime and onion. Serve with rice crackers and/or carrot sticks.
5 CAPRESE TOMATO BITES A classic combination of tomatoes, mozzarella and basil in these bite-size appetisers. Loving the juicy explosion you get when you pop one into your mouth. Simply cut cherry tomatoes in half, scoop out the flesh, pop in a mozzarella pearl, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with chopped basil.
6 AVOCADO & SALSA MINI PITTA Filling and vitamin rich as well as tasty. Just fill a wholemeal mini pitta bread with 2 tbsp mashed avo and avocado.
7 BAKED APPLE Core a medium size cooking apple and fill hole with sultanas. Pop a blob of butter on top and sprinkle with a little demerara sugar. Cook in hot oven (200 degrees) for 20 minutes. Serve with blob of yoghurt. Alternatively you can make stewed apple – just add a sprinkling of cinnamon and nutmeg to the cooked apple and enjoy with a teaspoon of manuka honey and/or calcium rich blob of fromage frais – packed with fibre, vitamins and other wholesome antioxidant awesomeness.
8 SIX CAULIFLOWER FLORETS WITH CHEESE Melt-in-the-mouth loveliness that helps burn fat, made of course with low fat cheese please.
And if you really can’t resist those crisps, check out Tesco’s under 100 calories range.
Did you know, that apart from these 100 calories ideas, there are almost 1000 brilliant – and mostly very easy – recipes on this site ?