3 easy snacks for your next tailgate party

The air has become crisp, the days are shorter and autumn brings a spectacular change of colour to our trees up here in the Boreal forest.
For many people, the Fall also signifies the start to the football season and tailgate parties. Finding the balance between eating healthy and treats can be tough. Having a few healthier snack ideas in your recipe repertoire can help you find that balance and add some interesting flavors to the party food.
Whip up one or all of these quick, easy and nutritious snacks next time you need to feed a hungry crowd. You can find other great snack ideas and learn more about healthy snack ideas by visiting Nuts.com.

Jalapeno Parmesan Popcorn

Add some kick (and adult flavors) to this high fiber snack. The saltiness of the cheese pairs so nicely with the bite of the pepper.

4 cups popped popcorn
1/4 cup shredded parmesan
2 tbsp minced jalapeno peppers

Add the popcorn to a large bowl and, while it is still hot, sprinkle on the cheese and jalapeno. Toss to mix.








High Protein Trail Mix

Create your own trail mix that is high in fiber, protein and contains tons of good fats. Add a little something sweet to balance it out and voila!

1 cup roasted chickpeas
1/2 cup roasted pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup chocolate treats
1/4 cup roasted pecans (or your favourite nut)

Mix all the ingredients together and store in an airtight container.

Sweet and Salty Pretzels

One quick (half) dip into your favourite dark chocolate turns everydays pretzels into a real treat.

2 cups of pretzels
60g (2 oz) of your choice of chocolate

1. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Chop the chocolate into small pieces and place in a double boiler.
3. Heat the water on medium heat until the chocolate starts to melt. Turn off the heat and stir the chocolate until it is melted.
4. Dip each pretzel into the chocolate and tap to remove excess chocolate.
5. Place the dipped pretzel onto the parchment paper. Once all the pretzels are dipped, place the pan in the fridge to cool off the chocolate.

Turn back the clocks, turn up the energy!

Keeping energy levels high during the colder, darker months of the year can be a challenge. As we snuggle down into our shorter days we often feel less energized and motivated to make healthy choices such as exercising and snacking. This can become a vicious cycle- eating comfort foods, feeling less energized, then turning to those same foods. Breaking the cycle is easier than you think- energizing foods don't have to taste like cardboard OR take hours to prepare. I've already spoken about how eating regularly and preparing balanced meals can help with energy levels- but what about snacks?
Snacks can not only help to boost our energy levels between meals but they can also prevent us from eating meals that are too large (which can zap energy).

An energy boosting snack should contain 3 elements:

1. Carbohydrates. This macro nutrient is the preferred source of fuel for our brain. Carbs turn into blood sugar which feed all of our cells- brain cells and muscle cells included! Eating low glycemic index carbs helps to stabilize energy levels- avoiding sugar highs and lows. Complex carbs such as fruit, whole grain crackers and pita bread are quick and easy examples.
2. Fibre. This nutrient is technically in the carbohydrate family. It provides zero calories BUT helps to slow down how quickly we digest sugar and starch. We want the process of digestion to be slowed somewhat so that the energy from the food can slowly make its way into our bloodstream. Rather than a tidal wave of energy (resulting in an energy crash) we want a constant drip. Fibre is found in whole grain foods, fruits and vegetables.
3. Protein. The role protein plays in energy levels is similar to fibre. It helps to keep us feeling fuller longer by slowing down digestion. It also brings a nice variety to the snack thus avoiding monotony. It is not a calorie free food and therefore portion sizes (like any food) should be according to your true hunger. Contrary to popular belief, protein does not technically provide energy to the body but instead is better used to boost the immune system and repair tissue. That is why it is important to include a source of complex carbs.

A few food examples are:

A handful of dried fruit and nuts
One tablespoon of peanut butter on whole-wheat crackers
Sliced veggies dipped in hummus
Air-popped popcorn sprinkled with shredded Parmesan cheese
Pita chips with bean dip and sliced avocado
Low-fat cottage cheese with fruit and almonds
A fruit smoothie made with low-fat yogurt or milk

So go forth and snack wisely in the wintry months!

Boxes and boxes on the wall, who's the fairest of them all?

If you have visited the granola bar section of you local grocery store recently, there is no doubt you have been a little more than confused. Chewy, crunchy, sweet n' salty, yogurt or chocolate dipped? The choices are endless, taste-wise at least, but what about health-wise?

Rather than naming names, it is more useful to learn what makes a healthy granola bar by reading the nutrition label. Here are the facts:

1. Check out the bad fat (Saturated and trans fats combined) content: aim for 10% or less.

2. Fiber is your friend: aim for 2g or more per serving.

3. Mind the sugar: there are not specific values but aim for the lowest amount. The general healthy range you will find is 6-10g of sugar.

REMEMBER- Certain healthy ingredients can increase the amount of sugar in your bar. For example, any dried fruit like cranberries, dates or apple will add to the amount of sugar indicated on the label. So if you are debating between two bars that have similar fiber and bad fat content but different sugar content, think about where the sugar is coming from- dried fruit or chocolate chips?

Same thing can be said for the fat content. A healthy granola bar does not have to contain zero fat- the type of fat makes a big difference. For instance, if the bar contains high fat but healthy ingredients such as flax seeds or nuts, the fat content may be higher than one that does not contain these ingredients. For example, Kashi makes a granola bar called Honey Almond Flax granola bar. It contains 5g of total fat and 3% bad fat. Compare that bar with their Cherry Dark Chocolate bar, which contains 2g of fat and 3% bad fat. The Honey almond bar may contain more fat BUT the "extra" fat is good fat since both contain the same amount of bad fat. The flax seeds and the almonds add to the fat content.

What about those 100 calorie bars? are they better for us because they are only 100 calories? Lets compare: 100 calorie Leclerc Chewy bar contains 2.5g of total fat, 8% of which is bad fat, only 1g of fiber and 10g of sugar. Nature Valley's Oats n' Honey crunch bar (both pieces) contains 6g of fat but only 3% of the fat is bad, 2g of fiber and 11g of sugar. As a result the Nature Valley bars are high in calories but the calories are of much higher quality.

One last note to make is obvious- keep your selection simple. The more stuffing or dipping means more bad fat and sugar. Leclerc's famous Chocomax nougat bar contains 5g of fat, 13% bad fat, 0g of fiber and 18g of sugar. Compare that to Leclerc's other brand of granola bar- Vital (4g of fat, 2% bad fat, 5g of fiber and 10g of sugar) and we are talking about 6 1/2 times more bad fat, almost double the sugar and no fiber. It is a better choice than a chocolate bar but most definitely not for an everyday snack. Even the seemingly harmless yogurt dipping generally increases the sugar and and fat content.

Bottom line- read the labels with the focus on fat, bad fat and fiber content, not calories.