Snacks

The following are wholesome, healthy, whole food recipes for a healthier lifestyle for you and your family. The ingredients are whole foods that are generally found in your grocery store. However, some ingredients may need to be purchased at a natural foods grocery.

This collection of recipes was recently begun (January 2011) by myself and the customers of Good Health Herbs. I hope to expand it into many recipes as more are submitted.

Enjoy

Aubergenius Spread

Taken from The Herb Companion

Not only is the Mediterranean diet among the world’s healthiest and most delicious, but they’ve raised snacking to an art form. Like Spanish tapas and Chinese dim sum, Mediterranean meze are yummy little bits and bites of savory goodness.

• 2 garlic cloves, unpeeled

• ¼ cup olive oil

• 1 large eggplant

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

• ¼ cup parsley, finely chopped

• 3 tablespoons tahini (optional)

• Salt, to taste

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

2. Place garlic cloves on a small square of aluminum foil and drizzle with a little of the olive oil. Close up the foil and seal around the garlic cloves.

3. Place whole eggplant on a baking sheet and prick with a fork several times. Bake for about 35 minutes or until tender. After 15 minutes of cooking, toss the garlic packet onto the baking sheet.

4. Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Using two forks, immediately tear the eggplant open and scrape the pulp right onto the hot baking sheet. This will help evaporate some of the liquid. Discard the skin and transfer the eggplant to a bowl. Open the garlic packet and squeeze the soft garlic cloves onto the eggplant. Continue to shred the eggplant until it’s a spreadable consistency. Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine.

Carmel dip

Submitted by Peggy Connell

1 cup almond or cashew butter

1/4-1/2 cup maple syrup (I use honey & decrease it to 1/8-1/4 cup) (adjust for your family)

1/8 cup olive oil

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup chopped medjool dates

1/4 - 1 tsp cinnamon (adjust for your family)

1 cup chopped pecans (if you want it crunchy)

Blend all except pecans in food processor. Add enough water to make a smooth paste.

Add pecans if desired. Blend again.

Enjoy with your favorite fruit: apples and bananas are my favorite.

Raw Hummus

Peggy Connell

1 ¼ cups Sprouted Garbanzo Beans. Sprout 3-5 days. Start with just over a cup dry. You can use canned ones if you want to.

¾ cups Raw Tahini, or roasted.

¼ cup Lemon Juice, fresh squeezed

1/8 cup fresh parsley chopped, or less if dried

½ cup olive oil

1 tsp. garlic minced. Optional.

½ tsp. sea salt

1/8 cup water

Start with liquids and add the rest as you blend in processor or blender. Add a few garbanzo beans at a time.

Try with fresh black olives blended into it.

Texas Caviar Salsa

Renee Wiest

1-14 oz. can black-eyed peas, drained (1½ c. fresh cooked)

1-15 oz. can black beans, drained (1½ c. fresh cooked)

1-16 oz. can white hominy, drained

1 small can chili peppers

1 small can ripe olives, drained

3 large Roma tomatoes, chopped

½ to 1 cup chopped onion

½ to 1 cup chopped fresh parsley

4 green onions, chopped with green tops

2 cloves garlic, minced

1-8 oz. bottle Italian dressing

Combine all ingredients & mix well. Cover and marinate 2 hours in fridge. Drain if needed. Serve with tortilla chips.

One time when everyone was sick of it and I wanted it used up I put what was left in the blender adding some red chili pepper, cayenne pepper, a bit of garlic powder and salt. We dipped chips in it and everyone thought it was brand new!

If you are on Weight Watchers, this ENTIRE recipe is about 23 points!