Tips for a Low-Sugar Halloween :)

I like these links to a low-carb blog I follow:

Carbs and Calories in Halloween Candies:
http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/carbcounts/a/candycalories.htm?nl=1

Low-Carb/Sugar Free Halloween/Thanksgiving
Scroll down this page, some of the homemade treats sound good!
http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/lowcarbholidaymenus/a/locarbhalloween.htm?nl=1

Love Carbs?! Try This Diet!

If you just can't give up carbs, here is a new diet regimine (and book coming out Monday) that teaches you how to eat the right carbs for healthy eating and weight loss:

http://www.CarbLovers.com

Low-Carb Snacks

I have a hard time finding the energy to make meals or make anything taking more than 5 minutes, so this healthy list of snacks I can have on hand is PERFECT for nibblings. My quick and healthy list was about 5 items long, so this list opens up my world of taste! Love it!

From about.com (http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/whattoeat/a/snacks.htm?nl=1)

It’s important to have access to nutritious low-carb snack food so that if you get hungry between meals you won’t reach for crackers and chips.

Ideally, a low-carb snack should have protein, healthy fat, and some fiber (so the best thing would be to have some raw veggies with your eggs or jerky). Here are some easy snack ideas.

• Celery with peanut butter
• Celery with tuna salad
• Hard boiled eggs
• Deviled eggs
• Dill pickles and cheddar cheese (no kidding, it’s a great combo)
• 1/4 cup berries with 1/3 cup cottage cheese
• Nuts (keep raw ones in the freezer if you think you’ll overeat them)
• Sunflower seeds (get them in the shell so it will take longer to eat them)
• Other seeds (How to Toast Pumpkin or Squash Seeds)
• Low-Carb Trail Mix
• Jerky (beef or turkey -- try to find low-sugar varieties)
• Low-carb shakes
• Cheese sticks, such as string cheese
• Sugar-free Jello, alone or with cottage cheese and a sprinkling of nuts
• Make sugar-free lime Jello with part coconut milk -- For a large package, dissolve the powder in a cup of boiling water, add a can of coconut milk, and then add the rest of the water. Stir well.
• Pepperoni "chips" -- Zap the slices in the microwave
• Cheese with a few apple slices
• 4-ounce plain or sugar-free yogurt with berries and flax seed meal
• Smoked salmon and cream cheese on cucumber slices
• Lettuce Roll-ups –- Roll luncheon meat, egg salad, tuna or other filling and veggies in lettuce leaves
• Lunch Meat Roll-ups –- Roll cheese or veggies in lunch meat (read the labels for carbs on the lunch meat)
• Spread bean dip, spinach dip, or other low-carb dip or spread on the lunch meat or lettuce and then roll it up
• Raw veggies and spinach dip, or other low-carb dip
• Pork rinds, with or without dip
• Ricotta cheese with fruit and/or nuts and/or flax seed meal
• Mushrooms with cheese spread inside (or other spreads or dips)
• Low-carb snack bars (watch out for sugar alcohols, especially maltitol)
• Product Review: Atkins Advantage Bars
• Pepperoni Chips -- Microwave pepperoni slices until crisp. Great with cheeses and dips
• Garlic Parmesan Flax Seed Crackers
• Parmesan Crisps -- Good when you want a crunchy snack.
• Peanut Butter Protein Balls

Low-Carb Pizza Options!

I love this, great simple changes and still the yummy pizza taste! Pizza is one of my favorite foods, and I love the variety she offers here:

http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/pizza/a/lowcarbpizza.htm

I buy pitas (high in fiber) and toast them, spread tomato paste on and top with low-fat mozzarella or parmesean, mushrooms etc.! Quick, simple, healthy!

Enjoy!