Skinny Treats.

Today, the staff at my school prepared a shared morning tea to say thanks to the parents who are so generous with their support and help throughout the year. Of course these events are always overloaded with sugary treats such as cakes, biscuits, slices and chocolates. Don't get me wrong, these kind of foods are often supplied to "treat" and thank people as they are delicious and sweet and generally a celebration food. However, I wanted to bring something that I personally would devour as a treat, a snack platter that I would enjoy and want to consume, without feeling guilty.And so, I prepared and shared my own healthy snack that consisted of a disposable shot glass, a dip of choice (today was hummus and avocado) and cut up vegetables (today it was cucumber, carrot and red capsicum.)

The parents all commented that these must be my creation (they certainly did stand out amongst the copious amount of cakes, biscuits, slices, etc that were baked or purchased to share.) It was nice to receive feedback from grateful and appreciative parents, many of which have started on healthy eating programs or are pursuing a diet of choice. Eating is such a social part of our every day lives and at times it is easy to be tempted to stray from our eating plan due to commitments with friends, social events and parties. It was great that by providing healthy alternatives, parents, teachers and students were all able to socialise and enjoy each others company without being pained in not eating, or being tempted by treats they really didn't need.

I have provided below, the recipes for the two dips:Skinny Avocado and Reduced Fat Hommus.

If you are looking for a healthy alternative, or a quick treat, perhaps you can consider using these. When making them for myself, I usually just spoon the dip into the shot glass. However, if I am preparing them for a special occassion or sharing them with friends, I use a piping bag or baking paper to transfer the dip into the shot glass. This is also a great way to enjoy dip without having to go back and forward to the anti pasto platter!Be sure to let me know if you use these recipes and post some pictures online for me to browse :)

REDUCED FAT HUMMUS RECIPE:

•  1 x 400g can chickpeas, rinsed, drained
•  60ml (1/4 cup) fresh lemon juice
•  2 tablespoons tahini
•  2 tablespoons water
•  1 teaspoon ground cumin
•  1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
•  1 small garlic clove, crushed
•  Salt & freshly ground black pepper
•  Sweet paprika, to garnish

Place chickpeas, lemon juice, tahini, water, cumin, coriander and garlic in the bowl of a food processor and process until a smooth paste forms. Taste and season with salt and pepper. (Add a little extra lemon juice or water if the hummus is too thick.)

SKINNY AVOCADO DIP RECIPE:

• 1/2 cup greek yoghurt
• 2 teaspoons chopped onion
• 1/8 teaspoon hot sauce (optional)
• 1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and mashedIn a small bowl, combine greek yoghurt, onion, hot sauce and avocado. Mix to blend the ingredients evenly.