Lose weight and eat a tasty treat SMART SNACKING

Family Features

If you want to lose weight or maintain weight loss this year, choose smart snacks that will satisfy your taste buds without sabotaging your goals.

Low-fat dairy is one great option recommended by the USDA. It’s a good source of protein that can help keep you fuller longer while providing calcium and important nutrients.

For tasty snack ideas, try these recipes:

Spinach and Artichoke Dip with Pita Toasts

Serves: 6 (1/2 cup dip plus 6 pita chips per serving)

Weight Watchers PointsPlus value: 5 per serving

Prep time: 18 minutes Cook time: 33 minutes

Pita Toasts:

64-inch whole wheat pita pockets, cut into sixths

Non-stick olive oil cooking spray

1/4teaspoon kosher salt

1/4teaspoon ground black pepper

Spinach and Artichoke Dip:

9Weight Watchers Parmesan Peppercorn Wedges, cut into 1-inch pieces

1/2cup non-fat sour cream

2ounces Weight Watchers Reduced Fat Cream Cheese Spread, cut into 1-inch pieces

1/2teaspoon garlic powder

1/4teaspoon kosher salt

1/4teaspoon ground black pepper

1package (10-ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained

1can (14-ounces) artichoke hearts, drained, chopped into 1/8-inch pieces

Preheat oven to 400 ∞F. Arrange pita slices on baking sheet 1/4 inch apart. Spray both sides with cooking spray. Sprinkle tops with kosher salt, pepper.

Bake 7-8 minutes until golden. Remove from oven; set aside.

Lower oven heat to 350 ∞F. Spray 8-inch baking pan with cooking spray.

In large bowl, combine Parmesan peppercorn wedges, sour cream, cream cheese, garlic powder, salt and pepper with electric mixer on low until well-blended.

Stir in spinach, artichoke hearts with large spoon. Mix until thoroughly combined.

Pour into pan; bake 25 minutes, until bubbling, lightly browned. Remove from oven. Serve warm or at room temperature with pita toasts.

Baked Mozzarella Sticks with Spicy Tomato Dipping Sauce

Serves: 4 (2 mozzarella sticks plus 1/2 cup sauce per serving)

Weight Watchers PointsPlus value: 3 per serving

Prep time: 12 minutes Cook time: 20 minutes

Olive oil cooking spray

1teaspoon olive oil

1garlic clove, minced

1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce

1/4teaspoon salt

1/8teaspoon granulated sugar

1/8teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

6tablespoons unseasoned panko or breadcrumbs

1/2teaspoon garlic powder

1/2teaspoon dried oregano

1/4teaspoon kosher salt

1/4teaspoon ground black pepper

2tablespoons enriched flour

2egg whites, lightly scrambled

4pieces Weight Watchers Light String Cheese (or Weight Watchers Natural Light Smoked Mozzarella String Cheese), cut in half

Spray a baking sheet with olive oil cooking spray.

In a medium saucepan, heat olive oil over medium-low heat until just warm, about 1 minute. Add garlic; saut for 1 minute. Add tomato sauce, salt, sugar, red pepper flakes; stir well. Heat until sauce begins to bubble. Reduce heat to low; simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

On a medium plate, combine panko, garlic powder, oregano, salt, pepper.

Place flour on small plate. Coat each stick in flour. Shake off excess; dip in egg. Dip sticks in panko mixture. Place sticks on baking sheet 2 inches apart. Spray tops with olive oil cooking spray.

Place baking sheet in freezer for 1 hour; refrigerate sauce.

Preheat oven to 400 ∞F 15 to 20 minutes before serving. Remove baking sheet from freezer; place in oven. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until sticks are just heated through, not melted. Remove from oven.

Remove sauce from refrigerator. Microwave for 1 to 2 minutes until warmed through. Serve with sticks.

Tomato Mozzarella Skewers

Serves: 4 (1 skewer plus 1 tablespoon pesto)

Weight Watchers PointsPlus value: 3 per serving

Prep time: 17 minutes

20grape tomatoes

4pieces Weight Watchers Light String Cheese (or Weight Watchers Natural Light Smoked Mozzarella String Cheese), cut into quarters

1cup fresh basil plus 4 basil leaves, cut into quarters

1/2clove garlic

1tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1tablespoon low-sodium chicken broth

1tablespoon pine nuts

1tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

1/4teaspoon kosher salt

1/8teaspoon ground black pepper

48-inch skewers

Thread tomato onto skewer. Follow with 1 piece of mozzarella cheese, 1/4 piece basil. Repeat pattern until skewer is full, ending with a tomato. Once 4 skewers have been prepared, set aside.

Chop garlic in food processor until minced, about 15 seconds. Add basil, olive oil, chicken broth, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper. Pulse until all ingredients are finely chopped, about 30 seconds.

Serve each skewer with 1 tablespoon pesto.

Cheesecake Lollipops

Serves: 28 (1 lollipop or square, 1/28th of a 9-inch cake)

Weight Watchers PointsPlus value: 5 per serving

Prep time: 1 hour plus 3 hours refrigeration time and 2 hours freezing time

Cook time: 45 minutes

Cheesecake:

24ounces Weight Watchers Reduced Fat Cream Cheese Spread, cut into 1-inch pieces

1cup granulated sugar

3tablespoons all-purpose flour

3large eggs

11/2teaspoons vanilla extract

1teaspoon lemon zest

Ganache:

12ounces semisweet chocolate chips

3/4cup half-and-half

Equipment:

28lollipop or Popsicle sticks

Preheat oven to 350 ∞F.

In large mixing bowl, whip cream cheese and sugar until light, fluffy. Add flour, eggs, vanilla extract, lemon zest. Beat until completely smooth.

Pour mixture into 9-inch square baking pan; spread evenly. Bake 45 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center of the cheesecake comes out clean. Remove from oven; cool completely, approximately 1 hour.

Once cool, cover pan tightly with foil. Refrigerate 3 hours or overnight.

Line baking sheet with wax paper.

Remove cheesecake from refrigerator. Scoop out 28 balls (roughly 2 tablespoons in size) with measuring spoon or small ice cream scoop. Place balls on baking sheet, approximately 1 inch apart. Insert stick firmly in middle of each ball. Freeze 2 hours or overnight.

Just before serving, make ganache. In double boiler or Pyrex bowl placed over pan of steaming, not yet simmering water, heat chocolate chips, half-and-half over low heat, whisking continuously until mixture is smooth. Remove from heat.

Dip lollipops into ganache until 3/4 of each lollipop is covered. Return to baking sheet. Allow to harden. Serve immediately or freeze until ready to serve.

For more tips and recipes, visit www.WeightWatchers.com.

The brand of ingredients used in the nutrition calculation software to calculate the PointsPlus value for these recipes may differ from what is available on the WeightWatchers.com Recipe Builder. This may impact the PointsPlus value.