It’s that time of year again. With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, I’m sure you — if you’re single — and all your single friends are thinking the same thing: better stock up on the Ben & Jerry’s. But guess what? It is possible to eat your feelings without making Valentine’s Day a 5,000 calorie holiday. Here are some healthy — healthier — snack recipes for you and your single friends this V-Day.
Now, we all know chocolate is the No. 1 remedy for being single on Valentine’s Day, but it also adds up to 120 calories per ounce. But who are we kidding? It still has to be incorporated into at least one V-Day snack.
Chocolate Dipped Pretzels Recipe
The best part of this recipe is that it’s easily made from your dorm room. It’s both salty and sweet — just sweet enough to prevent the classic chocolate binge.
Ingredients:
– 10 pretzel rods
– ¼ cup dark chocolate chips
– sprinkles (optional)
Cover a cookie sheet with wax paper, and melt chocolate chips in a small bowl in the microwave.
Dip each pretzel in the chocolate, and place it on the cookie sheet. Add the sprinkles. Allow the chocolate to harden for about 15 minutes, or put them in the fridge.
Calorie count: 76 calories per pretzel rod
Another typical V-Day binge tactic is the bottomless bag of potato chips. So, let’s at least pair them with a healthier take on the seven layer dip!
Three Layer Bean Dip Recipe
Ingredients: (makes 5 cups)
– 1 15-ounce can kidney beans
– 1 15-ounce can black beans
– ½ cup prepared salsa
– 1 teaspoon chile powder
– 1 teaspoon ground cumin
– 2 ounces grated cheddar cheese
– 1 ripe avocado, chopped
– 1 fresh tomato, chopped
Drain and rinse the beans, and then mash them in a large bowl with a potato masher or large fork. Mix in salsa, chile powder, and ground cumin. Spread mixture into a casserole dish, sprinkle on cheese, and heat the dip in the microwave for three to five minutes.
After the bean dip is heated, sprinkle the avocado and tomato. Enjoy with chips or go for the healthier veggie sticks, raw vegetables or pita bread.
Calorie count: 165 per ½ cup
Finally, forget the strawberry ice cream. Seriously, you can do it, ladies! Here’s a very low-calorie snack to satiate the cravings.
Strawberries and Cream Recipe
Ingredients:
– 10 fresh strawberries
– ½ cup part skim ricotta cheese
– 2 tablespoons confectioners sugar
– ¼ teaspoon vanilla
Slice a small portion off the bottom, or up to half the strawberry. Mix ricotta, sugar and vanilla in a small bowl. Use a spoon to put the filling between the bottom slice and the top slice of strawberry.
Enjoy immediately or refrigerate to snack on later.
Calorie count: 27 per strawberry.
There you have it, V-Day singles! Sure, mass quantities of any of these snacks could still make for a 5,000 calorie holiday, but just know that there are plenty of other singles out there trying just as hard as you not to binge eat!
Sources: All recipes — Snack Girl
Photo 1: http://www.snack-girl.com/snack/light-chocolate-treat/
Photo 2: http://www.snack-girl.com/snack/three-layer-bean-dip-recipe/
Photo 3: http://www.snack-girl.com/snack/light-holiday-snack/