It’s not easy to follow a meal plan 100% -24/7 -365. We get it. Did you know there are semi-secret snacks and drinks you can eat in moderation, help you fill your belly, and probably assist you in weight loss!?

These recipes are known but often overlooked. They’re not a secret, but a fun semi-secret. Would you like to know which recipes we’re talking about?! Take a guess and play with us.

Weight loss may happen because instead of eating empty calories between meals, you will nourish your body. No more emotional eating. Add fitness to the equation and voila!

These recipes are our online favorites. They were published by Mayo Clinic. You can find the reference at the end of the post. Enjoy!

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 Roasted potatoes with garlic and herbs

Serves: 4 Calories: 104

Ingredients

• 3/4 pound small (2-inch) white or red potatoes
• 4 garlic cloves
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons butter
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions

1. Heat the stove to 400 F. Cover a dish with cooking spray like olive oil.
2. In a large bowl, add the potatoes, garlic cloves, olive oil, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Use your hands to blend until the potatoes are covered with the oil and seasoning.
3. Organize the potatoes in a layer in the baking dish. Cover with a top or aluminum foil and heat for 25 minutes.
4. Remove the foil. Turn potatoes and prepare uncovered until the potatoes are soft, for around 25 minutes.
5. Move to a serving bowl and blend in with margarine. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

  White bean dip 

Serves: 8 Calories: 84

Ingredients

• 1 can (15 ounces) white (cannellini) beans, rinsed and drained
• 8 garlic cloves, roasted
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

DIRECTIONS

1. In a blender, add the beans, roasted garlic, olive oil, and lemon juice.
2. Mix until smooth.
3. Serve on top of flimsy cuts of toasted French bread or pita triangles.

 Roasted red pepper hummus

Serves: 16 Calories: 53

Ingredients

• 2 cups chickpeas
• 1 cup roasted red bell pepper, sliced, seeded
• 2 tablespoons white sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 1/4 teaspoons cumin
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Directions

In a blender or food processor, process all ingredients until smooth.

Avocado dip

Serves: 4 Calories: 85

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
• 2 teaspoons chopped onion
• 1/8 teaspoon hot sauce
• 1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted, and mashed

Directions

1. In a small bowl, combine sour cream, onion, hot sauce, and avocado.
2. Mix to blend the ingredients.
3. Serve with baked fat-free tortilla chips or sliced vegetables.

 Tomato basil bruschetta 

Serves: 6 Calories: 142

Ingredients

• 1/2 whole-grain baguette, cut into six 1/2-inch-thick diagonal slices
• 2 tablespoons chopped basil
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tomatoes, diced
• 1/2 cup diced fennel
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

1. Heat oven to 400 F.
2. Toast baguette slices until lightly browned.
3. Mix all other ingredients together.
4. Spoon mixture evenly over toasted bread.
5. Serve.

 Roasted butternut squash fries 

Serves: 6 Calories: 62

Ingredients

• 1 medium butternut squash
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Heat oven to 425 F.
2. Lightly coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.
3. Peel skin from butternut squash and cut into even sticks. In a medium bowl, combine the squash, oil, thyme, rosemary, and salt; mix until the squash is evenly coated.
4. Spread onto the baking sheet and roast for 10 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and shake to loosen the squash. Place back in the oven and continue to roast for another 5 to 10 minutes until golden brown.

 Blackberry iced tea with cinnamon and ginger 

Serves: 6 Calories: 25

Ingredients

• 6 cups water
• 12 blackberry herbal tea bags
• 8 3-inch-long cinnamon sticks
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• 1 cup unsweetened cranberry juice
• Sugar substitute, to taste
• Ice cubes, crushed
• Lemon, optional

Directions

1. In a large saucepan, heat water to just before boiling. Add tea bags, 2 of the cinnamon sticks, and ginger. Remove from heat, cover, and let steep for about 15 minutes.
2. Pass the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve, placed over a pitcher. Add the juice and sweetener to taste. Refrigerate until very cold.
3. To serve, fill 6 tall glasses with crushed ice. Pour the tea over the ice and garnish with cinnamon sticks. Serve immediately.

 Green smoothie 

Serves: 4 Calories: 64

Ingredients

• 1 banana
• Juice of 1 lemon (about 4 tablespoons)
• 1/2 cup strawberries
• 1/2 cup other berries, such as blackberries or blueberries
• 2 ounces fresh raw baby spinach (about 2 cups)
• Fresh mint to taste
• 1 cup cold water or ice
• Kiwi for decoration, optional

Directions

Place all ingredients in a blender or juicer and puree. Enjoy.

 Fresh fruit smoothie 

Serves: 4 Calories: 72

Ingredients

• 1 cup fresh pineapple chunks
• 1/2 cup cantaloupe or other melon chunks
• 1 cup fresh strawberries
• Juice of 2 oranges
• 1 cup cold water
• 1 tablespoon honey

Directions

Remove rind from pineapple and melon. Cut into chunks. Remove stems from strawberries. Place all ingredients in blender and puree until smooth. Serve cold.

 Blueberry lavender lemonade 

Serves: 16 Calories: 33

Ingredients

• 2 cups water
• 1 package (16 ounces) blueberries
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon dried lavender flowers
• 1 cup lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons Splenda sweetener
• Cold water

Directions

1. In a 1-gallon pitcher, add 4 cups of ice and set aside. In a medium saucepan, bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add the blueberries, sugar and lavender to the pan. Boil for about 5 minutes, until the blueberries have popped and all of the sugar has dissolved.
2. Strain the blueberry mixture over the pitcher of ice; discard the remaining blueberry mixture. Add the lemon juice and Splenda to the pitcher. Fill to the top with cold water. Mix well.

 Cranberry spritzer 

Serves: 10 Calories: 100

Ingredients

• 1 quart reduced-calorie cranberry juice
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 quart seltzer water
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup raspberry sherbet
• 10 lemon or lime wedges

Directions

1. Refrigerate the cranberry juice, lemon juice, and carbonated water until cold.
2. In a large pitcher, mix together the cranberry juice, lemon juice, carbonated water, sugar, and sherbet. Pour into tall chilled glasses and garnish with lemon or lime wedges. Serve immediately.

 Strawberry mockarita 

Serves: 6 Calories: 64

Ingredients

• 4 cups sliced strawberries
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 cups water
• 2 cups ice

Directions

Place all of the ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth.

SOURCE (AND THANKS TO)

MAYO CLINIC

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/recipes