Score Big With This Super Sweet And Spicy Snack Mix

Most of us love to eat snack foods, especially when watching a movie, or a sporting event such as the Super Bowl.

Fortunately for waistlines and glucose levels, tasty snacks do not have to be salty, sugary, or fat-laden health hazards. With a bit of exploration and experimentation, we can find healthier snacks at the grocery store and create our own tantalizing refreshments at home.

Here is a snack mix recipe that is as sweet as it is spicy, and just as crunchy as it is chewy. Because garbanzo beans and dried fruit are used instead of pretzels and peanuts, the fat and sodium content is reduced, and grams of fiber are increased. Plus garbanzo beans supply us with protein, iron, zinc, manganese, folate, copper, and phosphorous.

Sweet and Spicy Snack Mix

This recipe makes 12 servings, 1/2 cup each.

You will need:

• 2 cans garbanzo beans (15 oz), rinsed and drained; pat dry.
• 2 cups wheat squares cereal
• 1 cup dried pineapple chunks
• 1 cup dried raisins
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• butter-flavored cooking spray

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat a baking sheet (15 1/2 x 10 1/2 inches) with butter-flavored cooking spray.
2. Generously coat a heavy skillet with the butter-flavored cooking spray. Add garbanzo beans to the skillet, cooking them over medium heat for about 10 minutes, or until they start to brown; stir frequently.
3. Transfer the garbanzos to the prepared baking sheet, and spray the beans lightly with cooking spray. Bake, stirring often, until the beans are crisp (about 20 minutes).
4. Lightly coat a roasting pan with the butter-flavored cooking spray, and add the cereal, pineapple, raisins, and roasted garbanzos; stir to mix evenly.
5. Mix the honey, Worcestershire sauce, and spices in a large glass measuring cup. Pour this mixture over the snack mix; toss gently, and spray again with the cooking spray.
6. Bake about 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Let the snack mix cool completely before storing in airtight containers.

A 1/2 cup serving contains: 194 calories, 2g total fat, 39g total carbs, 5g fiber, 3g added sugars, 218mg sodium, 5g protein, no trans fat.

Source: Mayo Clinic; World’s Healthiest Foods