5 Guilt-Free Labor Day Snacks

5 Guilt-Free Labor Day Snacks

The summer has come and gone, and while most people dread the end of the summer, there is still time left to enjoy the warm weather and holiday. Celebrate Labor Day with your family and friends and serve up one of these fantastic snacks while the grill is firing up. You are sure to make a total hit with your family and friends!

Low Carb Bruschetta

This low carb bruschetta features juicy tomatoes, fresh basil and other seasonings to make it an excellent and refreshing appetizer to serve your guests.Plan out 6-8 weeks worth of meal plans, make grocery lists, and rotate these plans throughout the school year.

• 8 oz grape tomatoes, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 8 leaves fresh basil, sliced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
• salt and pepper
• Low carb bread of choice

Instructions:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
• Brush olive oil on both sides of a slice of bread.
• Cut the slice of bread in half and then into quarters.  Cut the quarters into 3 rectangular slices.
• Bake for 4-5 until browned.  Watch it closely, it will burn very easily.
• Chop the tomatoes into small pieces and slice the basil.  Mince the garlic.
• Heat the remaining olive oil in a small frying pan over medium-low heat.  Add the garlic and cook until golden, about 1 minute.  Be careful not to let it brown too much.
• Mix together the garlic oil, tomatoes, basil, and balsamic vinegar.  Salt and pepper to taste.
• Add a spoonful of the tomato mixture to each slice of toasted bread.

Nutrition:
Serving Size: 2 slices
Calories: 90
Fat: 7g
Carbohydrates: 6g
Fiber: 2g
Protein: 3g

Colorful Corn Salsa

This fresh, colorful salsa pairs well with barbecued meats but is equally as tasty served with chips.

• 2 medium ears sweet corn in husks
• 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped green pepper
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped sweet red pepper
• 1 teaspoon minced seeded jalapeno pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Dash pepper
• Tortilla chips

Instructions:

• Grill corn, covered, over medium-high heat for 20-35 minutes or until husks are blackened and corn is tender, turning several times. Let it cool.
• Remove corn from cobs and place in a bowl. Add tomatoes, onion, cilantro, lime juice, peppers, salt and pepper. Serve with tortilla chips.

Nutrition:
Serving Size: 1/4 cup
Calories: 24
Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 5g
Fiber: 1g
Protein: 1g

Air Fryer Sweet Chicken Wings

Air fryer chicken wings are a quick and easy way to get super crispy wings. This recipe has a stove top sweet chili sauce for those who love sticky, saucy wings. Air fryers are a healthier alternative to oven baking or shallow frying, because there is no added oil.

For saucy wings, add the sauce after the wings are cooked. Remove, toss with sauce, then put back in the air fryer for 2 minutes.

For dry rub wings, add seasonings after the wings have cooked for a few minutes.

• 1 lb chicken wings
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
• 2 tsp  olive oil
• 1/4 cup fine diced onion
• 4  cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup  maple syrup
• 2 tsp honey
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp  red chili flakes  1 tsp if you like things more spicy
• 1  lime juice and zest

Instructions:

For the wings:

• Pat the wings dry with a paper towel.
• Toss the wings in a bowl with salt, pepper, and baking powder.
• Spray your basket with a bit of oil so the skin doesn’t stick to the basket.
• Lay the wings out in the air fryer basket so that they don’t touch. You want the air to be able to circulate around each wing.
• Air Fry at 400°F for 7 minutes.
• Using tongs, flip each wing
• Cook for another 7 minutes.
• Remove the wings from the air fryer, and place into a medium bowl. Toss with sweet chili sauce and return to the airfryer for another 2-3 minutes so the sauce can caramelize a bit onto the wings.

For the Sweet Chili Sauce:

• In a small pot, heat the oil on medium heat.
• Add the onion and garlic until well caramelized and lightly browned. Take care not to burn this.
• Add the remaining sauce ingredients and allow to simmer on low for 3-4 minutes or until desired thickness. The longer it cooks, the thicker the sauce will become.

Nutrition:
Serving Size: ~5 oz
Calories: 302
Fat: 18g
Carbohydrates: 18g
Protein: 23g

Cheesy Cauliflower Nachos

These low-carb cauliflower nachos are cheesy, delicious and loaded with extra veggies like tomatoes, jalapeño peppers, onions and avocado. They’re the perfect appetizer, but you can also serve them as a simple sheet pan meal.

• 1 Tablespoon olive or avocado oil
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 5 cups cauliflower florets, cut into ½-inch slices
• 1/3 cup refried beans
• 3/4 cup shredded Mexican cheddar cheese
• 1 jalapeno, sliced
• 1/2 cup chopped grape/cherry tomatoes
• 1/4 cup diced red onion
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 avocado, sliced or chopped (optional)

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 425°F. Spray a large baking sheet with olive oil or avocado oil cooking spray.
• Slice cauliflower into 1/2-inch slices.
• In a large bowl, combine oil with garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, paprika, chili powder and sea salt. Add sliced cauliflower and gently toss to coat. Place seasoned cauliflower on baking sheet, spacing out the pieces so that they roast instead of steam. Bake 20 minutes, until cauliflower is tender and starting to brown.
• Remove the pan from the oven; push cauliflower together in the center of the pan. Top cauliflower with refried beans, sprinkle with cheese and add jalapeño slices on top. Return to the oven and bake until the beans are heated through and the cheese has melted, about 6-7 minutes.
• Top cauliflower with chopped tomato, red onion and cilantro. Add avocado (if using) and serve directly from the sheet pan. You can also transfer to a platter for serving or portion into bowls.

Nutrition:
Serving Size: 1/6 of recipe
Calories: 150
Fat: 10g
Carbohydrates: 10g
Fiber: 4g
Protein: 5g

Low Carb Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries

These low carb cheesecake stuffed strawberries are perfect for dessert or as an appetizer. Fresh and keto friendly, this super easy recipe has only a handful of ingredients and takes just minutes to make! In a fraction of the time it takes to make a cheesecake, get the fluffy taste of sweet cheesecake style filling and fresh strawberry.

• 1 pound fresh strawberries, whole
• 4 ounce cream cheese, softened
• 4 tbsp heavy cream
• 1/3 cup sweetener
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions:

• Wash and core the strawberries. 
• In a small bowl, use a hand mixer to beat together cream cheese and heavy cream until smooth.
• Add sweetener and vanilla. Continue beating until light and fluffy and stiff peaks form.
• Transfer cream cheese mixture to a piping bag fitted with a tip. Place tip into hollowed core of strawberry and pipe a small amount of filling into each strawberry, allowing the filling to come over the top about 1 inch.
• Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve or up to 2 days.

Nutrition:
Serving Size: 2 strawberries
Calories: 110
Fat: 10g
Carbohydrates: 3.3g
Fiber: 0.5g
Protein: 1.6g