Ideas for Rice Cake Toppings
Snack time can be a healthy eater's nightmare. Rice cakes are a great way to snack on the go, or tide kids over until dinnertime. And since most plain rice cakes are under 45 calories each, a healthful snack can usually be created for around 100 calories. Here are some fun, healthful ways to top a plain rice cake. Does this Spark an idea?
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Kid Friendly
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Healthy kids will most likely be healthy adults. Kids can be picky, and getting them to choose a healthy snack can be almost impossible. Try topping a rice cake with a few tablespoons of chocolate flavored whipped topping and a few strawberry or banana slices. The chocolate topping will satisfy their sweet tooth, and the fruit will make this treat something you can feel good about.
Savory
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Top a plain rice cake with a tablespoon of light mayonnaise. Use freshly ground black pepper and salt to add seasoning. Then place one slice of turkey or ham on top of the mayonnaise, as well as a slice of reduced fat Swiss cheese. This snack is a bit more caloric, but the protein from the lunch meat will help power through a workout or late meeting.
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Vegetarian
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A vegetarian option would be to top a plain rice cake with a few tablespoons of hummus. Add a few vegetables like cucumber, tomato or green pepper, and it's a low-calorie, high flavor snack. Low fat herb cream cheese or cottage cheese could be used instead of hummus.
Sweet
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Miniature rice cakes can be used in place of crackers. Spread a rice cake with your favorite yogurt, and add a few fresh berries. Peanut butter and jelly or trail mix is also a good topper before or after a workout; just be aware that this choice will be higher in fat and calories than yogurt or hummus. Another sweet topper would be a few tablespoons of reduced fat cream cheese, a teaspoon of sugar (or sugar substitute) and a dash of cinnamon.
Splurge
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Chocolate chips add sweetness to an otherwise bland snack. Once and a while, a snack can be a splurge. If you're in the mood for something more indulgent, top a rice cake with refried beans, cheese and salsa for a Mexican-style treat. Use mini rice cakes as dippers for guacamole, sour cream or vegetable dip; they impart a great crunch. For a sweet snack, top a rice cake with peanut butter and chocolate-hazelnut spread or chocolate chips. Greek yogurt with a drizzle of honey is also delicious.
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References
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