[Welcome to my Weekly Love List, a list on all things I love. Because if I love them, well, obviously you should love them too. As the Backstreet Boys song says (and yes, I am actually quoting them) “My Love is All I Have To Give.” So with that throwback, here are this week’s list-worthy things…]

1. Dolce Vita “Ellie” Sandal. Maybe it’s because I don’t have the ankles to wear them. Maybe it’s because it’s currently -5 outside and I would give my left foot to wear them (literally). But either way I love these bad boys….

2. MyPublisher.com. So, a while ago I told you about my love for Shutterfly and their photo books. Well, ladies, I’ve found the Louboutins of photo albums. Mypublisher.com turns your books into coffee table books. And I am convinced there is NO better coffee table book than one filled with your most treasured pics. Think about it: when was the last time your coffee table books were more than just dust/shot glass collectors? Or, more importantly, when was the last time you even had a coffee table book? (Aren’t those tables supposed to be danced on?) Now here is a coffee table book worth l-o-v-ing.

3. The Bachelor. Usually I hate trashy reality tv, but this season I am hooked… and then some. Jason is adorable and the chicks are cuuurazy. Borderline stalkerish. That Shannon chick makes Britney’s meltdown look like a normal Tuesday night. And it’s all so amazing to watch go down. The drama! The Crazies! The fake reality!  It’s so nice to actually look forward to my Mondays, yet tragically pathetic that this is why.

4. 100 Calorie Chocolate covered Pretzels. Yes they do exist. And I owe the big guy a big hug for that. I try to avoid enriched white flour, but there is somethign about chocolate covered pretzels that get me everytime. So here is an occasional 100 calorie treat that I loooove.

5. Yes-to-Carrots. I recently started noticing that there were lines under my eyes. True story. And after revolting by doing nothing (I’m too young for undereye wrinkles, damn it!) I realized that did, well, nothing. So I bought Yes-to-Carrots ‘Eye Can C Clearly Now’ Eye cream and am addicted. Apparently, carrots do more than just help your vision.  And the company have a whole slew of products made with organic fruits and veggies that are heaven for your face, hair and skin! (Say Yes to Tomatoes and Cucumbers too!) And did I mention it’s both affordable and easily accessible (Walgreens carries tons of their products)? Yeah, just another reason I love it.

Doctors and nutritionists are now saying that the best way to stay energized, full and healthy is to eat 6 small meals a day and not the two huge ones like so many of us do. Note: 6 small meals do not include cupcakes, bags of chips and other fatty snacks.

So, how do you get through the day and not pack on the pounds? Start with some healthier snacking options:

1. Almonds and Laughing Cow Cheese. Portable and protein packed, almonds are one of the best things for your body. Pop a handful in a Ziploc bag with two wedges of Laughing Cow cheese (30 calories each) and, for under 200 calories, you have a healthy, filling snack.

2. 100 Calorie Packs. These are great on the go because they give you a quick low-cal fix and totally ease the cravings for the bad stuff. If you’re really in the mood, grab two bags. If you were to dig your paws into a real bag of Ruffles you’d wind up eating way more than the 200 calories (not to mention all that grease!) in this snack.

3. Trail Mix. No not a store bought one – make your own! Take dried cranberries (excellent for protein, antioxidents, and nutrients), wasabi peas (which give it a nutritional kick with only 2 grams of fat and 120 cals per serving), sliced nuts of your choice (again, almonds are great for you) and some raisins if you want a little somethin’ sweet. The mix of protein and natural sugars will give your body a natural energy and a great boost for those afternoons that seem to drag on and on and on and on…

4. Oatmeal. Not just a breakfast food. It warms and fills your tummy, keeping you full for hours.

5. Rollups. Leave the bread at home: take thinly sliced turkey and fat free cheese and roll the pair together. Throw a few in a Ziploc bag with some carrots and you’ll get a healthy treat for any time of the day.

6. Bagel Chips and Salsa. I don’t know if you’ve looked lately, but salsa is NOT bad for you and tastes fab. What could be better? Dip some bagel chips or baked tortilla chips (or even veggies!) in some salsa and you’ll satisfy your hunger and your carb craving.

7. Veggies and Hummus. Raw veggies like celery, carrots and peppers, are extremely healthy, but can be bland in flavor. A way to spice ‘em up is by dipping them in hummus, which is a great source of iron (from the chick peas) and in general, is not very fattening. If you’re not a fan of hummus, try a low-fat or fat-free veggie dip.

8. Smart Pop. Popcorn is my favorite. Movie popcorn, with the “butter” that you pour on and get all over your hands is my absolute favorite. Too bad it’s bad, bad, bad for you. An alternative? Smart Pop; it’s just as good, but not as buttery or packed with the millions of calories and fat. I like to throw some hot sauce on my Smart Pop to give it a low-fat kick too.

9. Smoothie. If done right (with low-fat or fat free yogurt and FRESH fruit, not that syrupy crap), smoothies are a great source of vitamins, energy and nutrition. Plus they are delish!

10. Cool Whip & Fresh Fruit. Slice up fresh strawberries, blueberries and peaches into a bowl. Throw on some fat-free Cool Whip and you’ll eat this treat right up! Perfect for a hot day when you’re dying for ice cream but don’t want the calories.

What are some of your favorite low-fat snacks?

[Photo courtesy of naturalpath.com]

a) The 100-calorie packs are often more than twice as expensive per ounce as the products they mimic.

b) In meeting the 100-calorie limit, the snacks or sweets inside the packs are sometimes pale imitations of the originals. The 100-calorie Oreos, for example, are 20 mini “chocolate thin crisps.”

c) Smaller portions don’t make snacks good for you, especially when they are as highly-processed as 100-Cal Packs.

Still, as Americans, we have issues with self-control. I can go through a box of Cheez-Its in three days and think nothing of it, until I look at the box and realize I averaged about 5 servings of Cheez-Its a day. So, when a small package helps me know when to stop, I dig it. I do agree with above comment on the 100-calorie Oreos: these are a waste of money. So, friends, what follows is a list of my top five picks. All of these are so tasty, I thank my lucky stars that they are measured out for me in 100 calorie intervals.

1. Mr. Salty Chocolate Covered Pretzels.

I hadn’t eaten a chocolate covered pretzel in years, until I found these things. Classic salty pretzels dipped in milk chocolate. Yum! These snacks satisfy my chocolate cravings and only pack 3.5 grams of fat into the 100-calorie serving.

2. Frito Lay Baked! Cheetos.

At first, I tried the regular 100-cal pack of Cheetos. The day I discovered the baked version, I think unicorns fell from the sky. Baked Cheetos are a snack that I don’t allow myself to buy big bags of, because I will eat a whole bag in one sitting. Since I actually prefer Baked Cheetos to the regular brand anyway, I have since become addicted to the 100-cal bags, which only have 5 grams of fat content. I’m actually quite impressed with the entire Frito-Lay line of 100-cal packs, which also includes Sun Chips, Doritos, and Smartfood Popcorn.

3. Klondike Slim-a-Bear Ice Cream Sandwiches.

Cold, creamy Klondike ice cream sandwiched with chocolate, available in chocolate and vanilla flavors…and only 1.5 grams of fat. The only thing better would be if Ben and Jerry started marketing 100-calorie cartons of Cherry Garcia (of course, this will never happen, because 100 calories of B & J is probably equivalent to half a teaspoon). Also worth checking out are Breyers’ 100-calorie Double-Churned Ice cream Cups and Ice Cream Sandwiches.

4. Hostess Cupcakes.

These were my first foray into the 100-calorie world, and it blew my mind when I realized that each pack consists of 3 mini cupcakes. They come in several flavors, e.g. yellow cake, chocolate cake, etc., and even with the signature cream filling, each pack is only 3 grams of fat. How each mini cupcake can consist of about 33 calories and one gram of fat and taste just as good as the real thing, I have no clue.

5. Hershey’s Snacksters.

I’m including both varieties of these packs in the last slot for my five fave 100-cal packs, because they are very similar, but produce two different craving-killing tastes.

The chocolate Hershey’s Snacksters are made up of cereal puffs, chocolate chip cookies, and semi-sweet and milk chocolate chips; the Reese’s Pieces version includes cereal puffs, cereal squares, peanut butter chips, and Reese’s Pieces. I expected a trail-mix-like recipe for these packs because, let’s be serious, there’s no way an all-chocolate-and-peanut-butter snack can stay under the 100-calorie limit and at 4 grams of fat. But the cereal puffs are either chocolate or peanut butter, and the chocolate or peanut butter chips are a pleasant surprise in addition to the real seller: the cookies or Reese’s pieces. The cereal bits also help fill you up, and you’ll feel indulged without feeling like a beached whale.

[Photo courtesy of junkfoodnews.net]