Healthy Pistachio Snack Mix

I am always looking for new, healthy snack ideas.  I have always loved pistachios, but this time I paired them with some dried fruit and a small serving of chocolate and I found my new favorite snack!

I especially love pistachios when they are still in the shell.  I actually enjoy taking them out of the shell and I like that it takes extra time to open up the shells.  This makes me slow down when I am eating them.  Otherwise they’d be gone in a blink of an eye!  Pistachios are one of the lowest calorie nuts.  Another reason why I love them… a one ounce serving equals 49 pistachios! That’s a large serving, right?  There are only 28 peanuts in a serving, cashews only have 18, walnuts have just 14 halves in a single serving and there are only 23 almonds in one serving.  I am all about a bigger serving size!  Why not play an April Fool’s joke on your appetite (see what I did there?) and fool yourself into being full!

I tell my clients to reach for the pistachios instead of the chips when they are craving something salty.   Unlike potato chips, pistachios offer a good source of protein and fiber, with over three times as many pieces per serving. Remember those 49 pistachios that come in a serving?  There are only 15 chips in a  serving!  And how many of us actually stop at 15?  Not many of us because that’s too small of a serving size.  Pistachios for the win!

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Healthy Pistachio Snack Mix

Course Snack

Servings 1 serving

Author Lauren Kelly Nutrition

Ingredients

• 1 ounce serving of in-shell pistachios 49 pistachios
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened dried cranberries
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened dried cherries
• 1 teaspoon mini chocolate chips I used vegan chocolate chips
• 1 teaspoon white chocolate chips I used vegan white chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Mix together and enjoy!

Did you know there is a Pistachio Health Institute where they study just how healthy these nuts are?  The “Pistachio Principle” is a simple mindful eating concept that may help you “fool yourself full” – without feelings of deprivation. This simply means that consumption of in-shell pistachios encourages slower eating (it takes a time to open each shell which encourages slower eating) while the leftover shells offer an important visual cue about the amount consumed; thereby, helping to reduce calorie intake.  And the fact that pistachios are one of the lowest calorie and among the highest fiber snack nuts only supports this principle.  Check this out…

 See all of those empty shells?  That was only ONE serving!

This is NOT an April Fools joke, this is actually one serving of pistachios!   Remember to always watch your serving sizes.  Read labels to see what exactly is in a serving.  It’s important for maintaining your weight and your health.  And be sure to head over to The Pistachio Health Institute’s Facebook page to enter to win a year supply of pistachios!  Now that’s an awesome giveaway.  Good luck!

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.