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A New Way to Do Salted Nuts
We love munching on roasted almonds between meals; but, even better? Roasted chickpeas. In addition to being lower in fat than nuts, chickpeas can have a positive impact on your eating habits, found one study. People who ate 3/4 cup of chickpeas (or other pulses) daily lost weight without making special efforts to avoid other types of foods. This recipe calls for smoked paprika and onion powder, but you can flavor the chickpeas, which are called garbanzo beans in Spanish, with any spice (we also like cinnamon and sugar; or, cumin, chili and cayenne).

Get the recipe: Smoky Paprika-Baked Garbanzo Beans

Photo: Christal Sczebel

The Breakfast-Anytime Bite
If you're a granola fan, these fruity, nutty delights will be heaven for your taste buds. Their base is a combo of dried fruits (dates and dried cranberries), nuts (cashews) and coconut, plus some vanilla protein powder. Pulse the mixture in the food processor until it's the consistency of damp sand, then add a spoonful of almond milk and whiz again until you've got something that's sticky enough to roll into truffle-like spheres. The magnesium- and antioxidant-rich balls are just sweet enough, and each one is only 102 calories.

Get the recipe: Cashew, Cranberry and Coconut Balls

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A Healthier Version of an Old-Fashioned Treat
Nutritionists often mention popcorn as an ideal snack for when they're craving something crunchy. And no wonder: You can eat a lot of it (as much as three cups) with it still being healthy (i.e., low in calories and fat but high in fiber). Start with air-popped popcorn, then mix in some sliced, or chopped, nuts for added protein.

Photo: Lynn Andriani

The No-Bake Brownie
A healthy snacker's best friend: protein. It keeps your metabolism going, curbs hunger and there's plenty of it in these brownie-like bars. They're packed with good-for-you ingredients—coconut oil, almond butter, almonds, walnuts, dark chocolate, sunflower and pumpkin seeds, goji berries and oats. And the fact that you don't even need to bake them is a bonus.

Get the recipe: No-Bake Chocolate Almond Bars

Photo: Marshall Troy

A Dip Worth Taking a Break from Peanut Butter For
Rich yet virtuous, this nutritious reinvention of chocolate-hazelnut butter is perfectly packable (just put it in a small container with a lid) and ready for dipping; apple slices pair especially well. The surprise ingredient: black beans, which are loaded with—you guessed it—protein.

Get the recipe: BBtella (Healthy Nutella) Spread

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The Cold and Creamy Treat
There's a reason yogurt is often suggested as a healthy snack. Among its many benefits, yogurt improves appetite control and satiety, and can reduce the amount of food we're likely to eat later (just watch for the added sugars in low-fat, flavored yogurts).