By: Meg Galvin, SparkPeople Blogger
11/7/2011 6:00 PM   :  12 comments   :  10,742 Views

See More: recipes, snacks, chef meg,

You and your family will love these super easy pretzels. The dough only needs 5 minutes to rest so from start to finish, this snack is ready in a flash.
 
You and your family will love these super easy pretzels. The dough only needs 5 minutes to rest so from start to finish, this snack is ready in a flash. Traditional soft pretzels contain a large amount of canola oil and butter toppings with a heaping dash of salt. Not these! I used only 2 tablespoons of oil in the recipe and spread egg substitute over the dough just before baking for a shiny low-calorie and fat crust. I did find white whole wheat flour at the grocery store. It packs all the nutrients but omits the dark whole wheat color that can scream “healthy” to some kids.

Yeast does not last forever. Check the expiration date on the package to make sure the yeast is still ready to do some work and make the dough rise.

My  soft pretzel:	A food court soft pretzel:
Calories: 194.1	Calories: 370.0
Fat: 2.9 g	Fat: 4.0 g
Sodium: 518.6 mg	Sodium: 930.0 mg

 
Get the recipe: Chef Meg’s Whole Wheat Pretzels

What's a pretzel without dip?
Nacho cheese sauce often contains little cheese--but plenty of saturated and sometimes trans fats. An easy swap is mustard or hummus. I have two easy recipes that are great dips not only for soft pretzels but also for vegetables.


Chef Meg's Chipotle Mustard Pretzel Dipping Sauce
Use this spicy, creamy sauce on pretzels, with baked chips or even on a baked sweet potato. If you can't find chipotle mustard at your local market, make your own. Mix 1/2 teaspoon of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce for every 1 tablespoon of brown mustard.
cals: 18.3   fat: 0 g   protein: 0.6 g   carbs: 0.3 g   fiber: 0 g
 


Chef Meg's Hummus Pretzel Dipping Sauce
This dip is so easy but looks fancy. Experiment with different colored peppers and flavors of salsa and hummus to change up each batch.
Note: You can also layer all the ingredients in one larger bowl. Use a glass bowl to see each layer.
cals: 37   fat: 1.9 g   protein: 1 g   carbs: 3.4 g   fiber: 0.8 g
 

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Like these recipes? Then you'll love "The SparkPeople Cookbook: Love Your Food, Lose the Weight," now available everywhere books are sold. 

What is your favorite pretzel dip?