Recipe: Easy Broccoli-Cheese Snackers with Alpine Lace

Since I’m on a mission to get healthier, I’m always looking for easy snacks that pack nutrition.  I’d love to get more veggies in my diet, but they’re hard to get in as a snack.  One thing that’s always helped me get more veggies in is cheese.  Who doesn’t love cheese?

I recently headed to Wal-mart and picked up Alpine Lace’s Reduced Fat Swiss.  Swiss melts well and goes beautifully with so many veggies, so I thought it would be the perfect thing to help me create a healthy snack.  I already had some broccoli on hand, so I picked up some puff pastry, and these beauties were born.

Broccoli-Cheese Snackers

Ingredients:

• 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
• 2 cups of broccoli, cooked (I just steamed mine, but cook however you’d like)
• 6 slices reduced-fat Alpine Lace Swiss Cheese
• 1 egg, beaten with about 1 Tbsp water

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Roll your puff pastry out on a lightly floured surface into a thin rectangle (you’re basically just thinning and smoothing it out).
3. Top evenly with the cooked broccoli, leaving room at the short sides to allow for rolling.  Top evenly with the six slices of Alpine Lace Reduced Fat Swiss Cheese.
4. Starting on one of the short ends, carefully roll the pastry, broccoli, and cheese together.  Make sure it’s snug so nothing falls out.  Yours may be perfectly round – mine ended up slightly flatter.  The shape doesn’t matter too much – it’ll still taste great!
5. Place the rolled pastry seam side down on a baking sheet.  I put parchment down to make it easier to remove.
6. Brush the top with the beaten egg.  Bake for about 20-25 minutes, until the pastry is cooked through and the top is golden brown.
7. Allow to cool, slice, and enjoy your snack!

Chris and I both loved these and took them to work as a little afternoon pick-me-up.  Filling, veggies, and cheese in a balanced snack?  Sign me up!

In addition to the swiss, Alpine Lace comes in other varieties, including provolone, muenster (one of my personal favorites), and cheddar.  Most varieties are reduced fat, making it a great option for those of us who want to be healthier.

Check them out here for more info about all their cheeses!  They also give you the chance to make this fun little Daily value of what’s important to you!

What would you make with Alpine Lace Cheese?  I’d love to see your recipes!