ASHLAND — When you’re around food, as cooks are, it’s difficult to stop thinking about food sometimes.

That’s when snacks come in handy. It’s still important to prepare low-calorie snacks while keeping taste in mind.

Carolyn Coulter, director of Wellspring Wisconsin, a weight-loss camp near Lake Michigan, said we tend to get hungry every four hours, when our bodies use up the energy from our last meal.

“Snacking can help you avoid lapses by keeping your appetite reasonably quiet,” she said, noting research shows snacks make up 25 percent of the average American’s daily calorie consumption.

Coulter suggested some healthy snacks, all fewer than 200 calories each.

‰4-ounce sliced turkey.

‰2 tablespoons Better n’ Peanut Butter, 2 medium stalks of celery and 1 ounce of raisins.

‰11⁄2 ounces (11⁄2 servings) fat-free Rold Gold Pretzels with 2 ounces fat-free cream cheese.

‰1⁄2 cup of fat-free ice cream (Blue Bunny Brownie Sundae or Caramel Toffee Crunch has 90 calories and 3 grams of protein) and one No Pudge Brownie.

‰Whole-wheat pita bread and 2 ounces hummus.

‰Smoothie made from 6 ounces Dannon Light n’ Fit Yogurt, 1 small banana, 1 cup of unthawed frozen strawberries; add ice to thicken.

‰2 slices of Weight Watchers bread, 2 slices Fat Free Kraft Cheese; spray pan with Pam and grill.

‰3 ounces tuna, 2 tablespoons fat-free mayo, 1 teaspoon relish on 1 slice of bread.

‰21⁄2 ounces beef jerky — a little more than half of a 4 serving container.

‰6 ounces Dannon Light n’ Fit yogurt with 1⁄4 cup Kellog’s low-fat granola and 1⁄4 cup blueberries.

‰1 cup fat free cottage cheese with one chopped medium tomato.

‰1 cup fat free cottage cheese with 3⁄4 cup cantaloupe.

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More than 1,000 entered but there was only one winner. Jamie Burris of Fayetteville, Ark., was the winner of the Heirloom Recipe Contest, hosted by Just A Pinch Recipe Club, the digital recipe and coupon social network for home cooks at justapinch.com.

Burris’ recipe, a savory potato and bacon dish called Kugelis, is native to Lithuania and can be served right out of the oven or cooled, sliced and browned in butter for breakfast.

“My grandmother was Polish and German, and didn’t know anything about the (Lithuanian Kugelis) recipe when she married,” Burris said. “My grandfather taught her and after that she took over!”

Burris said she learned to make the recipe from her mom, who had been taught a generation before by her mother.

KUGELIS

By Jamie Burris,

Fayetteville, Ark.

6 slices thick cut bacon

7 eggs, beaten  

12 ounces evaporated milk

1 tablespoon salt, or more to taste

1 tea-

spoon pepper, or more to taste

5 pounds red or yukon gold potatoes, peeled and shredded

1 medium onion, shredded

sour cream, to top

Cook bacon until crispy. Set aside to cool, reserving fat. Finely chop in food processor.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Beat eggs, milk, salt and pepper plus reserved bacon fat. Add bacon and mix well.

Peeled potatoes should be shredded as the last step to keep them from turning color. Shred onion with the potato. Mix potatoes/onion with the egg mixture completely and pour into a greased 10-by-15 inch baking dish.

Bake and test for doneness at 1 hour. Like a cake, it will pull from the sides of the pan and a knife should come out clean when done.

Slice and serve with sour cream on top. This can also be sliced thin and fried with butter as a side with eggs for breakfast.

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While I don’t claim to be an expert cook, I do like to cook and love to eat. Readers are encouraged to send questions about food and cooking; I’ll try to find the answers. Also, if you’re looking for a specific recipe, send your request, or if you can offer a recipe to someone looking for something specific, please email lward@dailyindependent.com.