Snacking is my biggest weakness. I always feel like I don't have the time to stop and eat a meal so snacks are a staple of my diet. A lot of people live like this too! It's important to make sure your snacks are nutritional if you're going to rely on them for fuel throughout the day.
"Healthy things take too long to make" is such a myth! And no, you don't just have to walk around with celery sticks. Check out these healthy and quick to make snack ideas that I love.
1. Dried Fruit
I love a healthy snack that doesn't involve any further effort than buying it at the store. Dried fruit is a great snack! It can knock out that sweet tooth, give you a sugar jolt in the afternoon and it is mess-free! This snack is ideal for any setting from hiking to sitting in the office.
Right now I'm on a huge dried mango kick. When purchasing your dried fruit, be sure to read the ingredients so you don't get a brand that added additional sugar.
You can also make your own dried fruit. You can buy food dehydrators online. I happen to have one and it's really cool. You can even make jerky with it. Dehydrating does take time! Often you won't eat it the same day you whip it up, but it's a great thing to do with fruit about to go bad that you don't want to waste. You simply slice the food, lay it on the layering racks, turn it on, and leave it for hours. Occasionally switching the levels around to get everything evenly dehydrated.
2. Crunchy Edamame
Ingredients:
- 1 cup frozen shelled edamame
- 1/4 cup powder parmesan cheese (or vegan nut cheese/nnutritional yeast)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- salt (to taste)
- pepper (to taste)
- 2 tbsp quinoa
- optional: 1 tsp of chili powder, 1 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp of garlic powder
Directions:
Preheat your oven to 350
Toss frozen edamame in a bowl with all the ingredients. Spread evenly on a pan lined with parchment paper. Cook for 15-20 minutes. Take out when golden brown from the cheese.
It really is that easy. Love this for a snack at home! Not so great on the go and it's best fresh but can be stored in a dry container after it's been cooled off and any extra oils patted off. Swap out your nachos craving with this crunchy veggie treat!
3. Roasted Chickpeas
Ingredients:
- 1 can of chickpeas
- 1-2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 1 tbsp of lime juice
- salt
- pepper
- 2 tsp cumin
Directions:
Just like the edamame, preheat to 350. Drain and rinse chickpeas. Combine chickpeas with the rest of the ingredients in a bowl. Bake for 15-20 min or to desired crunch level! Once done, line a plate with a paper towel and transfer chickpeas there to cool, allowing the paper towel to soak up any extra moisture. Enjoy!
"Roasty Chickies" as I call them are great to throw in a baggie and take with you somewhere or a nice add-on to your dinner! Roasted chickpeas are great in vegetable bowls and salads.
4. Stuffed Mini Bell Peppers
Ingredients:
- 1 package of mini bell peppers , destemmed and hollowed out of seeds.
- 1 mashed avocado
- 2 tsp of minced garlic
- 1/2 of a fresh jalapeno, minced
- salt (to taste)
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- Optional: 1 tbsp taco seasoning and 3 tsp of cilantro
Directions:
Combine mashed avocado with the garlic, jalapeno, salt, lime juice and taco seasoning/cilantro if you're using that. Use the mixture to stuff your empty mini bell peppers. Sometimes when you're stuffing, they are super skinny and hard to stuff to the bottom so I'll make a slit on one side so it's more like filling a hot dog- if that makes sense to you. They are ready to go after that. Super delicious and refreshing.
No picture for this one (*I forgot to buy avocados at the store*) but here is a link for a similar recipe if you need the extra asist!
5. DIY Trail Mix
Ingredients:
Totally up to you.
Directions:
Toss your favorite trail mix items in a bowl and make sure it's combined well. Enjoy. Here is what I like to put in mine:
- dried cranberries
- vegan "cheese" crackers
- pretzels
- almonds
- pistachios
- dried veggies (like green beans, squash, etc)
Sometimes- typically around the holidays, I'll make a dressing for it. It becomes a whole process after that but it's so delicious. I'll share that with you all before Thanksgiving this year!
DIY Trail mix is the perfect snack for any situation and it will have your favorite goodies since you made it. Easy to store and keeps for*almost* ever as long as it's sealed well in a dry area.
6. Parfait
Ingredients:
- Favorite Greek yogurt (or dairy alternative yogurt) with a simple flavor
- 1 cup of favorite fruit, slice if needed. (I normally pick two.)
- Granola
- Coconut chips
- Optional: drizzle of honey, 1 tsp chia seeds
Directions:
Use yogurt as your base. Add fruit then granola and top with coconut chips. Optional, drizzle with honey and chia seeds. Really, it's all going to the same place so layer as you please. Sometimes I got nuts with the chia seeds if I know the parfait is going to sit for a while. It ends up making a yummy treat after it sets. Great for taking to work if you have a fridge there.
7. Quick Homemade Powerballs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKJOlub5Pxs
Ingredients:
- 1 cup old-fashioned oats
- 2/3 cup toasted shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/2 cup ground flaxseed
- 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips (or vegan chocolate chips)
- 1/3 cup honey
- Optional: 1 tablespoon chia seeds (optional)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions:
Combine in a bowl. Chill for at least two hours. Then roll the mixture into little balls. About 1 inch in size. You're good to eat after that.
Keep chilled and sealed if you're not eating immediately. They are good in the fridge for a week or 3 months in the freezer. I like taking these to work! If you replace the chocolate chips with dried cranberries it's a great hiking/camping snack.
8. Dates and Goat Cheese
Ingredients:
- dates, pited and sliced down the middle like a jacket.
- goat cheese (or vegan alt. I like to use Tofuti (vegan) cream cheese with some garlic and parsley)
Directions:
I normally buy my dates pre-pitted and sliced so it makes this even easier- simply pop open the dates and fill with goat cheese. Other soft cheese go great in there too. If vegan, use a vegan cream cheese. I recently tried vegan feta crumble as the stuffing and that was a winner too!