Tag: healthy snack

Week 51

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I have officially exhausted my sweet tooth (whoops) before Christmas day. I am so sick of cookies. Lol, so, for week 51 we are going savory and healthy goodness! This week I bring you Savory Energy Balls! If you have been following my snack regime this year you’ll know we have tried a few different kinds of sweet bliss balls, but as I stated earlier, I am so done with sweets. I hope you enjoy these tasty combos like I have been!

For the Pizza Balls:

  • 1/2 cup Almonds
  • 1/2 cup White Beans, drained and rinsed
  • 2 tbsp Rice Flour
  • 1 tbsp Tomato Paste
  • 1 tbsp Nutritional Yeast
  • 1/2 tsp Italian Seasoning
  • Pinch of Salt

For the Curry Balls:

  • 1/2 cup Cashews
  • 1/2 cup White Beans, drained and rinsed
  • 2 tbsp Rice Flour
  • 1/2 tsp Curry Powder
  • 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
  • Pinch of Salt

For the Garlic & Herb Balls:

  • 1/2 cup Mixed Nuts
  • 1/2 cup White Beans, drained and rinsed
  • 2 tbsp. Rice Flour
  • 1/2 tsp Italian Seasoning
  • 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
  • Pinch of Salt

INSTRUCTIONS

Assemble all Bliss Balls as follows:

  1. Combine all ingredients in a food processor or high speed blender and pulse until well-incorporated.
  2. Wet your fingers slightly (this prevents the dough from sticking) and use a 1/2 tbsp measure to scoop out the ball “dough” and roll it into spheres. Each recipe will create between 10 and 12 balls.
  3. Store your Bliss Balls in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week, or in the freezer for up to two months.

White Beans may be substituted with Black Beans or Pinto Beans. I would not recommend using Chickpeas or Garbanzo Beans in this recipe, as they are not as moist.

Rice flour may be substituted with any flour of choice.

Week 50!

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It is still the season for cookies, although today I had a little bit of a cookie fail 🤣 sooooo week 50’s healthy snack is Apple Donuts!

I’m in love with how fast and easy these were! The versatility of options are endless.

I ended up make 6 different kinds


1. Peanut butter base with shredded coconut and yogurt chips
2. Peanut butter base with cinnamon and raisins
3. Blueberry greek yogurt base with pumpkin seeds and dried blueberries
4. Blueberry greek yogurt base with sunflower seeds and yogurt chips
5. Mascarpone base with walnuts and honey drizzle
6. Mascarpone base with cinnamon and dried cranberries

My favorite was between the mascarpone with walnuts and honey or the yogurt with pumpkin seeds and dried blueberries…but whoa, it was hard to pick because these all turned out killer.

I’ve included a picture of my failed attempt at naturally dyed wreath cookies for tax lol.

Week 49

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Tis the season for Christmas Cookies!! For week 49 I bring you Almond Thumbprint Cookies! I had to fill in cooling time with some art projects to not tempt myself into eating … so I worked on our Christmas stockings. The little one and I both agree they were worth the wait!

Almond Thumbprint cookies

For the jam filling

  • 1 1/2 cups mixed berries
  • 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
  • 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch

For the almond cookies

  • 2 cups almond flour
  • 1 cup all purpose or 1-for-1 gluten free flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
  • 5 tablespoons melted butter (sub coconut oil or vegan butter for vegan)

For the glaze (you’ll use about 3/4 of this)

  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon milk (or oat or almond milk for vegan)

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Make the homemade jam: Add the berries, maple syrup, and cinnamon to a small saucepan. Cook on low heat for 10 to 12 minutes until the berries break down. Run the mixture through a mesh strainer into a clean bowl, mashing the berries with a spatula. Return the sauce to the same saucepan, then add the cornstarch and heat on low 2 more minutes until bubbly and thick. Remove from the heat and allow to cool while making the cookies. (This step can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 1 week before making the cookies.)
  2. Bake the cookies: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  3. In a large bowl, mix the almond flour, all purpose flour, baking powder and kosher salt in medium bowl.
  4. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the melted butter and maple syrup. Mix in the dry ingredients and stir with a spatula until well combined.
  5. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Take about 1 tablespoon of the dough and roll it into small balls, about 12 for one tray, 24 in all. Start with one tray only, then refrigerate the dough for the second tray. Gently press your thumb into the center of the ball. (You can re-form the cookie with your fingers if it cracks a little.) Then add about 1/2 teaspoon of jam into each cookie.
  6. Bake the first tray 13 to 15 minutes until browned on the bottom. Allow to cool on the tray for 5 minutes, then place on a baking rack to cool. Meanwhile, prepare and bake the second tray and allow it to cool (baking the trays separately allows for the most even bake).
  7. Ice the cookies (optional – if freezing, add after): Once the cookies have cooled to room temperature (about 20 to 30 minutes), make the powdered sugar icing. Stir together the confectioners’ sugar and milk (start with a little less if using non-dairy milk) until a smooth sauce forms and all lumps are dissolved. Place the cookies on parchment paper, dip a fork into the glaze and drizzle in a zigzag pattern. Let the cookies sit at room temperature until the glaze is dry, about 15 minutes.
  8. Store at room temperature for 3 days or refrigerated for 1 week. To freeze, place baked cookies without icing in an airtight container and freeze for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the icing after thawing to room temperature.

Week 47

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With 2 days until Thanksgiving 🦃 I decided to pick a snack that had a holiday feel to it this week, Sweet Potato Rounds with Herbed Ricotta and Walnuts. Continuing the holiday spirit, two things I am grateful for are handwritten letters and creating new family traditions, what are two things YOU are grateful for today?

  • 2 to 3 large sweet potatoes sliced into ¼-inch rounds
  • 1 Tbsp avocado oil
  • 1 pinch ground cinnamon
  • 1 pinch salt

Herbed Ricotta:

  • 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
  • 1-½ tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp honey
  • ¼ tsp sea salt or to taste

For Serving:

  • 1 cup raw walnuts roasted and chopped
  • ¾ cup dried cranberries
  • honey

Instructions

  1. Add all of the ingredients for the herbed ricotta to a small bowl and stir well to combine. Refrigerate until ready to use.
  2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Add the sweet potato slices to a large mixing bowl and drizzle with avocado oil. Sprinkle sea salt and ground cinnamon over rounds. Use your hands to rub the oil and seasoning on both sides of the sweet potato rounds. Arrange rounds on a large baking sheet (or two if necessary). Bake for 20 minutes. Flip the rounds, then bake for another 17 to 20 minutes, or until rounds are cooked through and crispy on the edges
  3. Spread walnuts on a baking sheet. 10 minutes before the potato rounds are finished cooking, place the walnuts in the oven to roast.
  4. Remove sweet potato rounds and walnuts from the oven. Place walnuts on a cutting board and chop.
  5. Place oven on high broil setting and move the oven wrack second to the top shelf. Place a dollop of herbed ricotta on each sweet potato round and place in the oven for 2 minutes, just until ricotta is melty and warm.
  6. Add chopped walnuts and dried cranberries to the rounds. Drizzle with honey and serve!

Week 42

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Time to see what’s left in the garden! On my peruse through I decided to gather some carrots and a zucchini. With a little bit of everything that reminds me of fall, I bring you Harvest Muffins! I put my adjustments for altitude in parenthesis 🥰 enjoy!

  • 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (add 2 tbsp)
  • 1 cup sugar (subtract 2 tbsp.)
  • 1/2 cup oats
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda (subtract 1/2 tsp.)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 medium (2 cups) apples, peeled, cored, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
  • 1 cup carrots, grated
  • 1/2 cup zucchini, grated
  • 3/4 cups dried cherries and raisins, coarsely chopped
  • 1/2 cup chopped pumpkin seeds and almonds
  • 3 eggs
  • 1/2 cup butter, melted
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce (add 3 tbsp)
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla 

Directions

  1. Heat oven to 350°F. Place paper baking cups into muffin pan cups or grease muffin pan cups; set aside.
  2. Combine flour, sugar, oats, cinnamon, baking soda and salt in bowl.
  3. Whisk eggs in bowl. Stir in melted butter, applesauce and vanilla. Add flour mixture to egg mixture; stir until just moistened. Add apples, carrots, dried cherries and nuts; stir until well mixed.
  4. Spoon batter evenly into prepared muffin pan cups.
  5. Bake 18-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes; remove from pan. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Perfect weather here for warm muffins and a cup of tea 🍵

Week 40

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Can you believe today is the last day of the 40th week of 2020? 12 weeks left of healthy snacks… what would you like to see for 2021? 😀

So you know that awkward time in the afternoon when you’re hungry but don’t want to ruin your appetite for dinner? It hit us today. Trying to find the delicate balance between satiation and overindulgence. I think I nailed it! These really hit the spot. They are packed full of flavor with the smoked salmon and hint of lemon. My favorite were the ones with both olives and sweet cherry peppers on top!

Smoked Salmon Cucumber Bites

  • 4 ounces smoked salmon
  • 1 cucumber
  • 1 5-ounce container of unsweetened Greek or Icelandic yogurt (i used lemon noosa)
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
  • Sweet cherry peppers, olives, and/or capers
  • optional – fresh herbs (dill, basil, cilantro)

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Slice the cucumber into 1/4-inch slices.
  2. Optional: Place the yogurt in a coffee filter over a small jar for one hour to allow the liquid to drain. (I only had patience for however long it took me to cut up my vegetables haha)
  3. Mix 1 teaspoon of lemon zest into the yogurt (you can also use crème fraiche)
  4. Top each appetizer with a small dollop of the yogurt, smoked salmon, and your choice of sweet cherry peppers, olives, capers, and herbs.
  5. Best assembled within a few hours of serving. Store in the refrigerator until 10 minutes before serving.

Week 39

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A day late! I have had an incredibly busy week and accidentally let some bananas overripe. Whoops! I decided to try something a little different than the usual banana bread and choose mini muffins!

Banana PB Muffins

  • 2 to 3 Bananas (overripe is best)
  • 2 Tbsp Natural Peanut Butter
  • 1 cup Old Fashioned Oats
  • 3/4 cup Whole Wheat Flour
  • 1/2 tsp Baking soda
  • 1 tsp Cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp All Spice
  • 2/3 cup Cranberries or other dried fruit
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Mash the bananas and peanut butter together, until smooth.
  3. Add oats, flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and cloves, and stir until just mixed.
  4. Fold in dried fruit. Do not over mix.
  5. Drop the batter by spoonful (~a heaping Tbsp.) into a greased mini muffin pan.
  6. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
  7. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from the pan to cool on a wire rack.

Week 38

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I am in love with all of the nuts and seeds in these cookies! Nuts and seeds are good sources of protein, healthy fats, fibers, vitamins and minerals. They regulate body weight as their fats are not fully absorbed, they regulate food intake, and help burn energy. Mounting evidence suggests that eating nuts and seeds daily can lower your risk of diabetes and heart disease and may even lengthen your life.

AND THEY’RE DELICIOUS!

Breakfast Cookies

  • 1 1/4 cup gluten-free rolled oats
  • 1/4 cup almond flour (can sub any type of flour)
  • 1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
  • 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
  • 1/4 cup sliced almonds
  • 1/4 cup sesame seeds
  • 3 tbsp. chia seeds
  • 1/4 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/4 cup chocolate chips
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1/3 cup peanut butter
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 egg

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking pan with parchment paper.
Mix all the dry ingredients together in a bowl.
Mix all the wet ingredients together in a separate bowl.
Pour the dry ingredients into the wet and mix together until well combined.
Use a cookie scoop to scoop evenly sized cookies onto the baking sheet.
Press down with your hands (these cookies won’t spread)
Bake for 12 to 14 minutes.

Week 37

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Week 37 inspired by my Dole Plantation visit last year when we were living in Hawaii,

Virgin Piña Coladas!

  • 3/4 cup pineapple juice
  • 3/4 cup cream of coconut
  • 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract or rum extract
  • 3 cups of ice

Blend all ingredient; garnish with pineapple wedges or maraschino cherries.

Pineapple is the only edible fruit of its kind, the bromeliads, and produces one fruit at a time. They are all hand planted and picked, and grow in bushes pretty low to the ground. Pineapples contain fiber, vitamin c, manganese, vitamin b6, copper, thiamin, folate, potassium, magnesium, niacin, pantothenic acid, riboflavin, and iron.

Coconut Milk and Coconut Cream are essentially the same; milk just has a higher water to coconut ratio compared to the cream. Because coconut cream is higher in fat than coconut milk, it’s important to use it in moderation. Though the fatty acids in coconut milk are medium-chain triglycerides that have been shown to have some health benefits, too much fat from coconuts or other sources will cause weight gain.

Coconut cream has a relatively high fiber content in a small serving size, and it’s also a rich source of B vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin E and the essential minerals iron, selenium, sodium, calcium, magnesium and phosphorus.

I opted to use vanilla extract…I’ve never actually tried rum extract before, but as someone in recovery I decided I wasn’t super in to trying it either. However! If you don’t have any issues with alcohol, that is potentially a better option than vanilla for a more traditional flavor? Just my guess 🙂

EnjoY!

I spy somewhere in this picture a pineapple plant!

Week 35

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Healthy ice cubes 🤷‍♀️

Sounds weird, I know. Trying to prolong summer via my tastebuds with these tiny, flavorful pleasures! These are extremely versatile and fun to make (especially if you have some fun tray shapes). You could use any fruit, juice, herbs, or tea for the cubes and juice, sparkling water, or coffee for the beverage! (Not healthy, but I am definitely trying hot cocoa cubes this winter with a mini marshmallow in coffee)

Anyway….back to a healthy snack…I ended up blending kiwi and pineapple, layering on top of a blueberry or two, and once frozen – popping a few into my apple juice – once it started melting, it instantly tasted tropical. Im in Love.

Antioxidants, immune boosting, and aids in digestion are only a few of the many benefits of this mix. What would you create?