Satisfy those cravings while boosting nutritional intake
Whether you’re craving something sweet and chewy or salty and crunchy, these 5 healthy snack recipes will boost your daily dose of fruits and veggies while powering you through the day.
Blueberry Oat Bars
Ingredients
Serves 9
- 2 cups blueberries (300g)
- ¼ cup maple syrup (60ml)
- 1 tbsp arrowroot powder
- 3 cups rolled oats (250g)
- 1 ripe banana
- 3 tbsp water
Directions
Total prep time is about 40 minutes.
- Line a 9×9″ baking pan (like this one — this post is not sponsored; it’s just an example) with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- In a medium-sized bowl, smash the blueberries using a fork. Combine with the maple syrup and arrowroot powder. Mix well and set aside.
- Add half the oats to a food processor or blender to create oat flour. Transfer to a mixing bowl and combine with the remaining rolled oats and water.
- Mash the banana in a small bowl. Combine with oats and mix thoroughly.
- Firmly press ¾ of the oats mixture into a thin, even layer in the baking pan. Spread the blueberry mixture on top and then crumble the remaining oat mixture over the blueberries.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.
- Cut into thirds to make squares. One square is equivalent to one serving.
Spicy Guacamole
Ingredients
Serves 4–6
- 3 ripe avocados
- 1 jalapeno
- 1 fresno pepper
- 1 serrano pepper
- ¼ finely chopped white onion
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 lime juiced
- ¼ cup cilantro
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- fresh ground pepper
Directions
Total prep time is about 10 minutes.
- Slice the avocados in half and remove the pit. Scoop the flesh into a medium-sized bowl and mash with fork. (Check out our avocado toast recipe for tips on picking ripe avocados.)
- Chop the peppers while removing the seeds and add to the mashed avocado, along with the lime juice, cilantro, and salt and pepper.
- Enjoy with a side of thinly sliced, fresh veggies like carrots and bell peppers or whole grain bread, pita chips, or veggie chips. You can also add the guacamole to a salad or savory breakfast recipe like a black bean omelet.
Chocolate, Banana, Coconut Bread
Ingredients
Serves 12
- 3 (very) ripe bananas
- 3 eggs
- 1 ½ cup oat flour (150g)
- 3 pitted medjool dates
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ¼ cup dark chocolate chips (40g)
- ½ cup chopped walnuts (65g)
- ⅓ cup shredded coconut (30g)
Directions
Total prep time is about 55 minutes.
- Line a bread tin with baking paper and preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Place the bananas and dates in a high-speed blender and blitz until smooth. Then add in the eggs and combine with the batter. Fold in all the remaining ingredients and mix well.
- Transfer the batter and bake the banana bread for 45 minutes in the preheated oven (Tip: to check if the bread is fully baked, poke the center of the bread with a toothpick. There shouldn’t be any batter on the toothpick).
- Let the banana bread cool slightly in the tin and then transfer to a cake rack to cool completely.
- Cut into 12 slices. Each slice is equivalent to one serving.
Honey and Peanut Butter Energy Balls
Ingredients
Serves 20
- 2 pitted medjool dates (220g)
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ cup natural crunchy peanut butter (130g)
- ½ cup almond meal (60g)
- ¼ cup shredded coconut (25g)
- ¼ cup raisins (37g)
- ¼ cup chopped peanuts (37g)
Directions
Total prep time is about 30 minutes.
- Place the dates, honey, cinnamon, peanut butter, almond meal, coconut, raisins, and peanuts in a food processor. Blitz until well combined, the mixture should be a thick paste-like consistency.
- Scoop 1 tablespoon of the mixture and roll into a ball and place on a plate. Repeat with the remaining mixture.
- Refrigerate for 20 minutes to set or until firm.
The energy balls can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Spicy Cheesy Kale Crisps
Ingredients
Serves 2
- ½ bunch kale leaves (approximately 7 oz./200g)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1.5 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp paprika
- ¾ tsp chili powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- ⅛ tsp cayenne pepper
Directions
Total prep time is about 35 minutes.
- Line a large baking tray with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C).
- Remove the leaves from the stems of the kale and roughly tear into large pieces, placing in a large bowl. Discard the stems.
- Massage the oil into the kale leaves with your hands then sprinkle with the spices/seasonings and toss to combine.
- Spread the kale out on the baking tray and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the tray from the oven and gently flip the kale crisps. Then return to the oven to bake for a further 12–15 minutes until the kale begins to crisp. Check the kale every 4–5 minutes to prevent burning.
- Remove tray and cool for 3 minutes.
The crisps can be served immediately or stored in a airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. If storing, allow the crisps to cool for at least 1 hour before transferring to a container.
5 Healthy Snack Recipes was originally published in HEAL • THY • HABITS on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
