Healthy Snacks

A few weeks ago, in our office, we had Healthy Snack Week. We provided samples of a different healthy snack each day. We also provided recipes for fruit porridge, hummus, super antioxidant trail mix and gluten, dairy, soy and egg-free cranberry apple spice muffins. Snacks are an important part of our day. They provide for mini-meals that help to provide energy, fiber, nutrients and help to stabalize your blood sugar. They can also help to prevent from over eating at your main meals. The key in having good snacks on hand is to prepare them before you are so hungry that you will eat anything, be it good for you or not. You will find listed below some suggestions and recipes. I hope that you find these helpful!

*Dried fruit mixed with nuts
*Hard boiled eggs
*Romaine lettuce with turkey and avacado
*Hummus and carrots
*Brown rice cakes with almond butter and topped with bananas or strawberries
*Ants on a log-sliced celery with almond butter and a few raisins
*Cranberry Apple Spice Muffins
*Fruit Porridge
*Fresh Fruit
*Cut up vegetables with guacomole

Cranberry Apple Spice Muffins (from Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook, Segersten and Malterre, p.135)

Makes 1 to 1 1/2 Dozen Muffins

2 1/2 cups brown rice flour
1/2 cup tapioca flour
1/2 cup whole cane sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. xanthan gum
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. sea salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ginger powder
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
2 1/4 cups applesauce
1/4 cup melted organic virgin coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla
1 small tart apple, grated or finely diced
1/2 to 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
1 cup chopped pecans, optional

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. LIghtly oil muffin tins or line with paper muffin cups.
2. In a large bowl combine the brown rice flour, tapioca flour, sugar, xantham gum, baking soda, baking powder, sea salt, and spices. Mix well.
3. Place applesauce into a separate bowl and add the melted coconut oil and vanilla; whisk together. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and gently mix together being careful not to over mix.
4. Gently fold in the diced apples, fresh or frozen cranberries, and optional chopped pecans.
5. Spoon batter into oiled muffin tins. Bake at 375 degrees F for about 25-30 minutes. Losen sides with a knife and gently take our of tins and place onto a wire rack to cool.

Fruit Porridge (from Raw Food Cookbook, Palmcrantz and Lilja, pg.36 and 37)
I love making fruit porridge when I have a banana, pear, apple or kiwi that may be on their last day before it spoils. This is a great way to use up the fruit that would otherwise be thrown out or composted.

Fruit Porridge with Celery

1-2 celery stalks, chopped into large pieces
1 kiwi, chopped into large pieces
1 small apple, chopped into large pieces
1 pear, chopped into large pieces
1 tsp cinnamon
1 TBSP flaxseed, ground

1. Blend celery and fruit into a blender, adding a little at a time.
2. Sprinkle cinnamon and flaxseed over the porridge.

Sweet Breakfast Porridge

1 banana, chopped into large pieces
1 apple, chopped into large pieces
1 pear, chopped into large pieces
1 tsp cinnamon
1 TBSP flaxseed, ground

1. First put the pear into the blender; then add the banana and then the apple. Blending the fruit in this order prevents the mixture from getting too sticky.
2. Sprinkle the cinnamon and flaxseed over the mixture.

Garlic Hummus (Healthy Recipes for your Nutritional Type by Dr Mercola and Dr Pearsall pg.256)

4-6 servings

2 cups garbanzo beans
1/4 cup tahini
Juice of 3 lemons
2 garlic cloves
Salt, to taste
2 celery stalks, sliced

1. In a food processor or blender combine all ingredients and blend until smooth. Serve with celery slices, carrots or pita bread.

Super Antioxidant Trail Mix (The Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook, Segersten and Malterre, pg. 352)

Makes about 3 cups

1 cup raw almonds
1 cup dried apricots
one 2-ounce organic dark chocolate bar, cut into chunks
1/2 cup dried blueberries

1. Place all ingredients into a large glass jar and gently shake to combine ingredients.
2. Store in a cool dry place.


Have some fun and creativity in what you choose for snacks this week!