Some of us love to snack almost as much as we want to lose weight. Snacks are, one of the most convenient ways to fuel before hitting the gym or to avoid a mid-afternoon lull. The problem is that often our snacking habits are adding too many calories and too few nutrients to our diets.
Most of the times, we snack more than we realise. It’s easy to grab a bag of crisps from the vending machine or some donuts from our colleague’s desk, instead of reaching for something healthier. Frequently these snacks can be full of hidden saturated fat, salt and sugar which can lead to serious health problems like heart attacks and type 2 diabetes.
What you snack on between meals can have a huge effect on your overall health. When you have the right snacks available, you can curb cravings and provide vital nutrients to support your health. When you don’t…
A healthy snack should be packed with protein along with other nutrients to give you long-lasting energy, that sugary options simply don’t. If you think you're limited to boring hard-boiled eggs, think again. There are so many delicious and healthy snack options to choose from. Take a look at our snacks ideas for healthy alternatives to combat hunger between meals, before the gym or any time you have a craving. They're all quick and easy as well!
Cheesy Kale Crisps
Crisps are often seen as the ultimate in salty cravings and one of the easiest snacks to overdo it on (Seriously, who eats just one serving at a time?!).
Next time you are craving something crunchy on the go, swap out your usual crisps for these cheesy kale crisps instead. While just as ‘crisps’ as regular crisps, this version comes up without all the added nasties from the ones bought in the supermarket.
Ingredients:
1 bunch of kale
265 grams’ raw cashews, soaked overnight in water and drained
65 grams’ savoury yeast flakes
50 ml extra virgin olive oil
50 ml water
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp chilli powder
½ tsp turmeric powder
½ tsp fine Celtic sea salt
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
Instructions:
Remove the stems and ribs of the kale leaves, then chop everything until you have 900 grams’ of loosely packed leaves. Wash and thoroughly dry it. place into a large mixing bowl and put aside.
To the bowl of a high-powered blender or food processor, add all remaining ingredients and blend until smooth and creamy and until it gets the consistency of a thick sauce.
Pour the sauce over the kale, gently toss and ensure adequate coating of all leaves.
If you are using a dehydrator, line dehydrator trays with baking paper or tray liner sheets and lay out the kale in a single layer with plenty of space between leaves for air circulation. Dehydrate at 50C/130F for 10-12 hours, or completely dry and crispy.
If you are using the oven, just line baking trays with baking paper and lay out the kale in a single layer with plenty of space between leaves for air circulation. Bake at 135C/265F for 20-25min or until the edges are browned.
Round Chocolate Spirulina Treats
Need a nibble without a big slice of guilt to go with it? Tuck into these chocolate spirulina treats, avoid that blood sugar dip and tide yourself over until dinner.
This snack is portable, has only four ingredients and tastes like a real dessert. This is our kind of quick-fix treat! Nut butter acts as the binder as well as the source of healthy fat in this recipe, while spirulina gives it high quality protein while adding both fibre and antioxidants.
Ingredients
400 grams’ coconut butter
4 tsp vanilla bean
4 tbsp 100% chocolate
2 tsp spirulina
Instructions:
Turn your dehydrator on and set to 42°C. Mix all ingredients together. Flatten into rounds on sheet for dehydrator or on wax paper for oven. Dehydrate in ¼-inch round flats for 3 to 5 hours at 42°C. Let it settle to room temperature. Finally, store them in air tight containers to make them last a long time. You can also store in the refrigerator and they will last even longer.
Chlorella Pudding
Nibble away with this delicious chlorella pudding that is so creamy and yet amazing for you! You might think chlorella is only used for making smoothies but this green superfood is a super versatile ingredient and amazing for this easy-to-make chlorella pudding snack.
Ingredients:
250 grams’ almonds
50 grams’ hemp seed
3-5 dates
1 tsp vanilla Extract
2 tbsp chlorella
1 tsp sea salt
2 tbsp lucuma
3 tbsp chia seed
Instructions:
Blend everything except the chia seed until it gets a smooth consistency. Then added the mixture to the chia seed. Leave it in the fridge overnight to let it set properly, or you can just eat it straight away if you like the consistency.
Always remember to pack some healthy snacks and be prepared for the between meals cravings. Visit our blog for more healthy, delicious and highly nutritious recipes.
