Guilt-free snacking – healthy and easy snack recipes
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Reaching for a snack offers an opportunity to indulge, or satisfy your craving with something nutritious. There’s no reason why a midday snack should throw you off your fitness or health routine. Indulging everyone once in a while is great – you should treat yourself from time to time. But, for guilt-free snacking on a regular day, we’ve compiled a handful of healthy and easy snack recipes from across the web so you can satisfy your munchies without getting off track.
Frozen Yogurt Fruit Bark
Refreshing, healthy and colorful – this easy snack is perfect for bringing summer back into your life despite the winter months rolling in. It’s a more nutritious alternative to your favorite ice cream, but just as delicious to satisfy that sweet tooth. The most incredible part of this recipe is the amount of freedom you have to truly customize it according to your taste.
Ingredients:
- Plain yogurt (or a flavor of your choice)
- Mixed fruits
- Any other topping your heart desires
Directions:
- Simply, spread the yogurt in a pan (that fits into your freezer) and drop your chopped fruit. You can also add nuts or seeds for some extra crunch.
- After sticking it in the freezer until it sets, crack the yogurt into smaller pieces. Then, boom – you have your snack.
Remember to store the yogurt bark in the freezer to ensure that they remain frozen. The recipe couldn’t be easier!
Banana Dark Chocolate Cookies
You can’t possibly go wrong with some good ol’ cookies! Good for any occasion, cookies will fulfill any of your cravings. However, many of us tend to stay away from the sugary goodness mainly because of the “unhealthy” aspect. This cookie recipe from Cookie and Kate is not only gluten-free and vegan with wholesome ingredients, but you’ll also most likely already have everything you need in your pantry.
Ingredients:
- Ripe Bananas
- Oats
- Dark Chocolate
Directions:
- Simply, spread the yogurt in a pan (that fits into your freezer) and drop your chopped fruit.
- Smash the bananas until there aren’t any lumps, unless you want some extra texture.
- Slowly add some oats until you achieve the right consistency of cookie dough.
- Crush your chocolate bar (unless you use chocolate chips) and add as much chocolate as you desire.
- After placing cookies on some parchment paper, bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes.
There you go, guilt-free cookies – everyone’s dream.
Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins
A long time classic, generally you might go for store-bought blueberry muffins. But don’t let the word “blueberry" fool you into thinking that they are healthy. A lot of those muffins are pumped full of heaps of sugar and other nonsense that won’t do your body good. An alternative is to bake your own. Not only do you know exactly what you’re putting in them, but you get to experience the joy of baking. This recipe from Crunchy Granola Mama makes it easy to skip the store-bought muffins.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup wheat flour
- 3/4 cup rolled oats
- 1/4 cup of honey
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup milk of your choice
- 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup blueberries
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 400˚F.
- In one bowl, mix all the dry ingredients, while mixing the wet ingredients in another. Then slowly, add the wet ingredients into the center of the other bowl and lightly stir the blends together.
- Once you’ve thoroughly combined the two, toss in the blueberries.
- Coat your muffin tray with oil or put in the paper liners.
- Place an appropriate amount of batter to each cup and bake for 15-20 minutes.
Baked Sweet Potato Chips
Potato chips have a reputation for being unhealthy, which unfortunately is the case sometimes. But, they also work perfectly for a party snack. Get the comfort of potato chips without the harmful preservatives and tremendous amounts of sodium simply by making your own. This recipe by Rachel Maser at CleanFoodCrush.com is perfect for healthy, savory snacking.
Ingredients:
- Sweet potatoes (peeled)
- 1 tbsp of olive oil
- 1 tsp of salt
Directions:
- Preheat your oven to 400˚F.
- Slice the potatoes as thinly as possible before tossing in a bowl with oil, salt and other seasonings, if you prefer.
- Lay them out on your tray, neatly spread apart.
- Place the tray in the oven for 10-15 minutes, but don’t forget to turn them over half way through.
- Once they have cooled down completely, they are ready to taste.
Rice Paper Rolls
Not only would these rice paper rolls from Crazy Vegan Kitchen make for a perfect lunch, but they are a handy snack to keep in your fridge. They are completely customizable and easy to make. Just gather the veggies you have already in your house to stuff the rolls with deliciously hearty ingredients.
Ingredients:
- Rice paper wrappers
- 100g rice vermicelli noodles
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 2 tbsp low salt soy sauce
- 1 carrot
- 1 cucumber
- Iceberg lettuce
- 1/2 red bell pepper
- 1/2 red onion
- 2 tbsp mint leaves (chopped)
Directions:
- Place the rice noodles in a large bowl with hot water until they have completely softened. Cut the noodles into smaller strands.
- Once you have drained the noodles, add in the sesame oil and soy sauce and mix it into the noodles.
- Cut your veggies into thin slices.
- With a bowl of warm water, carefully dip the rice paper sheet to allow it to soften, before placing it down on a clean surface.
- Place your desired amount of noodles and veggie at the center of one end of the rice paper sheet. A quick tip: try not to overload it, otherwise it may be hard to wrap.
- Then, fold the two side ends in and roll the rice paper all the way.
Your first one might not come out perfect, but that’s totally normal for your first time. Don’t worry, you’ll get the hang of it. Once you’ve wrapped them all up, take a bite. You can also add some dipping sauce for flavor which can be made easily – just put some white vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar (dissolved in water) and a squeeze of lime juice.
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