Do you like the snacks that are healthy and easy to prepare?
I know I do! I love healthy & guilt-free snacking!
I have an unhealthy obsession with healthy ideas when it comes to desserts and snacks.
I go to the deepest depths of the Internet in search of ideas that would give me a delicious taste but won't add to my waistline or make my teeth fall out before their time.
I always hope to find super simple, easy to make recipes that would not cost me my health, time and too much money.
However, most healthy snack recipes consist of '300 ingredients' and '500 steps to follow' (I do exaggerate it slightly, but you know what I mean).
And with work, home, little one as well as homemade lunches, dinners and breakfasts to think about - I don't need snacks to be on my never-ending to-do list. And I am not such an established cook, to be honest with you.
I am after something quick and easy to make.
But I don't want to snack on nuts and apples forever. I get bored with them on day 2, don't you?
So I've challenged myself to gather my favourite easy to make and guilt-free snack ideas and recipes. This post is the beginning of a series about healthy eating.
I hope you find them useful and add them to your list of guilt-free and easy snack ideas.
1. Banana and oat cookies.
This recipe was inspired by my toddler's weaning book.
One fine day, me and my then toddler (mainly me) decided we wanted something to snack on.
But there was nothing in the pantry but a lonely banana and some oats. So I used almighty Google and found this recipe.
All you need to do is mix one banana with oats and bake it for 20 minutes or so!
I made about 10 cookies in total. I froze half of them for later.
2. Kale crisps.
I love potato crisps. It's my guilty pleasure. But I cannot have them every day, can I?
It's not good for my health or my waistline. Also, my child tries to steal my food, and I need to ensure she does not have too much salt, as salt is not recommended for small children.
And too much salt is not good for me either.
I discovered an alternative in one of the health food stores.
Kale crisps.
Crisps made from kale.
They are as crunchy as potato crisps and as moreish… but not too damaging for your summer-ready figure.
I have followed several recipes from various cookbooks and online sites. Try this one, to begin with and see if you like it at all.
3. Yoghurt, nuts and fruit or berry ice cream.
My second guilty pleasure is ice cream.
If there is a tub in the freezer in the evening - the chances are it might not survive until the morning. My husband might help me with this chore, but the bulk of destroying the ice cream will still be on me. Poor me.
So I've discovered this recipe on the non-English website. Hence, I cannot give you a link. But I translated it as well as I could.
It is genuinely lush but not full of sugar and other nasties. So here it is:
About 200g yoghurt - I used Greek, low sugar
A fruit - I've used strawberries, but peaches, blueberries or raspberries would do just fine
Nuts - I used a tablespoon of milled, mixed variety and a handful of halved pecan nuts
Maple syrup or honey - a spoonful
Put aside a few berries and a few pecan nuts, and crush/cut them finely.
Mix everything together and blend in a blender (I used NutriBullet) until you have a smooth and consistent mixture.
Mix with finely chopped nuts and berries and put into an ice cream mould (I have used this one) and put it in the freezer!
It should be ready to eat in about 4 hours.
My child tried it her very first ice cream - it was a success!
4. Rice cakes/crackers.
These crackers are as bland and tasteless as they come, but they are low on calories, sugar and nasties.
And they are easy to use with a few other things to make them super tasty:
Mashed avocado
Cottage cheese and pine nuts
Fruits and berries
Yoghurt
Peanut butter
Jam (don't go too crazy on jam as it's full of sugar and not much else)
5. Kefir.
Everyone is talking about this weird drink that is actually a fermented milk.
My mum was a massive Kefir admirer, so I grew up drinking tons of it. It's not new to my diet. I love it. And now my husband is also hooked - you are welcome, darling!
Some people complain it's not really a snack as it's a bit sour. So why don't you sprinkle some cinnamon onto it? Sounds weird, but works for me. Saying that, I sprinkle everything with cinnamon, including my coffee.
You could also try adding berries or small chunks of fruit and topping it all up with nuts or maple syrup if you want to make it taste sweeter.
6. Fruit & berries cut into small pieces.
Ok, it's nothing new or groundbreaking.
But if you cut your usual apple, or nectarine or strawberries into smaller pieces they will last you longer, keep you full longer (as you'll be eating them for some time), and if you are peckish, it's better to have many small pieces of an apple rather than crisps, chocolate or what's not.
Try it - it might revolutionise your snacking experience.
7. Yoghurt with chia seeds.
This is my ultimate guilt-free dessert.
Choose non-sugary yoghurt.
Add chia seeds which have a lot of health benefits and leave it standing for 15 min. Chia seeds will expand because they are high in fibre and absorb water. And once they get into your tummy, they will keep you fuller for longer.
I sometimes add a bit of maple syrup if I crave sugar. I also sprinkle cinnamon - but that's just me.
Sometimes I use overnight oats as a variation on yoghurt with chia seeds.
Leave it overnight as per usual. Then add yoghurt, chia seeds and maple syrup. Yet again, it should keep you fuller for longer.
Things to always keep in the house:
Milled nuts and seeds - you can add them to your yoghurt, oats or rice cracker with yoghurt.
Maple syrup or an alternative. Sugar is not very healthy for us, so try keeping something that is less sugary/naughty for guilt-free snacking. And don't be tempted to add more than a few teaspoons to your snack.
Cinnamon or chocolate powder or vanilla drops just to add something to ice your snack up
Chia seeds
Oats
A healthy variety of yoghurt
Final Thoughts
So this is my go-to list of guilt-free snacks for lazy people.
I believe that snacking should be fun but quick to make.
With my guilt-free ideas, I know I am snacking on something healthy, nutritious and tasty.
That means I have one thing less to worry about. And having a worry-free life is what self-care is all about.
I am always on a lookout for more exciting and easy guilt-free recipes. I will continue adding new ideas to my blog.
But maybe you have a few simple recipes that I could try out?