Fruit Cup:
This is a very basic snack, you could use pretty much any fruits you like that are fresh, slice them up and create a little bowl of sunshine. I had some Navel oranges and some locally (hydroponically grown) strawberries I got from my favorite co-op (I shop there a lot....). I sectioned my orange, sliced the strawberries and BAM. A perfect snack.
Craving something sweet? My favorite healthy swap is eating fresh dates! My co-op has prepackaged dates and fresh Medjool dates. I like the Medjools better than the prepackaged...they are not nearly as dry and I think that they have more flavor. Just remove the pit and enjoy! They are a bit high in [natural] sugar, but I usually only eat one or two because they are so rich. You can pair them with a small serving of nuts and you are good to go.
I have a Nutribullet, and I love it. I pretty much use it on a daily basis. Some of their recipes inspired me to branch out on my own and create some snack bars. The first one is my absolute favorite. The flavor is amazing and it really is satisfying for such a small portion.
Apricot Pumpkin Seed:
If you don't have a Nutribullet, do not fear, you can use a food processor! If you don't have that, you go could go old school and chop everything up by hand. Just be sure you get the apricot finely diced and the nuts really crushed up. All I did was take 1 cup of dried un-sulphured Apricots and 1 cup of raw, unsalted pumpkin seeds that I got in the bulk section of the grocery store. I put them in my bullet and mixed them well. Then I took 1oz chunks and shaped them in to "bars." They store really well in the refrigerator and I used plastic wrap on each one so they wouldn't stick together. My picky husband likes these, which means your kids will probably like these. It tastes like fruit leather. YUM!
Almond Date Bar: The same concept as above, only I used almonds and fresh dates. For this you will need 1 cup Almonds, 1 cup fresh dates and 1 tsp honey. I use raw honey, but you can use regular honey as well.
Craving something sweet? Don't want to go off the deep end? This little creation hit the spot! I cannot lie, it is not completely un-processed, but the cookies I used for these are made of all natural ingredients, with no chemical additives. The recipe also calls for only four cookies, which is less than a serving size.
Lemon Snap Sandwich cookies with Marscapone and Blackberries:
- 4 lemon snap cookies (ginger snaps would also work well with these)
- 1 Tbsp Marscapone cheese
- 2 - 4 Blackberries (any berries would probably work well with these), depending on how gooey you want your cookies.
Divide the Marscapone evenly and spread on two Lemon Snaps. Add one blackberry to each cookie, top with the second Lemon Snap. Voila!
Yes, they are messy but oh so delicious. Gooey and full of flavor. One serving (2 sandwiches) was just enough. They look simple, but they pack a punch of decadent, creamy, sweet and tangy flavors. They will also not "ruin" your whole day if you are counting calories, either. Enjoy!
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