Tag Archives: healthy snacks

Date Energy Balls

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Except my sweet tooth, I think I have a fairly healthy lifestyle. I exercise regularly, I eat a lot of vegetables and fruits, drink a lot of water. I try to avoid eating too much carbs and fat. And about a month ago, I started doing kickboxing classes ! Yes, isn’t that crazy ?! It is a pretty strenuous workout, but it’s a lot of fun ! And what a great way to release my stresses…..you know, I can just imagine I am punching my “enemies” …. LOL ! And after all the hard punching and kicking, I made these energy balls to treat myself ! They are delicious, nutritious and super easy to make ! Loaded with vitamins and minerals, they sure can give me a kick of energy before or after my class ! Medjool dates and nuts are however, fairly high in calories, so just keep in mind not to indulge yourself too much….even though they are so tasty and healthy !  

Makes about 12 balls

  • 90 g blanched almonds (or other nuts)
  • 250 g medjool dates (about 13-14 pitted dates)
  • 10 g chia seeds 
  • 15 g hemp protein powder 
  • 25 g cocoa powder 
  • 15 mL coconut oil 

  1. Put dates into a food processor and pulse until they are in small pieces 
  2. Add all other ingredients and blend until well combined
  3. Roll into one-inch balls
  4. Keep in refrigerator 

 

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Frozen Banana Pops

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I love bake, cook or do crafts with my kids whenever they are free, especially my daughter. Spring break is here and it’s a perfect time to have some fun together.  I love to do them with my son too, but I think he has “outgrown” that stage…Well, he would still cook some noodles for himself as he loves them. These banana pops are super easy and they made a great healthy snack. It can get a little messy with the melted chocolate but that’s the best part mom, right ?!  Our favourite topping is the maple roasted pecans,  you can find the recipe here…..Carrot Spelt Muffins with Maple Roasted Pecans. 

Makes about 12-16 pops

  • 300 g semi-sweet or dark chocolate 
  • 3-4 bananas (Do not use bananas that are too ripe, otherwise they will be too soft to work with)
  • Toppings of choice (sprinkles, roasted nuts, shredded coconut, etc) 
  1. Place toppings in separate dishes 
  2. Melt chocolate in a heat-proof bowl over a pan of simmering water, cool slightly 
  3. Slice bananas into big chunks 
  4. With the help of a fork, coat banana chunks with melted chocolate, tap off excess 
  5. Roll in desired toppings 
  6. Place on a tray lined with parchment paper 
  7. Insert popcicle sticks 
  8. Freeze until frozen 

Carrot Spelt Muffins with Maple Roasted Pecans (Vegan)

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I guess by now everyone knows I love to bake.  Not only do I like to eat sweets, but I also get intrigued by how different ingredients work or not work together and the Science behind it. Yes, baking is an edible Science experiment ! And I have so much fun with these “Science projects” !  Vegan baking is even more interesting ! You don’t have your eggs to bind things together, you don’t have your dairy nor butter for nice creamy texture and rich flavours.  But there are actually many great alternatives and I realize I have a lot more to learn. This is the first time I bake with spelt flour. It can be used instead of whole wheat flour. It has a finer texture and a milder taste which I like.  For the roasted pecans, you won’t need the whole batch for the muffins, save the rest for a healthy snack !

Makes about 12 muffins

For the roasted pecans 

  • 100 g pecans
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup 
  • 1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • Pinch of salt 
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F
  2. Coat pecans with rest of ingredients 
  3. Bake for about 10 minutes, stirring once in between Maple Roasted Pecans

For the muffins

  • 225 g spelt flour
  • 1+1/2 teaspoon baking powder 
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
  • 60 g demerara or brown sugar 
  • 150 g unsweetened apple sauce 
  • 120 mL vegetable oil 
  • 60 mL unsweetened almond milk 
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup 
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 
  • 200 g grated carrots 
  • 30 g maple roasted pecans, crushed 
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F
  2. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon 
  3. Mix in sugar 
  4. Stir in other wet ingredients
  5. Stir in grated carrots 
  6. Spoon into lightly greased paper or silicone muffin cups (you can fill them up a little fuller, as they don’t rise as much)
  7. Sprinkle crushed maple pecans on top 
  8. Bake in muffin tins for 25-30 minutes Carrot Spelt Muffins with Maple Roasted Pecans (Vegan)

Overnight Oats with Chia Seeds

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After indulging myself over Christmas and New Year, I guess it’s time to make something a little healthier! Chia seed pudding has been on my “to make” list for quite a while, but I’ve been pushing it back. Somehow I associate the word “pudding” with something soft and creamy, not seedy and chewy.  So I ended up making this overnight oats.  It was really yummy, and to my surprise, my daughter loved it ! This is another recipe that can have so many variations. My ratio is roughly, 1 part oats, 2 parts milk and 1/4 part chia seeds, then add sweetener, and toppings.  It makes a great breakfast, or for me, a snack after my morning run !  

Makes 1 serving

  • 1/2 cup unsweetened milk of choice (I used almond and coconut milk)
  • 1/4 cup rolled oats
  • 1 tablespoon chia seeds
  • 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
  • toppings of choice, e.g. banana, berries, shredded coconut, almond slices, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds etc
  1. Combine milk, oats, chia seeds and sweetener in a bowl or a mason jar  
  2. Stir well, cover and refrigerate overnight
  3. Add toppings when ready to serveOvernight Oats with Chia Seeds

 

 

 

No Bake Nutella Bites 

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Can’t believe September is here already ! Kids are back to school, routines are slowly getting back to normal, and I have to start making lunches and snacks. I made these little energy bites as an after school snack. They are like mini granola bars and are super easy to make. Keep them in the fridge and the kids can just grab them when they want. They come in handy before hockey practices too ! There can be many variations to the recipe.  I used Nutella, but you can also use peanut butter, cookie butter or sunflower butter. You can also choose other nuts, seeds and dried fruits. 

Makes about 25-30 

  • 1 cup quick oats
  • 1 cup rice crispy cereal 
  • 2 tablespoons chia seeds 
  • 2 tablespoons ground flax seed 
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut 
  • 1/2 cup Nutella spread 
  • 3 tablespoons melted coconut oil 
  • 2 tablespoons honey 
  1. Mix all dry ingredients together 
  2. Add Nutella, coconut oil and honey, mix until blended 
  3. With the help of a melon scooper or spoon, roll mixtures into small balls
  4. Refrigerate until firm
  5. Keep in refrigerator 

No Bake Nutella Bites

Bran Frozen Yoghurt Cups

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During the summer, when my kids are at home, they are always hungry, especially my son. I feel like I am feeding him constantly ! So, I like healthy snacks that are easy to make and can be prepared ahead of time. This recipe is really simple, even the kids can do it ! You probably already have all the ingredients at home and what I’ve made is very basic. You can choose your cereal, yoghurt and fruits. I am sure the kids would enjoy making and eating them ! I eat them after my workouts too !

Makes about 12 mini cups 

  • 50 g bran flakes 
  • 1 tablespoon honey (depends how sweet your cereal is)
  • 1+1/2 tablespoons melted coconut oil 
  • 250 g vanilla-flavoured Greek yoghurt 
  • 50-100 g fresh or frozen fruits (I used fresh strawberries, blueberries and kiwi)
  1. Crush bran flakes into small pieces 
  2. Mix in honey and coconut oil 
  3. Spoon about 1-2 teaspoons into each small silicone cup and press down firmly to form base 
  4. Place in freezer for about 20 minutes to harden
  5. Spoon in yoghurt, then top with fresh fruits
  6. Freeze until set

 

 

Sweet Potato Honey Muffins

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One of my goals this year is to use less sugar in my recipes without compromising flavours.  Japanese sweet potatoes have red skin and light yellow flesh.  They are a good source of vitamin A, C and dietary fibre. They taste very sweet, so you don’t really need to add much sweetener.  I only added some honey and they came out super tasty ! They are very healthy too !   

Makes about 10-12 muffins

  • 240 g mashed Japanese sweet potatoes
  • 1+1/4 cups cake and pastry flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 100 g unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 2 eggs
  • 240 mL milk
  • 100 g plain Greek yogurt
  • 6 tablespoons honey
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

To prepare the sweet potato

  1. Cut sweet potatoes into large chunks
  2. Prick with a fork a few times
  3. Bake in an 400ºF oven until soft, about 45 minutes to 1 hour
  4. Peel and mash, cool and set aside

To make the muffins

  1. Preheat oven to 375ºF
  2. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt, set aside
  3. Blend mashed sweet potatoes, milk and honey to make a puree
  4. Using an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, cream butter until fluffy
  5. Mix in eggs, yoghurt, vanilla and sweet potato puree
  6. Add flour mixture, mix until just blended, do not over mix (it is fine if mixture is slightly lumpy)
  7. Pour batter into muffin tins lined with slightly greased paper or silicone muffin cups
  8. Bake for about 20-22 minutes

The Climbing Bars (Healthy Granola Bars)

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I started doing indoor rock climbing with my 7 years old daughter about 4 months ago.  It is a wonderful sport for both kids and adults.  Not only does it get you physically active (very active indeed!) , it also helps to boost your self-confidence and perseverance.  Often after I climb or after any other kind of exercise, I get really hungry, but I don’t want to eat something too heavy. Granola bar is an excellent choice.  It gives you all the energy you need, and of course, homemade is always the best !

Makes about 30-40 mini bars
Total time = 40 minutes

  • 2 cups quick oats
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup raisins
  • 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1/4 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
  • 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
  • 1/4 cup blanched almond slices
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/4 cup fancy molasses
  • 1 egg (beaten)
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  1. Preheat oven to 350ºF
  2. In a large mixing bowl, mix together all dry ingredients 
  3. Add oil, molasses, egg and vanilla extract
  4. Mix all ingredients together using a wooden spoon or hand
  5. Pour into 7 inch x 11 inch baking pan (or any appropriate size you have) lined with parchment paper
  6. Press firmly and evenly 
  7. Bake for about 30 minutes, until edges start to turn brown
  8. Cut into bars when completely cool

Easy Apple Chips

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School is starting soon, this is an easy homemade snack that the kids can bring to school. It’s very healthy and you don’t need to worry about nut allergies. You can just bake the apples plain or flavour them lightly with sugar and cinnamon. They store well, so you can make a big batch and keep them in an airtight container.

  • 2-3 apples, any kind
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, if desired
  • 4 teaspoons granulated sugar, if desired
  1. Preheat oven to 200 ºF
  2. Mix cinnamon and sugar
  3. Wash, core and cut apples into thin slices
  4. Place slices on baking sheets lined with parchment paper
  5. Sprinkle top lightly with cinnamon sugar, if preferred
  6. Bake for about 1 hour, flip them over, sprinkle other side with cinnamon sugar, then bake for another 1 to 1+1/2 hour
  7. Cool completely and store in airtight container