Healthy & Homemade: My Three Favourite Guilt-Free Snacks

04/07/2013

If you are anything like me, you are snacking on something right now. I love all snacks: salty, sweet, and everything in between. My snacking is inevitable so I need to make sure that what I am eating is healthy, fresh and nutritious.

When I want something to satisfy my chocolate or salt craving, I’m at a loss for a healthy store-bought option. Below are three of my favourite quick and easy snack recipes. They have been cultivated by reading other recipes, hearing peoples’ ideas, and trial and error in my kitchen. Enjoy! All three recipes are naturally gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan.

Homemade Kale Chips

I used to burn or undercook these suckers until I finally asked for advice. It’s super easy and almost everyone in our house loves them (sorry daddy more for us)!

Ingredients

Kale

Himalayan Salt

Olive Oil

Cookie sheet

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Wash and dry kale well.  Rip into smaller chip-size pieces and place on cookie sheet as you go. Sprinkle with olive oil and salt. Toss.

3. Bake for 7-8 minutes on each side. Yum!

Guilt-free Chocolate and Coconut Macaroons

I love these so so ridiculously much. It’s ridiculous.

Ingredients

1 ½ cups unsweetened flaked coconut

½ cup maple syrup

¼ cup flax seeds or chia seeds

¾ cup cocoa powder

¼ cup coconut oil

Saucepan

Large bowl

Instructions

1. Melt coconut oil on medium heat in a saucepan. Meanwhile add coconut, maple syrup, cocoa powder, and seeds to bowl. Add coconut oil when melted.

2. Mix well and drop individual spoonfuls  into a glass container or a plate and place in fridge. They should be ready to eat in minutes.

* Sorry, no picture! I ate them all before I got a chance!

NUTTY CHOCOLATE FONDUE & FRESH FRUIT

This is the most guilt-free of all three recipes. I love fruit so this is a neat way to satisfy my craving for chocolate at the same time.

Ingredients

Fruit

Nut butter

Unsweetened chocolate

Saucepan

Instructions

1. Place 2-4 squares of chocolate (or more depending on how snacky you are or how many snackers are with you) in saucepan on medium heat.  Add a few spoonfuls of nut butter – we love peanut butter or almond butter.  Mix over medium-low heat being careful not to burn fondue.

2. Cut up your favourite fruit: apples, bananas, strawberries, pears, etc. Place fondue on a large plate next to fruit.

*Toothpicks can be handy for eating with and avoiding a large mess.

*If you are feeling adventurous, add extra dipping piles of unsweetened coconut, chopped nuts, flax seeds and more.

Have a great healthy snack you’d like to share? Let me know!

Keep on snacking the freshest way possible.

~chelsey