My Favourite Healthy Snack Ideas (With Recipes):
I am all for a good healthy snack, and homemade ones are even better! I absolutely love creating different healthy recipes that are equally nutritious and delicious.
My healthy date and walnut bars are a super easy, no-bake recipe made with pitted dried dates and raw walnuts. They are a delicious treat that makes the perfect healthy snack or dessert. My homemade kale chips are equally amazing and made for the salty over sweet lovers with fresh kale and spices. If you’ve been looking for a healthier alternative to chips – these are perfect! As a fellow chip-lover – I can vouch for this!
Want to know how I make these healthy snacks? Keep reading to find the ingredients and recipes!
Healthy Date and Walnut Bars
For the date mixture you need:
- 2 cups of pitted dried dates, soaked in hot water for 15-20mins
- 2 cups of raw walnuts soaked with the dates
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 teaspoon pink salt
For the topping mixture you need:
- 2 cup of large rolled oats
- 1 cup oat flour
- About 1/2 cup coconut oil , solid
- 1 tablespoon of coconut sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 teaspoon pink salt
- Dash of cinnamon
How to Make the Bars
Drain the dates/walnuts , leaving behind about 1-2 tablespoons of water left in the mixture, and blend the date and walnut mixture well in a blender (or food processor) then layer it in the bottom of a loaf or cake pan on parchment paper.
(If your blender is being fussy- go for dates only, place them in a bowl after draining them, and use two forks with some elbow grease to mash them up until smooth.)
With a spoon, cream together the coconut oil with vanilla, salt, cinnamon and coconut sugar.
Then work in the oat mix with the oil mix. This may take some extra time to saturate everything.
Stir and mix the topping mixture well and sprinkle it over top, then pat it all down with the back of a fork. Place in the fridge for an hour and voila! Or eat it right away if you like them warm and softer.
If you want to make this recipe with no sugar added, you totally can! Simply omit the small amount of coconut sugar from the topping mixture. The natural sweetness in the dates is plenty and perfect!
Homemade Kale Chips
For the chips you will need:
- Fresh Kale
- Olive Oil
- Pink Salt
- Garlic Powder (optional, to taste)
- Paprika (optional, to taste)
How To Make the Chips
Peel the leaves off the main stems of your fresh kale, tear them up and wash them. Then toss the leaves in olive oil, place them all spread out on a pan and sprinkle on your pink salt, garlic powder and paprika.
Bake the chips at 350℉ for 15-20 minutes until they are a very crispy texture. Careful not to burn them but be patient and keep them in until they reach that extra crispy and crunchy texture. They do shrink a lot, so you can crowd the pan when you lay them on. You can also toss them around with a spatula when they’re almost done to expose other sides and get them crispier.
Sometimes I buy the shredded frozen kale to make these, it tends to be way quicker and easier to prepare but longer to cook. With the frozen kale, I usually pour the bag on the pan, drizzle in olive oil, season them and bake them very patiently, tossing them a few times until they’re crispy and ready. If you choose to take this route, they will likely take 20-40 minutes in the oven but is a lot less prep work.
If you want to make them more decadent you can add a little bit of shredded Parmesan halfway through baking 😉
Finding healthier alternatives to implement in your routine can add up to make such a big difference in your health and wellness.
These are some of my absolute favourite healthy snack recipes and I love sharing them with you! If you make them, let me know or snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @dr.elenazarifis
https://www.instagram.com/dr.elenazarifis/
Ready to Achieve Better Health ? Book your free 20 minute introductory phone consult or your first visit with Dr. Elena ND through this link:
https://drelenaznd.janeapp.com
Learn more about Dr. Elena zarifis, ND and her Oakville, Ontario practice :
Be Well,
Dr. Elena Zarifis ND
