Category Archives: Snacks

DIY Seed and Nut Bars

Posted in Snacks by

Makes 8 bars

INGREDIENTS

1 cup roasted unsalted almonds

½ cup pumpkin seeds

½ cup sunflower seeds

¼ cup unsweetened coconut flakes

¼ tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 tbsp honey (sub maple syrup for vegan)

1 tbsp melted coconut oil

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees

Add in the vanilla extra, honey and melted coconut and fold until combined.

Line an 8×8 inch baking dish with parchment paper and lightly spray with cooking oil ( or spray a silicone bar mold).

Take ½ cup almonds and roughly chop them.

In a medium-size bowl combine the nuts and seeds along with the coconut, salt and cinnamon.

Pour mixture into the lined baking dish and press it down firmly with a spatula until you have an even layer.

Bake for about 30-40 minutes depending on your oven.

Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack. Using a large spoon or spatula press down the mixture again and allow to cool completely.

Gently lift the bars and the parchment from the pan and transfer to a cutting board. Using a large knife cut into 8 even bars. Store in an airtight container and place a piece of parchment between the bars so that they don’t stick together.

Overnight Apple Cinnamon Chia Pudding

Posted in breakfast, cut calories, low-carb, Snacks, SP friendly, Standard Process Friendly, sweet treat, vegan, vegetarian, weight loss ideas by

Craving something sweet? Or maybe looking for an easy breakfast on the go… try this Apple Cinnamon Chia Pudding recipe. I found it when Armando and I were on our annual cleanse after the holiday indulging.

This tastes like you are indulging but it is a gluten free treat packed with fiber, protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and various micronutrients that our bodies need. I call it yummy.

Apple Cinnamon Chia Pudding

• 1/3 cup chia seeds

• 1/2 tsp Ceylon cinnamon

• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 cup light coconut milk (or water)

• 1 medium chopped apple (chopped fresh or slightly sauteed in coconut oil)

In a bowl combine chia seeds, cinnamon, vanilla, and coconut milk. Leave in the fridge overnight stirring once after 10 minutes. In the morning add chopped apple, a pinch or two more of cinnamon. Have in between meals as a sweet snack or to satisfy a craving.

Other topping options (swap out the apples):

Coconut Chia Seed Pudding Topping Suggestions

• Citrusy Coconut Chia Pudding. Add ½ teaspoon lemon zest or orange zest.

• Berry Coconut Chia Pudding. Top with fresh blueberries, raspberries, or strawberries. This combo is especially tasty with lemon or orange zest.

• Chocolate Coconut Chia Pudding. Top your coconut pudding with mini chocolate chips.

• Vegan Coconut Chia Pudding. Use pure maple syrup instead of honey.

• Add Some Crunch. Top your pudding with toasted coconut flakes, granola, or toasted nuts.

• Coconut Chia Jam Pudding. Top with 1 tablespoon of your favorite jam.

Date Coconut Mixed Seed Bites

Posted in AP's Favorites, dessert, keto, low-carb, Snacks, SP friendly, Standard Process Friendly, sweet treat, vegan by

Treat yourself to these crowd-pleasing guilt free goodies when you are craving something sweet. Clean eating doesn’t mean you have to skip dessert.

Raw Date, Coconut, & Mixed Seed Fiber Power Bites | Makes 12-13 Bites – Serving size 2 Bites

Ingredients

  • 1 Cup pitted dates
  • ½ Cup of Tahini Paste
  • ½ Tablespoon chia seeds
  • ½ Tablespoon pumpkin seeds
  • ½ Tablespoon sunflower seeds
  • Unsweetened, dried shredded coconut (to cover outside of bites)

Directions

  1. Place dates and tahini into the bowl of food processor. Pulse ingredients gently until a paste-like batter is formed (this may take 1-5 minutes).
  2. Add chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds. Gently pulse mixture to incorporate, but do not blend completely (pieces of the seeds should still be visible and will provide texture to the finished product).
  3. Remove mixture from mixing bowl, and using your hand, gently shape mixture into 1 oz. size balls.
  4. Place coconut on a plate or flat surface, and gently roll the ball in coconut to cover exterior.

Package in an airtight container.

Enjoy!

Here’s to a healthier you,

Cranberry Cherry Smoothie

Posted in brunch, cut calories, dairy-free, Smoothies & Shakes, Snacks, SP friendly, Standard Process Friendly, vegan, vegetarian, weight loss ideas by

Here’s a cleanse-friendly shake. Yum!

Ingredients

2 scoops SP Complete or SP Complete Dairy Free
1 scoop whole food fiber (optional)
1 cup frozen cherries or berries
1/4 cup frozen cranberries*
1/4 inch ginger root (peeled)
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk

Blend all ingredients until smooth. Yum!

Tip: fresh cranberries are only available in my area during the holidays (Thanksgiving and Christmas) but they freeze really well. I stash a bag in my freezer when they come out and they are a perfect addition to this shake.

Sweet Potato Bites

Posted in AP's Favorites, comfort food, side dish, Snacks, SP friendly, Standard Process Friendly, vegan, vegetarian by

Ingredients

2 Sweet Potatoes cut into thick chuncks

2 T olive oil

Pinch or two of salt

Process

Bake at 375 degrees for 40 minutes then turn the oven off and leave inside for another 30 minutes. The extra 30 minutes will caramelize the sweet potatoes and make them oh, so tender and delicious!

Best Ever Dumpling Sauce with Dumplings

Posted in 30 minute meals, appetizer, asian, entertaining, Snacks, superbowl sunday appetizer by

This tangy sauce provides the perfect balance of heat, acidity, savoriness and sweetness to dumplings. It can also be used over noodles, wontons or mixed with fried tofu. My dear friend Bini taught me how to make home made dumplings for Lunar New Year several years ago. It’s a lot of work but oh, so fun to do with a big group of friends. I cheat and buy frozen dumplings in the freezer section of my grocery store to save time. They are not as delicious as Bini’s but ALOT easier. Freezer-section dumplings come in chicken, pork or vegetable varieties and are the key to an easy weeknight meal (or a great party appetizer).

Pair the dumplings with this tasty sauce and you’ll be hooked!

Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time:15 minutes Total Time: 25 minutes

Serving 2

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp soy sauce (I like the low sodium variety)
  • 2 tbsp water or broth from dumplings (if boiling dumplings)
  • 1 tbsp Chile garlic sauce (I use “Tuong Ot Toi Vietnam” or you can use Go Chu Jang which is a Korean chili pepper sauce)
  • 1/2 tbsp chili oil
  • 1 tbsp sugar 
  • 2 tbsp chinese black vinegar (or Worcester sauce)
  • 2 tsp sesame oil
  • 1/2 tsp toasted sesame seeds 
  • 1 tsp minced garlic
  • chopped fresh scallions (cut on a diagonal)
  • chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
  • 12 pieces store-bought or handmade dumplings

Instructions

  1. Wash and chop the fresh ingredients (cilantro, scallions, garlic)

2. Mix all except the last ingredient (dumplings) together in a small bowl.

3. Prepare handmade or store-bought frozen dumplings based on your preference (steamed or pan-fried). The package often tells you how to prepare them. Check out the process at the end of this post on steaming and pan frying dumplings.

4. Pour the sauce over the plated dumplings and garnish with more scallions and cilantro. You can also dip the dumplings into the sauce if you prefer. Adjust the chili oil or chili garlic sauce to your heat preference. Enjoy!

Preparing Chinese Dumplings

Boiling (option 1)

  1. Fill a pot two-thirds with water and bring to a boil.
  2. Add the dumplings, so they can fit in a single layer.
  3. Cook them until they float (about three minutes)
  4. Fish them out of the pot and drain them.

Pan Frying (option 2)

Using a small amount of oil, you can pan fry frozen dumplings. Cooking frozen dumplings is a process that takes between 20 and 25 minutes and is best done with a non-stick pan with a thick heavy bottom to distribute the heat best.

  1. Add two tablespoons of vegetable oil to a pan and heat on medium-high heat.
  2. Add the frozen dumplings and cook for 2-4 minutes on each side. Don’t move them too much. You just want them browned.
  3. Add boiling water to cover half the height of the dumplings and bring to a boil.
  4. Cover the pan and let the dumplings steam until their bases are golden and the water has almost evaporated.

Gluten-Free Holiday Chex Mix

Posted in appetizer, Dani's Favorite, entertaining, gluten free, holiday favorites, Snacks by

1Makes 8 cups

I’ve added my own little twist to the old time favorite Chex Mix around the holidays.  This party mix can even be enjoyed by your guests with dietary restrictions or gluten free preferences.  It’s a modified recipe from the original Chex Mix.  I nix the Wheat Chex, use gluten free pretzels, and also add my own little twist.  Your guests will be coming back for more so you might want to make two batches!

Ingredients

3 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion power
2 teaspoon lemon juice
4 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 cup pretzels (gluten-free versions available from Snyder’s or Snack Factory)
1 cup fancy mixed nuts
3 cups Corn Chex cereal
3 cups Rice Chex cereal

Instructions

1. Melt butter in a 13X9 in baking dish in a 250 degree oven.
2. Remove dish from oven and stir in the seasoned salt, garlic powder, onion powder, lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce.
3.  Add cereals, pretzels and nuts and stir until coated.
4.  Bake @ 250 degrees for 45 minutes stirring every 15 minutes or so.
5.  Remove from the oven and cool (if you can keep your family from nibbling)
6.  Store in an airtight jar or large ziplock bag.

Cherry Berry Vanilla Almond Granola

Posted in breakfast, Snacks, trader joes, vegan by

DFTSI Cherry Berry Granola_1095

You can customize this granola according to your preferences by adding in any sort of dried fruit or using different nuts in the recipe. I stumbled upon this gluten free recipe by Michelle Palin ~ My Gluten-free Kitchen and it soon became my favorite.
I recently made 12 batches of it to include in Valentines Day Care Packages sent to our graduated NCL Ticktockers that are away at college.  Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

  • 4 cups gluten-free oats (rolled or old-fashioned, NOT instant)
  • 1 cup sliced almonds
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1/3 cup unrefined coconut oil (or melted unsalted butter or oil of your choice)
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 2 Tbsp. sugar
  • 4 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut – optional (I like wide sliced coconut from Sprouts)
  • 1/2 cup dried fruit – optional (I like Dried Berry Medley from Trader Joe’s)

DIRECTIONS

  1. Preheat oven to 300°.
  2. Line a jelly roll pan (about 10.5″x15.5″) with parchment paper, or spray with nonstick cooking spray.DFTSI Cherry Berry Granola_1078
  3. In a large bowl, use a spatula to stir together oats, almonds, brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon.DFTSI Cherry Berry Granola_1073
  4. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the butter or oil, honey and sugar. Bring to a simmer over medium heat stirring constantly with a whisk to get the sugar to dissolve and the mixture to come together. Once it comes together and simmers about 30 seconds, remove from heat. Whisk in the pure vanilla extract.
  5. Pour the hot liquid mixture over the oat mixture in the bowl. Stir well with a large spatula or wooden spoon. Spread granola on prepared jelly roll pan. Bake at 300° until golden brown, about 25-30 minutes. Once or twice during the baking time, pull out and stir well and put back in for the remainder of the baking.DFTSI Cherry Berry Granola_1054
  6. Transfer pan to a rack; If you want to add in dried fruit, add it now. Cool granola completely. If you want smaller chunks, stir several times while it cools so that it doesn’t harden into large chunks. If you want to add in mini chocolate chips, add them now after it has cooled completely.DFTSI Cherry Berry Granola_1089-1
  7. When cooled, use your hands to break apart to the size you want and store in an airtight container.

by Michelle Palin ~ My Gluten-free Kitchen

Apricot Bites with Goat Cheese and Pistachio

Posted in appetizer, Snacks, sweet treat by

Looking for a healthy low carb appetizer for your next party?  Try this simple recipe.  It has just 4 ingredients and is a perfect snack or appetizer.  Dried apricots topped with creamy goat cheese, nutty pistachios and just a drizzle of honey make a perfect combination.

Ingedients
18 dried apricots (I like the larger Turkish ones)
2 oz. goat cheese
1/4 cup finely chopped pistachios
1-2 T of honey, for drizzling

Instructions

  1. Place apricots on a platter or serving tray
  2. With the back of a spoon, spread a small dollop of goat cheese onto each apricot
  3. Sprinkle a pinch or two of crushed pistachios onto each
  4. Drizzle with honey*
  5. Enjoy!

Tip: To avoid putting too much honey on each apricot bite, place honey in a ziplock plastic baggy.  Cut off a small corner of the baggie and squeeze honey from the hole onto each apricot to add just the amount of sweetness to each bite.

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Creds to Jess @ jessfuel.com for this yummy recipe.  Her recipe is for a larger crowd and yields 3 dozen of these yummy treats.  I simply cut the recipe in half.  Check out all her other easy recipes.

 

Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch Pear Snack Bites

Posted in appetizer, gluten free, low-carb, Snacks, vegetarian by

DFTSI Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch Pear Bites_6428Sometimes you just need something sweet and crunchy. It’s tempting to reach for something pre-packaged that’s easy and tasty but makes you feel guilty right after you put it in your mouth.  Not these.  They are crunchy and satisfying while also being high in nutrition Get your snack fix with this easy to prepare treat that you can feel good about.

Preparation: 5 minutes
Servings:  2
Ingredients: 4
Calories: 200/serving

Ingredients

1 medium pear
4 Tablespoons  PB2 (Powdered Peanut Butter)
2 Tablespoons water
2 Tablespoons mini chocolate chips
2 Tablespoons shredded coconut (I like it toasted)

Preparation

In a small bowl, mix PB2 with 2 Tablespoons of water.

Slice the pear into 8 -10 wedeges

Spread peanut butter mixture thinly onto pear wedges and place on either a serving platter or 2 individual salad plates.

Sprinkle with coconut and chocolate chips. Enjoy!