Sweet, Smart Snacks from WCIU You & Me This Morning

We had a BLAST heading back into the studio and seeing our faves @MelissaForeman & @JMSparrow at WCIU You & Me This Morning! It was all about curing your Wintertime sweet tooth with smart, but still sweet snacks.  All of them take 5 minutes or less and are sure to set off that serotonin in the brain, just like a candy bar would, but without the guilt!  Here are the recipes and some behind-the-scenes photos!

Quick Cinnamon-Banana Crepes:

 why they are healthier – cooked with lemon juice instead of oil, made with gluten-free tortillas, served with organic or homemade coconut whipped cream, topped with hemp seeds.

Simply heat a small skillet over medium heat and add the banana slices and juice of 1/2 lemon- cook until they are tender and lightly browned. Heat the tortilla or crepes in a microwave until soft (roughly 20 seconds.) Top the crepe with the bananas, sprinkle with cinnamon & hemp seeds, and top with whipped cream.

Mason Jar Crunch Apple Bake: 

why they are healthier – made with heart-healthy whole grain oats, organic apples, no butter or oil, & topped with whole grain & gluten-free KIND granola clusters to make it crunchy!

  • 1 small apple, chopped
  • 1/2 cup gluten-free oats
  • 1/2 cup unflavored, unsweetened hemp or coconut milk
  • dash of cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 packet Stevia
  • 2 TB KIND Snacks Maple Quinoa with Chia Seeds Clusters

In a microwave-safe glass bowl, place the oats, milk, & apples. Heat for roughly 1 minute, then stir in the stevia and cinnamon. Pour it in to a mason jar and top with the granola for a healthy crunch. Enjoy!

Sweet Potato Protein Smoothie:

  • 1 scoop Brio Vanilla Caramel frozen dairy dessert, softened
  • 3 ice cubes
  • ½ cup cooked sweet potato, skin included for added fiber scoop of vanilla protein powder or equivalent to15g
  • 1/4 cup unflavored, unsweetened hemp or coconut milk
  • ¼ tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • ¼ tsp ginger, ground
  • optional: serve with some chopped raw walnuts on top and a dash of nutmeg

Just mix it all together until smooth in a blender!

“Peanut Butter” Cup Pretzels:

why it is healthier -we use purely organic, no-sugar sunflower seed butter as well as melt our own pure dark chocolate rather than using a faux syrup! And, as always, watch our portions.

  • 3/4 cup gluten-free pretzels
  • 1 TB organic sunflower seed butter
  • 1 TB dark chocolate, melted
  • 1 TB flax or hemp seeds

We place the sunflower seed butter, melted chocolate, and hemp seeds in a bowl side-by-side and dip away!

Energy Balls:

why it’s healthier –  skip the cookies and simply mix healthy, all-natural ingredients together in a bowl, freeze, & enjoy!

  • 1 cup organic sunflower seed butter, no sugar added
  • 1/2 cup organic raw cacao, chopped
  • 1/4 cup dried cherries, no sugar added
  • 1/8 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
  • Stevia (for no added calories) or maple syrup, to taste (depending on how sweet you like/need it to be)
  • optional: you can add anything you want like – raisins, hemp seeds, flaxseeds, raw nuts or seeds, et al.

Mix this all in a bowl together, spoon into balls, place in a freezer-safe glass container, cover & freeze for 1 hour. Let sit out for a few minutes before eating, but do not let fully thaw.

RecipesAshley Pettit