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.
- 1 small banana, sliced
- 1 gluten-free tortilla (we love Food For Life brown rice tortillas or we make homemade chickpea crepes!)
- juice of 1/2 lemon
- dash of cinnamon
- pinch of hemp seeds
- 2 dollops homemade coconut whipped cream or store-bought
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.