RECIPE BLOG - Healthy and Nutritious Snacks

Let your daily snacks give you fuel, joy and contribute toward your health goals.

Chocolate bark - yum!

Dark Chocolate Bark

Chocolate is scientific proven to make you happy! However too much can make you unhappy. Eat chocolate every day, just not all day. A serving size 1-2 squares is more than enough. There will always be more tomorrow.. 

Life is to short not to enjoy chocolate!

Makes 10 serves

Ingredients

130g. bittersweet melting cacao (70%+)
Your favourite dried fruit, seeds, & chopped nuts
Sprinkle of sea salt
Coconut oil spray

Method

1. Prepare a baking sheet lined with wax paper or parchment paper sprayed with coconut oil spray.
2. Melt chocolate in a double boiler over medium-low heat.
3. Once chocolate is fully melted, add 2 scoops of Tone It Up Marine Collagen. Mix well to combine.
4. Pour chocolate onto prepared baking sheet and spread a little so the chocolate is in a thin (but not too thin) even layer. Sprinkle with your choice of toppings and sea salt.
5. Place in the fridge until cool and chocolate has hardened. Break up into bite-size pieces and enjoy!
6. Store in a cool place in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Banana muffins - a favourite for the whole family!

 Method

l. Preheat oven to 160° C fan forced and line muffin tins with muffin cups.

2. Add the mashed bananas, butter, egg and vanilla into a bowl and mix until
combined.

3. Fold in the baking powder, salt, sugar, cinnamon, and sifted flour.

4. Pour in coconut milk and mix well until combined - if the mixture appears to be
too dry, add tablespoons of milk at a time until it reaches the desired consistency.

5. Bake for approximately 45 min or until golden brown

6. Optional insert dark chocolate button or 70% chocolate piece into the centre of each muffin

7. Decorate with sliced banana on top - optional 

Gluten Free Banana Muffins

These muffins are a great addition to any lunch box or a nice treat for your loved ones to enjoy! I often make these as snacks for my kids, then I eat a couple through the week. This way I can justify making a whole batch. They also freeze well. Just like anything these are to be enjoyed in moderation. 

Makes 10 medium sized muffins. 

Ingredients

• 3 ripe bananas, mashed

• ¼ cup natural, organic butter, melted. Use coconut oil for a dairy free option

• l egg, beaten

• l teaspoon natural vanilla extract

• l teaspoon gluten free baking powder pinch of salt

• 1/3 cup coconut sugar

• l tablespoon cinnamon

• l cup buckwheat flour

• ½ cup coconut flour

• ½ cup coconut milk *.

• Dark chocolate - optional

Fun Fact

Organic butter is one of the most untouched and natural sources of fat you can eat. Organic butter is rich in Fat-Soluble vitamins and a great source of saturated fat, which the body requires for proper function and development. 

Roasted Kale Chips

Do you crave salty and crunchy snacks? If so, give yourself a snack-shapeshift with these simple and fun kale chips. Packed with nutrients, yet perfectly crunchy and salty. Use as a side dish to any meal or eat as a snack for on-the-go days.

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch of kale

• 2 tablespoons coconut oil

• 2 tablespoons tamari

• 1 tablespoon of nutritional yeast (optional)

Directions:

De-stem the kale and rip into bite-sized pieces. Place the leaves on a cookie sheet and coat the leaves in warmed coconut oil (liquid) and tamari, and then place in the oven on broil. Watch carefully as they can crisp up quickly, depending on your oven.

After approximately 2 minutes, toss. Then leave in until desired crispness (usually about 2 more minutes).

When it’s done you will have crisp tasty kale chips—a great addition to any meal or a snack!

Serves 4

Raw Seed Slice. A healthy and gluten free version of the sugar laden muesli bars at the supermarket.

Beetroot Hummus

Makes 3 Cups

INGREDIENTS

2 cups sprouted chickpeas (garbanzos)

2 whole beetroots, cooked until soft, then peeled and chopped

1⁄2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 large clove garlic, chopped

2 1⁄2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons tahini paste

Juice of 1 lemon

Salt and ground black pepper to taste

METHOD

1. Combine the chickpeas and cooked beets in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until the chickpeas are well ground and the beets are fully incorporated.

2. Add the garlic, cumin, tahini and lemon juice. With the motor running, slowly pour in the olive oil and process until it is well incorporated.

3. Season with salt and black pepper.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS

Use as a dip for cut-up raw vegetables, such as carrots, celery and zucchini. Halve an avocado and fill the centre with the hummus, then sprinkle with a mixture of seeds, such as sesame, poppy, pumpkin and sunflower.

Add Beetroot Hummus to salads, crackers and sandwiches for a burst of colour and nutrients.

Raw Vegan Snickers Slice

This actually taste like a snickers bar and hard to believe it is vegan and filled with nourishing ingredients. I have no met a person who doesn’t think it’s delicious. I find it a extremely satiating treat and fun to make on a free afternoon. #madewithlove

Let me know how yours turns out!

Ingredients

BASE
1/2 cup almonds
1/2 cup raw peanuts
1/2 cup cacao or cocoa powder
2 Tbsp coconut oil
10 dates

FILLING
1/2 cup peanut butter (Pic’s is my favourite)
1/3 cup tahini
1/3 coconut oil, melted
1/3 cup maple syrup – can use sugar free if want to reduce sugar intake
1/2 tsp salt

CHOCOLATE TOPPING
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup maple syrup
handful of smashed peanuts to decorate

Directions

1.     Line slice tray with baking paper, make sure there is enough coming out of the edges

2.    Add all Base ingredients into a food processor or blender if you do not have one (just make sure you soak dates in boiling water before if using blender)

3.    Press ingredients into pan firmly the place into the freezer to set

4.   Add all filling ingredients into food processor or blender and process until smooth & creamy. Pour on top of base and place in freezer to set.

5.    Combine topping ingredients in a bowl or processor. Wait at least 15 mins before pouring topping over filling. This will avoid the layers mixing.

6.    Sprinkle peanuts on top to look pretty

7.    Place back into the freezer until firm. Slice up and store in an air tight container in the freezer to enjoy as a healthy treat!

Lemon Bliss Balls - immune boosting and delicious.

Lemon and honey is known to help boost the immune system. This snack has immune-boosting properties such as vitamin C, potassium, and vitamin K. Both honey and coconut oil have antibacterial properties, making this snack incredible for your immune system and extremely easy on the taste buds. 

Kale is versatile and easy to cook. If you want to power up your plate, explore the many ways to include kale in your diet.

Kale

Kale is known as a superfood because of its incredibly high antioxidant levels and outstanding ORAC value (oxygen reactive absorbance capacity)—the scale that measures the antioxidant capacity of a food.

How to enjoy: Try adding baby kale to your green smoothie. Roast it in the oven into delicious kale chips (recipe to the left) or add it to your favourite soup or stew right before serving as to gently wilt it, preserving its brilliant bright green colour.

Raw Seed Slice

Big nutritional benefits can come in small packages.

Seeds are one of the easiest, cheapest and most versatile ways to add nutrition to a meal. They can be a sneaky addition – scattered into stir-fries, added to smoothies, sprinkled into cereals, yoghurt or salads – or they can be the centre-stage stars of a biscuit, veggie patty, raw ball or slice.

Serves: 30
Prep: 10-15 minutes, then 1-2 hours to set in fridge

Gluten free, dairy free, vegetarian, nut free

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 cup linseeds/flaxseeds, freshly ground

• 1⁄2 cup sesame seeds (unhulled or black, if available)

• 1 cup pumpkin seeds

• 1 cup sunflower seeds

• 1⁄2 cup chia seeds

• 1⁄2 cup hemp seeds

• 1⁄2 cup raw honey

• 1⁄2 cup unhulled tahini*

Method

• Line a slice tin (26-30cm x 18-20 cm) with baking paper.

• Mix all seeds together in a bowl. Place honey and tahini in a large saucepan and melt on low heat for 1-2 minutes, stirring regularly, until a smooth paste.

• Add seeds and stir well to combine (best achieved with your hands, either by lightly oiling your hands or food- handling gloves with olive or coconut oil, and mush/squash until well combined).

• Press firmly into the tin and smooth down with the back of a metal spoon.

• Refrigerate or freeze for 1-2 hours. Cut into small squares and serve immediately. Keep chilled.

Hummus

Sprouting is beneficial for seeds and legumes, as it intensifies their nutrient density. Chickpeas are a fantastic source of dietary fiber and minerals. Tahini is rich in calcium and magnesium and the olive oil contributes the heart health benefits of monounsaturated fat. Use this recipe as a base for your hummus, adding spices and herbs as you please. It makes a definite improvement to an ordinary lunchbox and works well as a spread, dip or added source of protein.

INGREDIENTS

2 cups sprouted chickpeas (garbanzo beans)

1 large clove garlic, crushed

2 teaspoons tahini

2 1⁄2 teaspoons cumin powder

125 ml (1⁄2 cup) extra virgin olive oil

Juice of 1 large lemon

Salt and ground black pepper to taste

METHOD

1. Combine the chickpeas and the garlic in the bowl of a food processor or blender. Pulse a few seconds until the chickpeas are well ground.

2. Add the cumin and tahini to the mixture and pulse until they are well incorporated.

3. With the motor running on low, slowly pour the olive oil into the processor. When the oil has been well blended, add the fresh lemon juice.

4. Season the hummus with salt and black pepper to taste.

Hummus - made in minutes and oh so versatile.

Raw Snickers Bar. No words.

Lemony Bliss Balls

Instead of snacks potentially taking away from you having a healthy body and a healthy mindset, let’s get prepared! When that 3pm sugar craving hits, it important to have something nourishing to go to that you will also enjoy. 

Makes approx. 20 balls 

Ingredients

• 200g raw cashew nuts
• 6 dried figs, finely chopped
• zest of 2 lemon
• 6 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoon honey
• 2 tablespoon coconut oil
• 2 cup desiccated coconut + extra to coat
• pinch of salt

Method

1. Combine all ingredients in a food
processor. Process until well combined
and sticky.
2. Use a Tbsp to scoop mixture and roll into balls, coat in desiccated coconut (use a small bowl for this)
3. Refrigerate or leave in the freezer in an airtight container