Healthy Snacks
Maybe you are not into nuts or brussel sprouts… but do you like fruit? Or perhaps you hate bananas but prefer zucchini? Either way, you are sure to find a snack that you love below! Plus, these snacks are a great way to give you energy inside and out of the dance studio!
Us teachers absolutely adore these snacks. Some of them are so easy and can be made in a matter of minutes! And others will have you coming back to make a second… and a third… and a fourth batch!
These snacks aren’t just easy to make, they are also yummy and on top of all that... healthy! Healthy snacks are a great way to get energised before your dance classes as they supply your body with lots of fuel and nutrients, which you need when exercising.
Healthy eating actually increases your mood and energy levels, as well as improving your memory and brain health. It can also give you stronger bones.
We’ve got some savoury snacks and some sweeter ones for those of you with more of a sweet tooth. Enjoy!
Avocado Chips
We absolutely adore these avocado chips. Sometimes we find ourselves mindlessly munching on salty chips, which may be yum but are rather unhealthy. Instead, reach for a handful of these chips to munch on, and you can feel content that you’re eating something that is good for your body! Plus, we all love that satisfying crunch when we bite into a chip, so you can make these avocado chips SUPER crunchy! These chips are perfect because they contain a healthy source of fat called monounsaturated fat. This type of fat is important in keeping our hearts and blood vessels healthy!
(Full recipe at https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/a21948089/avocado-chips-recipe/ )
Ingredients
1 large ripe avocado
3/4 c. freshly grated Parmesan
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
Kosher salt, Freshly ground black pepper
Method
Preheat the oven to 325° and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, mash avocado with a fork until smooth. Stir in Parmesan, lemon juice, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning. Season with salt and pepper.
Place heaping teaspoon-size scoops of mixture on a baking sheet, leaving about 3” apart between each scoop. Flatten each scoop to 3" wide across with the back of a spoon or measuring cup. Bake until crisp and golden, about 30 minutes, then let cool completely. Serve at room temperature.
Zucchini Sushi
Mmmm… sushi, I hear you saying! So many people love sushi, and it helps that there is a sushi place right across the road from our Highett studio! But for those times when you’re at home and want a nutritious and filling sushi and mum or dad can’t drive you down to a sushi place, this zucchini sushi is sure to appeal to you! These are packed with vegetables which is a great source of fibre to keep our digestive systems healthy as well as keeping us feeling fuller for longer. In addition, crab meat is an amazing source of protein to allow our muscles to repair and grow after exercise!
(Full recipe at https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/recipes/a52239/zucchini-sushi-recipe/)
Ingredients
2 medium zucchini
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 tsp. Sriracha hot sauce
1 tsp. lime juice
1 c. lump crab meat
1/2 carrot, cut into thin matchsticks
1/2 avocado, diced
1/2 cucumber, cut into thin matchsticks
1 tsp. Toasted sesame seeds
Method
Using a vegetable peeler, slice each zucchini into thin flat strips. Place zucchini on a paper towel–lined plate to sit while you prep the rest of your ingredients.
In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, Sriracha, and lime juice.
On a cutting board, lay 2 zucchini slices down horizontally (so that the long side is facing you). Spread a thin layer of cream cheese on top, then top the left side with a pinch each of crab, carrot, avocado, and cucumber.
Starting from the left side, tightly roll up the zucchini. Repeat with the remaining zucchini slices and fillings. Sprinkle with sesame seeds before serving.
If these don’t tickle your tastebuds, keep reading because we’ve got plenty more scrumptious snacks you can try!
S’mores Banana Bites
S’mores, which are usually a dessert for us, can easily be made a healthy, and arguably, more delicious, treat for us! Bananas and chocolate are so delicious together, and adding crackers just becomes the cherry on top with some of that mouth-watering crunch we all love! This is a healthy treat because of its low sugar content which is important to keep our teeth in top shape. Bananas are also rich in potassium, vitamin B, and vitamin C, which gives us energy and can charge us up, like when you charge your phone!
(Full recipe at https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/recipes/a51012/smores-banana-bites-recipe/)
Ingredients
1 banana
1/4 c. marshmallow Fluff
1/4 c. no-salt crackers, crushed into crumbs
1/2 c. dark (70-90%) chocolate chips, melted
Method
Slice banana into 12, 1/2" pieces.
Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper.
Assemble bites: Place 6 banana slices on baking sheet and top with a large dollop of Marshmallow Fluff and a sprinkle of graham cracker crumbs. Top with remaining bananas to make a sandwich. Stabilize with a toothpick if desired. Freeze until firm, 1 hour.
Once sandwiches are frozen solid, dunk half in melted chocolate, and then into remaining graham cracker crumbs. Place back into the freezer until fully set, 30 minutes more (or until ready to serve).
Greek Pita Cups
Why not try cooking something with a bit of nationality? These flavoursome Greek pita cups will surely delight your taste buds and fill your tummy up, leaving you energised for dance or whatever else you have to take on during the day! They’ll make sure that you’re full and will stop your tummy from growling!
(Full recipe at https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipes/a50741/greek-pita-cups-recipe/)
Ingredients
3 pitas, 1/2 c. diced cucumber
1 large container of garlic hummus (17 oz.)
2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 c. chopped, pitted kalamata olives
2 tsp. chopped parsley, 2 tsp. chopped dill
1 container crumbled feta cheese (about 3 oz.)
9 grape tomatoes, halved
Method
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spritz cups of a muffin tin with cooking spray. Slice each pita into six slices, like you'd cut a pizza. Place each triangle in a muffin cup, pressing down gently so it forms a bowl-like shape.
Bake for 5-7 minutes, or until lightly golden. Let cool for 10 minutes before removing. Fill each cup half-full with hummus.
In a large bowl, combine olive oil, cucumbers, olives, parsley and dill. Top each hummus cup with a spoonful of the cucumber mixture. Top each with a sprinkle of feta and a grape tomato half. Serve.
Chocolate Banana Ice Cream
A healthier alternative to ice cream, we bet you’ll fall in love with this chocolate banana ice cream. It is particularly enjoyed on a hot day or as a treat after dinner, and it tastes so good you will think you’re eating gourmet ice cream! This is another great low sugar alternative to normal ice cream (which can often have truckloads of sugar!)
(Full recipe at https://www.eatingbirdfood.com/healthy-chocolate-banana-ice-cream/ )
Ingredients
3 frozen bananas, chopped into chunks
¼ almond milk (or milk of choice)
1 tablespoon of almond butter
½ - 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder
½ tablespoon of cocoa nibs or chocolate chips (optional)
Method
Place bananas, almond milk, almond butter and cocoa powder into a food processor or high speed blender.
Process until smooth and creamy.
Add in cacao nibs or chocolate chips (if using) and pulse once more.
Spoon ice cream into a bowl and enjoy! Or, if you want to be able to scoop the ice cream you can place it in the freezer for 2 hours so it’s solid enough to scoop.
We hope you enjoy trying out these delicious recipes and we hope you can also taste the benefits of eating healthier! We hope you enjoy them as much as we do and we cannot wait to hear what you think of them!
Let us know below in the comments which ones you tried, and if you’re proud of your creations, send us a photo!