Eating on the go can be a challenge, especially during long, activity-filled summer days spent on the move in the outdoors. Between kids being out of school, lack of summertime routine, fun-in-the-sun, logistics, planning, and enjoying being outside moving your body, supporting yourself with well-rounded nutrition can fall by the wayside.
These recipes will help you fuel with tasty, nourishing snacks for between meals that’ll keep you energized for your day whether you have lots of time to prep or not.
What makes these snack choices better than others? The list of reasons could fill a book, but a couple of points really stand out.
They’re made up of what I call “the magical combo” of fat, fiber, and protein. This not-so-magic and actually scientifically-backed mix of nutrients causes sugars to hit your bloodstream at a steady rate, helping you avoid high blood sugar, followed by a low blood sugar energy crash.(Benini et al. 1995) Fat, fiber, and protein all together in your stomach also makes your stomach empty at a slower rate, leaving you feeling satiated for longer than if you were to miss any single component of the combo.(Benini et al. 1995) The takeaway: eating fat, fiber, and protein all together helps both your energy stay steady and keeps you from getting hangry.
Besides being energy-supportive and satiating, these recipes are also nutrient-dense. You’ll be feeding your body the calories it needs along with many of the micronutrients necessary to keep your energy levels up, your hunger levels optimized, your body’s health supported, and your mood stoked!
THE RECIPES (+ some store-bought alternatives):
Papa Steve’s No Junk Raw Protein Bars Peanut Butter Crunch Copy Cat:
Ingredients:
1 cup PB
¼ cup honey
1 ¼ cup quinoa, puffed*
⅔ cup protein powder**
*To puff quinoa, place in pan over medium-high heat. Add quinoa, and stir frequently until all grains have popped and are slightly golden brown, 1-2 minutes. Can sub in toasted buckwheat groats.
**whey is the most easily absorbed type of protein powder and contains high quantities of the amino acid leucine, the main signaler for muscle synthesis.
How to make:
In a stand up mixer, combine peanut butter & honey until smooth.
Add quinoa and protein powder, and stir until well incorporated. Check texture. It should stick to itself and not so much to you. If it’s too dry, add more peanut butter. If it’s too wet, add more protein powder.
Line a 3x9 inch pan with parchment paper, and transfer bar mixture into it. Firmly press the mixture into the pan.
Transfer bars to the fridge for an hour or so to set. Remove from pan, and slice short-ways into 6 bars.
Package each bar in a reusable container or plastic bag. Store at room temperature for a day or two, in the fridge for up to a week, or in the freezer for up to a month.
Alternative ready-made, Sophie-approved, nutrition bars you can purchase:
Turmeric Maca Powder Cacao Energy Balls (vegan):
Recipe sourced (& slightly adapted) from: Natalie’s Health
Ingredients:
12 medjool dates
½ cup almonds
1 cup walnuts, divided (½ cup for balls, ½ cup crushed for rolling)
½ cup goji berries, crushed
3 tbsp maca powder
2 tbsp cacao powder
2 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp Ceylon cinnamon
⅛ tsp black pepper, ground
½ tsp vanilla extract
How to make:
Remove pits form dates. Soak pitted dates in hot water for 15 minutes. Once softened, drain (saving the soaking water) and place in food processor.
Add the remainder of the ingredients (except goji berries & extra walnuts for rolling) to the food processor.
Process until mixture thickens and sticks together. It’s ok if it’s a little chunky. Check texture by pinching some of the mixture between your fingers. It should stick together and hold its shape. If it’s too dry, add 1 tbsp at a time of the water used to soak the dates until texture is just right.
Take approximately one teaspoon of the mixture at a time, and roll it into balls. Then roll the balls in crushed goi berries and walnuts, and place them on a parchment-lined tray.
Transfer to the freezer for an hour or so.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Will keep just fine out of the fridge for about a day or two. Store in the freezer for up to a month.
My current go-to smoothie:
Ingredients:
8oz filtered water
2 generous handfuls of fresh greens (usually spinach or arugula)
¾ cup frozen berries
⅛ cup hemp hearts
1 serving whey protein
1 serving grass-fed collagen protein
1 medjool date
1 inch knob of ginger, washed & chopped into smaller chunks
Ice, as needed for consistency
How to make:
Combine all ingredients in a high-speed blender, and blend until smooth (about 30 seconds)
Transfer to an insulated thermos, and add to your pack for the day.
Greens on the Go High Fiber Seedy Crackers
Recipe from: Farzanah Nasser Instagram: @farzanahnasser_nutrition
Ingredients:
80g fresh greens like watercress, kale, spinach, etc.
1 cup filtered water
1 cup mixed seeds like sunflower, whole flax, hemp, sesame, etc.
½ cup pumpkin seeds
4tbsp chia seeds
½ tsp rosemary, chopped
½ tsp chili flakes
How to make:
Preheat oven to 250F
Combine greens and water in a high speed blender and blend until smooth.
Transfer blended greens to a large bowl, and sitr in chia seeds. Allow to set for 5 minutes.
Mix in seeds, then spices.
Line a large baking tray with parchment paper, and evenly spread cracker mixture very thinly on the tray. Tip: use an additional piece of parchment to press the mixture evenly and thinly.
Bake for 30 minutes. Flip the cracker sheet over, and bake for another 30 minutes.
Remove from oven, allow to cool for a couple of minutes, and then transfer to a cooling rack. Allow to cool completely, and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Will last outside of the fridge for a day or two.
Excellent with hummus, Toby’s Tofu Dip, Chicken or tuna salad, cottage cheese, etc.
Ready-made, store-bought cracker & topping alternatives:
Tuna packets in olive oil, Salmon packets, Toby’s Tofu Dip, Ella’s Flats, Foods Alive Sprouted Crisps
Granolas — grain free sweet & savory (store bought options too)
Food as Medicine Every Day - Inspired Granola (sweet)
Ingredients:
3 cups rolled oats
½ cup almonds, chopped*
½ cup pecans, chopped*
½ cup pumpkin seeds*
½ cup unsweetened dried berries*
⅓ cup coconut oil, melted
⅓ cup maple syrup
⅓ cup unsweetened coconut shreds
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
*can sub in any nuts, seeds, or berries you fancy.
How to make:
Preheat oven to 350F.
Combine oats, almonds, pecans, pumpkin seeds, and cinnamon in a large bowl.
Mix melted coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla, and add to dry ingredients.
Transfer oat mixture to a large baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes, stirring every 5-10 minutes.
Mix in coconut shreds, and bake for an additional 10 minutes (the granola has been in the oven for 35 minutes total)
Remove from oven and mix in dried berries.
Allow granola to cool, and store in airtight container for up to one month. Refrigerate for maximum freshness.
Savory Granola with Rosemary and Kale
Recipe from My Quiet Kitchen
Begin by prepping 1 batch of My Quiet Kitchen’s Cheesy Oil-Free Kale:
Ingredients:
1 bunch Lacinato kale, stems removed & torn into pieces
1 ½ tbsp tahini
1 tbsp stone-ground mustard
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
Pinch of pink salt
How to make:
Preheat oven to 250F
Use a small bowl to combine tahini, mustard, apple cider vinegar, nutritional yeast, and salt.
Line 2 large baking trays with parchment, and distribute kale on trays. Pour tahini mix onto kale, and use hands to evenly distribute it. Arrange the kale so it’s one leaf thick, avoiding overlapping pieces as much as possible.
Bake 15-20 minutes, until kale is crispy but not browning.
Remove from oven and allow to cool. If using for savory granola, crumble into smaller pieces.
Savory Granola
Ingredients:
2 cups rolled oats
1 ½ cups mixed nuts (almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, pecans, walnuts, macadamia nuts, etc.)
½ cup pumpkin seeds
3 tbsp tahini
2 tbsp maple syrup
4 tsp apple cider vinegar
1.5 tbsp chia seeds
1.5tbsp sesame seeds
1 heaping tbsp heaping fresh rosemary, chopped
¾ tsp pink salt
½ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp black pepper
⅛ tsp cayenne
How to make:
Preheat oven to 300F
In a large bowl, whisk together tahini, maple syrup, and apple cider vinegar. Then add in the oats, nuts, seeds, and spices, and mix to thoroughly combine. You may need to use your hands.
Spread the granola evenly on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and bake for 25-35 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes or so until slightly browned.
Remove from oven, allow to cool completely, and then mix in a batch of crumbled Cheesy Oil-Free Kale.
Ready-made, store-bought sweet & savory granola alternatives:
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