Real Food Snacks for your Hormones AND your Family
Have you ever been told that famous diet myth that "snacking is bad"?
Snacking has a bad rep in the "how to get healthy" world right now.. maybe because when we think of snacks we automatically think of things like the sweets, treats, chips, candy, etc. I never like to label any foods as "good" and "bad" but these types of things are most definitely not supporting your health in any way!
Often times we actually NEED to have regular snacks to keep blood sugars balanced and support our health. But again, I'm not talking about those highly processed, packaged items that are filled with sugars, inflammatory oils, and no REAL ingredients. These are only going to increase inflammation, most likely cause digestive upset / cravings, and send your blood sugar and cortisol levels on a rollercoaster!
I am talking about the REAL FOOD, nutrients dense kind of snacks. Snacks that contain healthy fats, proteins, and/ or fiber. Just like your meals, balanced snacking is also important for happy hormones and a healthy body!
(You can learn more about how real food can support your health through the Real Food Reset 6 Week Program).
Here are a few examples of my favorite real food snacks ideas:
#1 - Hummus Dippers
Ingredients:
1/2 yellow pepper
1/2 red pepper
2 stalks celery
1/4 -1/2 cup hummus
Instructions:
slice your veggies into sticks
fill the bottom of a mason jar with hummus
place veggie sticks into the hummus vertically
seal the jar and store in the fridge until you are ready to eat!
#2- Roasted Chickpeas
Ingredients:
1 cup canned chickpeas (rinsed)
1.5 tsp avocado oil
1 tsp paprika
dash of sea salt
dash of black pepper
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 400ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Rinse the chickpeas and pat dry with a paper towel. Transfer them to the prepared baking sheet.
Drizzle with the oil and seasonings. Mix until the chickpeas are evenly coated.
Bake in the oven for 25 to 28 minutes, tossing halfway through, (or until the chickpeas reach your desired crispiness).
Season with additional salt and pepper if needed.
Let cool before storing an airtight container!
Change up the flavor by replacing the paprika with your flavor of choice!
#3- Trail Mix
You can easily buy a pre-made trail mix (just watch out for those nasty inflammatory oils in the ingredients!). My favorite store bought trail mix is from Prana Organic and can be found locally at almost any grocery store!
If you choose to make your own, here is my go-to recipe!
Ingredients:
1/4 cup Cashews
1/4 cup Almonds
1/4 cupm Pumpkin Seeds
1/4 cup Sunflower Seeds
2 tbsps Dark Chocolate Chips
2 tbsps Unsweetened Shredded Coconut
1/4 cup Goji Berries (dried)
1/4 cup Hemp Seeds
Instructions:
Add all ingredients to a mason jar and shake well to combine.
Store in the freezer for a longer shelf life!
These ideas are meant to be lunch box friendly, quick, easy, and manageable to keep you (& your kids) nourished all day long.
Your body NEEDS fuel and it NEEDS nutrients. But scrambling around in the kitchen for hours on end or spending 5 hours on a Sunday trying to prep for the week does NOT have to be the answer. (In reality, no one has time for that anyways!)
Nourishing your body does not have to be complicated! If you are looking for more tips, tricks, and a better understanding of how to come back to the basics & uncomplicate nutrition, check out the Real Food Reset.. It's the perfect place to start!
P.S. Here are few more home-made snack ideas for you to check out: