Eating healthy snacks doesn’t have to be a difficult task. On the contrary, it is possible to eat healthy, delicious and very practical foods. In everyday life, fitness snacks are an ideal option, as they are fast foods and help you maintain your diet.
Mexican Pizza with 15-Minute Refried Beans
MAKES 4 PIZZAS, WITH EXTRA BEANS
PREP TIME: 15 (not including time to make Pepperjack Cheese Sauce)
ACTIVE TIME: 25
15-minute refried beans
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
3 15-ounce cans pinto beans, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons liquid aminos (or gluten-free tamari; use coconut aminos to be soy-free)
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ancho chile powder
1½ teaspoons ground coriander
¾ teaspoon smoked paprika
½ cup low-sodium vegetable broth
3 tablespoons canned diced green chiles
2 tablespoons lime juice
Salt and black pepper to taste
pizzas
4 flour tortillas (rice flour or corn tortillas to make them gluten-free; if using corn tortillas, use 2 per person)
Pepperjack Cheese Sauce
1 cup chopped fresh tomatoes
½ cup sliced pitted black olives, optional
Optional toppings: sliced avocado, chopped or shredded greens of your choice, chopped green onions, Pickled Red Cabbage & Onion Relish
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F . Line one or two baking sheets with aluminum foil or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
2. To make the refried beans: Heat the olive oil in a large shallow saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until just translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the beans, liquid aminos, cumin, chile powder, coriander, paprika, and broth. Cook for about 5 minutes, until heated through and about half of the liquid has been absorbed.
3. Add the green chiles and lime juice and remove from the heat. Transfer to a food processor and pulse until the beans are mostly smooth with some chunks. Add salt and pepper.
4. To make the pizzas: Spread out the tortillas on the baking sheets. Spread refried beans generously over each one. Drizzle the cheese sauce over the beans and sprinkle the chopped tomatoes and olives (if using) over each pizza. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the tortillas are crispy.
5. Top the pizzas with your additional toppings and serve immediately. Leftover beans can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for 5 to 6 days or frozen for up to 2 months. When reheating, you may need to add a few tablespoons of broth or water to thin them out again.
Potato Leek Soup
SERVES 4 TO 6
PREP TIME: 15 minutes (not including time to make Quick Bacon Crumbles)
ACTIVE TIME: 25 minutes
INACTIVE TIME: 15 minutes
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 leeks, thinly sliced (white and light green parts)
1 garlic clove, minced
2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, chopped
2 teaspoons dried rosemary
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 teaspoon ground sage
3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
2 cups water
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast, optional
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon liquid smoke
Salt and black pepper to taste
Chopped green onions, optional
1. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the leeks and sauté until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for another minute. Add the potatoes, rosemary, thyme, sage, broth, and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Turn off the heat.
2. Add the nutritional yeast, lemon juice, and liquid smoke. Use an immersion blender to blend the soup until smooth (or mostly smooth with a few potato chunks—your call). Alternatively, you can transfer the soup in batches to a blender and carefully blend until smooth.
3. Add salt and pepper. Serve topped with bacon crumbles and green onions, if desired. Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 5 to 6 days.
Healthy Snacks: Quick Cauliflower Curry
SERVES 4 TO 6
PREP TIME: 20 minutes
ACTIVE TIME: 15 minutes
INACTIVE TIME: 10 minutes
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon curry powder
2 teaspoons garam masala
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
1 medium (1-pound head cauliflower, broken into florets
8 ounces cremini mushrooms (or button mushrooms), sliced
One 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
One 15-ounce can no-salt-added fire-roasted diced tomatoes
3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 cup plain coconut yogurt (preferably unsweetened)
Salt and black pepper to taste
Chopped fresh cilantro, optional
Chopped cashews, optional (see Variation)
Cooked rice (or vegan bread)
1. Heat the coconut oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and ginger and sauté until the onion is just becoming translucent. Add the curry powder, garam masala, coriander, cumin, and turmeric and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
2. Add the cauliflower, mushrooms, chickpeas, tomatoes and their liquid, and the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cover. Cook for about 10 minutes, then remove the lid and cook for about 5 minutes more. Stir in the yogurt and cook for a few minutes, until heated through. Add salt and pepper and remove from the heat.
3. Top with chopped cilantro and/or cashews, if desired, and serve with rice or bread. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 to 5 days.
VARIATION
To make this nut-free, switch out the cashews with pepitas (pumpkin seeds) or sesame seeds.
BBQ Chickpea Salad
SERVES 2 TO 4
PREP TIME: 20 minutes (not including time to make Avocado Ranch Dressing and Pickled Red Cabbage & Onion Relish)
ACTIVE TIME: 15 minutes
3 cups cooked chickpeas (or two 15-ounce, rinsed and drained)
2 tablespoons liquid aminos (use coconut aminos to be soy-free)
⅔ cup vegan barbecue sauce (homemade or store-bought)
1 large head romaine lettuce, chopped
1 cup shredded red cabbage
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1 cup sliced nectarines (or sliced peaches or chopped mango)
½ cup grated carrot
Avocado Ranch Dressing
Toasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
Pickled Red Cabbage & Onion Relish
1. Heat a large shallow saucepan over medium heat. Add the chick-peas and liquid aminos and cook, stirring a couple of times, until the liquid has been absorbed, 2 to 3 minutes.
2. Add ⅓ cup of the barbecue sauce and toss to coat. Cook until the sauce has thickened and caramelized, and all the liquid has been absorbed. Add the remaining barbecue sauce and cook until the sauce has thickened and caramelized again. Remove from the heat.
3. In a large bowl, toss together the lettuce, red cabbage, cherry tomatoes, nectarine slices, and carrots. Divide the salad among four bowls and top with the chickpeas. Top with dressing, a sprinkling of the pepitas, and a scoop of the relish. Serve immediately. Leftover beans will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
Healthy Snacks: Spicy Sesame Soba Noodle Bowl
SERVES 4 TO 6
PREP TIME: 15 minutes
ACTIVE TIME: 30 minutes
1 bunch broccoli, chopped into florets
2 tablespoons sesame oil
Salt and pepper to taste
¾ cup tahini (gluten-free if necessary)
3 tablespoons tamari (gluten-free if necessary)
2 tablespoons brown rice vinegar
1 to 2 tablespoons sriracha (or other hot sauce)
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon garlic powder
One 12-ounce package buckwheat soba noodles (or vegan angel hair pasta or spaghetti; gluten-free if necessary)
1½ cups frozen shelled edamame
2 large carrots, peeled and julienned
Sesame seeds
Chopped green onions (green and white parts)
1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Spread out the broccoli on the sheet and drizzle with the sesame oil, then add salt and pepper. Toss to fully coat. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until tender with slightly crispy edges, tossing once halfway through. Remove from the oven and set aside.
2. While the broccoli is roasting, fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil.
3. While you’re waiting for the water to boil, you can make the sauce: Combine the tahini, tamari, vinegar, sriracha, maple syrup, ginger, and garlic powder in a medium bowl and stir until combined and smooth. Set aside.
4. Once the water is boiling, add the noodles and cook according to the package instructions until al dente. About 1 minute after you add the noodles to the water, add the edamame. Once the noodles are done, drain and rinse the noodles and edamame with cold water, then drain again. Transfer to a large serving bowl. Stir in the sauce. Add the carrots and roasted broccoli and stir to combine. Serve topped with sesame seeds and green onions. Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 1 to 2 days.
