Category: Healthy Snacks

Superfood Dark Chocolate and Fruit Bark

Superfood Dark Chocolate and Fruit Bark Main Image

Sometimes a rich piece of dark chocolate is all it takes to satisfy the craving for something sweet. In today’s recipe for superfood dark chocolate and fruit bark we are going to up the ante with a dose of chia seeds and fresh fruit to add a heap of health boosting antioxidants and omega 3’s to the chocolate.

I didn’t realize how truly easy it is to make homemade chocolate bark until now. All you do is choose your add ons and melt some chocolate. let it set in the refrigerator and you have a beautiful dessert in under an hour.

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Superfood Dark Chocolate and Fruit Bark

Superfood Dark Chocolate and Fruit Bark

Ingredients

  • 24 oz dark chocolate chips
  • 1/3 c cherries, pitted and chopped
  • 1/3 c blackberries, halved
  • 1/3 c raspberries, halved
  • 1 tbsp chia seeds
  • 1 tbsp unsalted sunflower kernels
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt

Instructions

  1. Line a 9x13 baking sheet with wax paper.
  2. In a microwave safe bowl, melt chocolate chips working in 30 second increments until melted stirring occasionally.
  3. Pour chocolate chips into pan and spread to edges.
  4. Top with cherries, raspberries, blackberries, chia seeds, sunflower kernels and sea salt. Gently press into chocolate. Refrigerate 30 minutes or until solid. Use a butter knife to break into pieces.
  5. Store in airtight container in refrigerator.
http://freshandfit.org/superfood-dark-chocolate-fruit-bark/

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Maple, Cinnamon and Almond Glazed Chickpeas

Maple Cinnamon and Almond Chickpeas

If you have ever had those delicious roasted nuts that they sell at carnivals, you will love today’s recipe for Maple, Cinnamon and Almond Glazed Chickpeas. It is a healthy take on those sweet and aromatic nuts. We are using high protein chickpeas and glazing them in real maple syrup for sweetness, then adding almond extract and cinnamon to season them. Your house will smell awesome and you will have a sweet and crunchy snack to curb cravings without reaching for something unhealthy. I recommend doubling the recipe because these won’t last long!

 

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Maple, Cinnamon and Almond Glazed Chickpeas

Maple, Cinnamon and Almond Glazed Chickpeas

Ingredients

  • 1 can chickpeas
  • 1/4 c maple syrup
  • 1/2 tsp almond extract
  • 1 tsp cinnamon

Instructions

  1. Drain and rinse chickpeas.
  2. Spread out chickpeas and allow them to dry on a paper towel 30 minutes.
  3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Like a baking skeet with foil or parchment paper. Spread chickpeas on baking sheet.
  4. Bake 30 minutes. If chickpeas are not yet crunchy, bake an additional 10 minutes.
  5. Combine maple syrup, cinnamon and almond extract in a bowl. Add hot chickpeas and gently stir to coat.
  6. Spread chickpeas back on baking sheet. Bake 5 minutes longer.
http://freshandfit.org/maple-cinnamon-and-almond-glazed-chickpeas/

Maple, Cinnamon, Almond Chickpeas

 

Baked Apple Holiday Nachos

Baked Apple Holiday Nachos 1

In the weeks between Thanksgiving and January 1st, most of us gain weight without even trying. We indulge in the nostalgic dishes of the season and fill our glasses with festive punches, ciders and spiked nog. It’s the holidays, a time of togetherness and joy. The clinking of glasses and celebrating the excitement of a new year. Until we come to a screeching halt on January 2nd and suddenly we are wearing a different size pants than we were back in October.

This year, go into the holidays with a festive dessert recipe that won’t pile on the pounds. This recipe for Baked Apple Nachos is a festive take on my traditional Apple Chips. These addictive crispy apples  get topped with a drizzle of melted butterscotch, dark chocolate, and toasted hazelnuts for a crowd pleasing dish that doesn’t scream “healthy!” This recipe is also a great snack idea for kids and makes the house smell absolutely incredible.

Don’t be afraid to indulge this season, but keep a few recipes like this in your back pocket to keep things balanced.

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Baked Apple Holiday Nachos

Baked Apple Holiday Nachos

Ingredients

  • 3 large apples
  • 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/3 c butterscotch chips
  • 1/3 c dark chocolate chips
  • 1/3 c roasted hazelnuts, coarsely chopped

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 200. Line 2-3 baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. Using a mandolin slicer or sharp knife, thinly slice apples and spread out on baking sheets. Remove any seeds.
  3. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Bake apples in oven 1 hour.
  4. Carefully flip apples. Bake 1 hour longer. Allow to cool in oven to room temperature. If you are going to do another batch, put that batch in the oven now.
  5. Toast hazelnuts in a small pan over medium heat, about 5 minutes.
  6. Coarsely chop hazelnuts.
  7. Melt butterscotch chips in microwave in a glass bowl working in 30 second intervals. Stir.
  8. Melt chocolate chips in microwave in a small glass bowl also in 30 second intervals. Stir.
  9. Arrange apple slices on serving platter. Drizzle with chocolate, butterscotch and chopped hazelnuts.
http://freshandfit.org/baked-apple-holiday-nachos/

Strawberry Banana Protein Ice Cream with Toasted Coconut

strawberry banana ice cream with coconut

What would summer be without an ice cream recipe? And since this is Fresh and Fit, it has to be a healthy yummy frozen dream. Something with fresh fruit, toasty goodness and a light creaminess. That is what you will find in this strawberry banana protein ice cream with toasted coconut. That’s right, protein! You will be adding a scoop of your favorite vanilla protein powder to this recipe. The end result is a light and frosty not heavy ice cream, or icy cream if you will, that you can eat in a cone or right out of a bowl. It satisfies the sweet and creamy craving with a little toasty crunch from the coconut. You aren’t regretting eating ice cream and you are satisfied; a win win if you ask me!

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Strawberry Banana Protein Ice Cream with Toasted Coconut

Yield: 4-6 servings

Strawberry Banana Protein Ice Cream with Toasted Coconut

Ingredients

  • 5 ripe frozen strawberries (freeze strawberries 2 hours or overnight)
  • 1/2 a ripe frozen banana (freeze 2 hours or overnight)
  • 2 c unsweetened almond milk
  • 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
  • 4 tbsp unsweetened coconut flakes

Instructions

  1. In a blender, combine all ingredients. Blend until smooth.
  2. Pour into small glass tupperware. Cover and freeze for 1 hour.
  3. Remove from freezer and stir, scraping sides. Return to freezer for 3 more hours.
  4. Heat a small pan over medium heat. Add coconut flakes and toast for 3-5 minutes, until just lightly golden brown.
  5. Once frozen, use an ice cream scoop to scoop out ice cream. Top with toasted coconut.
http://freshandfit.org/strawberry-banana-protein-ice-cream-with-toasted-coconut/

Strawberry Banana Protein Ice Cream