Our beauty blogger Catherine McCurry takes a look at different way of eating healthy snacks
Taking your first few steps into choosing a healthy and fit lifestyle will be the biggest test to see how dedicated and determined you are about making this change to your life.
Exercising and healthy food is key to a better lifestyle but it can be difficult to know what to have as your replacement snack foods.
It’s easy to find healthy meal recipes online and in books but what about in-between meals because this is the easiest time to reach for a chocolate bar or packet of crisps to quell that midday and post-lunch hunger.
However, the next time you find yourself in the aisle with all the chocolate bars, you will also find nuts – go for these instead.
Almonds and pistachios have a high fibre content which will stop you from feeling hungry. Almonds are also full of vitamin E and protein while pistachios – which are lower in calories – are high in protein and fibre.
Cashew nuts are great for protein too and taste good mixed through a salad and gives it a nice crunch.
Instead of buying a mixed bag of nuts, purchase a small container and keep your own choice of mixed nuts in this for your snack craving.
For something different try these home-made recipes and they will last you four to five days.
Quinoa rice crispy squares
Recipe one: Taken from naturalbornfeeder.com
These are very easy to make and taste really good. Almond can be bought from Tesco and usually costs under £2.40. Quinoa pops are available from most health food stores and this recipe makes 12 large squares so it will last you a few days.
– Five heaped tbsp of almond butter
– One cup of maple syrup/agave
– 3.5 cups of quinoa pops
– 1.5 scoops of vanilla whey protein for flavour
Simple and quick method: Melt the almond butter and sweetener in a saucepan at a very low heat – ensuring that it doesn’t come to the boil – until it is a runny liquid.
Remove from the heat and add in quinoa pops and protein and mix until it is all covered. Spoon evenly until a lined baking tray.
Place in the oven and bake for ten minutes to golden the top and leave aside to set. Leave at least two hours before you cut it into squares.
Chocolate protein balls:
Recipe two: Taken from thepeanutbuttergirl.com
Another simple and quick to make and doesn’t involve cooking. Prefect to have with a cup of tea or coffee or for a chocolate craving.
– Two tbsp of organic crunchy peanut butter
– 30g desiccated coconut
– One scoop of protein powder
– Three tbsp ran honey/maple syrup
1/2 cup of oats
Measure out all you ingredients and put into a free standing mixer and mix until well combined. Then wet your hands with cold water and mould the mixture into truffle sized balls.
Roll the ball in some desiccated coconut and place them all onto a baking tray and into the freezer to set for three to four hours. Keep the fresh in the fridge and enjoy.
