No Added Sugar Snacks
We are all tempted by sweet snacks during the holidays and at other times during the year. What follows are some suggestions to quench your desire for a sweet snack with a healthier approach with less sugar. Mixing food groups, colors and textures adds to the reason to give them a try. Healthier foods will keep down blood sugar spikes and provide fiber and added nutrients.
Fiber in foods helps to stick to glucose and slow its realize into the blood stream which also helps feed the biome in our gut. Here are seven snacks to try.
- Greek yogurt with nuts and berries. This yogurt in a non sweetened form provide a good source of protein and calcium. Add unsweetened berries like blueberries or strawberries and nuts like walnuts or cashews. You can also add seeds too.
- Cut veggies with hummus which is pureed garbanzo beans and tahini (sesame seeds in a paste form). Use sliced carrots, sweet peppers, cucumbers, and even sliced, peeled rutabaga to scoop up the humus. You’ll get plenty of fiber and nutrition.
- Apples and peanut butter – slice some apple and leave on the skin which contain a fiber, pectin. Crisp apples go well with peanut butter. Avoid the peanut butter with added sugar and go for “natural”. Enjoy the protein and healthy fats.
- Hard boiled eggs with grapes. The eggs provide a good source of protein and other health nutrients and the grapes provide some sweetness and fiber. Not a fan of eggs… substitute string cheese.
- Homemade energy balls. Mashed pitted dates (sweet and fiber) with unsweetened cocoa powder, and crushed nuts like walnuts, almonds, or hazelnuts. Combine the ingredients and roll into small balls about 1 inch in diameter. Roll them in unsweetened shredded coconut for even more flavor.
- Chocolate Avocado pudding. This is different. See recipe below.
- Chia seed pudding. Soak chia seeds in an unsweetened milk of your choice (dairy, almond, oat, etc) for a few hours. You’ll have a thickened pudding. Good source of fiber and nutrients. Top off or mix with nuts or fruit. Get the protein from dairy milk or protein fortified plant milk. Try about .25cup of the chia and 1.5 cups of liquid for good consistency. Mix thoroughly to break up clumps.
Chocolate Avocado pudding
- 16 Medjool dates, pitted and coarsely chopped
- 3 ripe avocados
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk or coconut milk beverage
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup or agave nectar
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of sea salt, plus more for garnish
- Top off with some raspberries for eye appeal
Directions
- Soak dates in 1 cup hot water until soft, 5 to 10 minutes. Drain.
- Process the dates, avocados, milk beverage, cocoa, maple syrup (or agave), oil, vanilla and a pinch of salt in a food processor until very smooth and creamy. Refrigerate until cold, about 3 hours and serve with a little sprinkle of sea salt if desired.