Delicious and Nutritious Snack and Smoothie Ideas
Following on from my last blog earlier this month, I thought Iβd put together this handy guide with some delicious smoothie and snack recipes.
Smoothies are a great way to cram a shed load of vitamins and nutrients into one meal and are the perfect breakfast substitute for those busy mornings. They're also ridiculously easy to make: it's usually just a case of whizzing everything together in a blender, and they typically take less than two minutes.
Unlike many shop-bought smoothies which are high in processed sugars and ingredients, homemade smoothies are naturally more vitamin-rich and high in fibre because they're freshly made to be consumed straight away.
The same can be said for snacks. The average person gets approximately a quarter of their total daily calories from snacks alone. One of the healthiest things you can do is become an intelligent snacker, which starts by making your own.
So whether you're craving something sweet or salty, fresh or baked, there are countless healthy snack recipes that are perfect for the entire family and will leave you feeling satisfied and fuller for longer than your average shop-bought snacks.
Berry Mint Smoothie (Serves 1)
This smoothie from Kayla Itsines is super-simple and flavoursome and is packed to the brim with micronutrients, making it the perfect start to any morning. While the recipe doesn't include protein powder, you can add this to it if you'd prefer: it's just recommended to add an extra 50ml liquid to stop the smoothie from having a gluey consistency. Another tip is to freeze your bananas when they're brown and ripe: just peel them and pop them into the freezer. It produces a sweeter, more delicious smoothie.
2 tbsp natural Greek yoghurt
A handful of spinach leaves
6-8 mint leaves
1 large frozen banana
60g frozen raspberries or mixed berries
5 ice cubes
250ml milk alternative
DIRECTIONS
1. Place all the ingredients into a blender or food processor and blitz until smooth. You may need to stir the mixture or give the blender a little shake to encourage the ingredients to combine. The end result should be a thick, creamy, delicious smoothie packed with flavour.
Pine-Lime Smoothie (Serves 1)
This smoothie is particularly delicious, as pineapple and lime are a flavour combination made in heaven! Pineapple is naturally loaded with nutrients and antioxidants, and limes are rich in vitamin C, so not only is this smoothie delicious, but it's also got some fantastic health benefits.
170g peeled pineapple, chopped
Lime juice, to taste
30g rolled oats
190ml milk alternative
50g low-fat plain yoghurt
15g protein powder (optional)
3 passionfruit halves
DIRECTIONS
1. Place the pineapple, lime juice, oats, milk alternative, yoghurt, and protein powder (if using) in a sturdy blender and blitz until smooth.
2. To serve, pour into a glass and stir through the passionfruit pulp.
Banana Peanut Butter No-Churn Ice Cream (Serves 1)
Both sweet and nutty, this ice cream is so delicious and easy to make that it should be illegal. It makes for a more natural dessert or summer snack and is super handy to have in the freezer after a tough day when all you want to do is just watch Netflix and stuff your face.
The quantities below serve 1 but can be easily adapted to make bigger batches.
2 medium peeled bananas, frozen
1 heaped tbsp peanut butter
3 tbsp milk or milk alternative
1. Pop the ingredients into a blender or food processor and blitz until smooth. You might need to remove the blender lid and stir the ingredients once or twice to help them to combine.
2. Serve immediately for a soft-serve texture, or freeze to achieve a more traditional ice cream consistency.
Choco Banana Pops (Makes 4 pops)
These healthy chocolate-covered banana pops are made with just two ingredients and are a simple treat the entire year-round. Chocolate covered bananas were the ultimate childhood treat, and theyβre just as tasty as an adult! They are so simple to make that itβs a great recipe to get kids involved, too.
2 large bananas, peeled and halved lengthways
150g dark chocolate (minimum 70% cocoa solids), chopped
Additional toppings:
Unsweetened desiccated coconut
Chopped nuts
Chocolate chips
DIRECTIONS
1. Pop each banana half on the end of a lolly stick and line a baking tray with foil.
2. Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water: make sure the bottom of the bowl doesnβt touch the water. Alternatively, you can heat the chocolate in the microwave on high in 30-second bursts.
3. Fully immerse the bananas in the melted chocolate, turn them to make sure they're completely covered, and place them on a foil-lined tray.
4. Sprinkle over the toppings of your choice, and then transfer them to the freezer for at least an hour before serving.
