Put down the chips and candy for a healthy snack option that will keep you satisfied until your next meal. Check below for some healthy ideas and recipes the whole family will love!

1. 1 cup of frozen grapes, stick in the freezer for 2+ hours
2. 1 bell pepper with 2 tablespoons of hummus
3. 1 cup grilled pineapple- 2 ¼ inch pineapple rings, sprinkle with chili powder for some extra kick! Grill 2-3 minutes per side.
4. 2 cups Kale Chips, see recipe below
5. 1 cup mixed berry salad- raspberries, strawberries, blueberries and/or blackberries, tossed with one tablespoon fresh-squeezed lemon, lime or orange juice.
6. 1 cup DIY banana chips, see recipe below
7. 1 cup DIY apple chips, see recipe below
8. 6-8 four inch carrot sticks with 2 tablespoons hummus
9. 25 pistachios
10. 1 medium cucumber with 2 tablespoons of hummus
11. 3 Spices Almond-Date Balls, see recipe below
12. 1 Spiced orange- one orange sprinkled with cinnamon
13. 1 small sliced apple with 2 tablespoons cashew butter
14. 1/2 cup of roasted chickpeas, see recipe below
15. 14 walnut halves
16. ¼ cup pumpkin seeds, see recipes below for 3 different flavors
17. 1 small banana with 2 tablespoons almond butter
18. 1-2 hard boiled eggs
19. ¼ cup of almonds
20. 3 Mediterranean Cucumber Roll Ups, see recipe below
21. 1 celery stalk with 1 Tablespoon of natural peanut butter
22. 1/4-1/2 cup of homemade trail mix- use any or all of the following favorites: almonds, cashews, pistachios, walnuts, sunflower seeds, DIY pumpkin seeds, banana chips or apple chips (see recipes below)
23. Sweet Potato Fries- one sliced light-bulb sized sweet potato, tossed with 1 teaspoon olive oil, bake at 400° for 10 minutes.
24. Crunchy Curried Tuna Salad- mix ½ cup canned tuna, 1 teaspoon curry powder, 1 tablespoon chopped red onion and one rib of chopped celery
25. Lemony Avocado with Endive Dippers- mash 1/3 cups chopped avocado with 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Serve with 6-7 endive leaves.
26. Cucumber Salad- one large sliced cucumber with 2 tablespoons chopped red onion and 2 tablespoons apple-cider vinegar.
27. Chick Pea Salad- ¼ cup chickpeas with 1 tablespoon sliced scallions, a squeeze of lemon juice and ¼ cup diced tomatoes.
28. Grilled Garlic Corn on the Cob- one small-sized ear, brushed with 1 teaspoon sautéd minced garlic and 1 teaspoon olive oil, grill until tender.
29. Carrot and Raisin Salad- 1 cup shaved carrots with 2 tablespoons raisins and 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar.
30. Strawberry Salad-1 cup raw spinach with ½ cup sliced strawberries and 1 tablespoon balsamic.

Banana Chips

• 4 bananas
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• ½ pack stevia

1.  Preheat oven to 215 degrees F

2.  Slice up bananas into ¼ inch slices *the thinner the better

3.  Mix sliced bananas with lemon juice & stevia

4.  Lay bananas on lightly greased (olive oil spray) sheet; I lined mine with parchment paper

5.  Bake for 1 ½ hours, then flip and bake for another 1 ½ to 2 hours

6.  Let cool on rack, store in an airtight container

Apple Chips

• 2 large apples
• cinnamon
• Stevia (optional)

1.  Preheat your oven to 200 degrees and line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

2.  Using a potato slicer or mandolin, slice your apples.

3.  Lay them evenly across your cookie sheet and sprinkle liberally with cinnamon.

4.  Bake at 200 degrees for 3 hours, then turn the oven off and keep them in the oven for another hour.

Spiced Almond-Date Balls

• 1¼ cup gluten-free rolled oats
• 1¼ cup chopped pitted dates
• ½ cup no-salt added unsweetened almond butter
• 1 teaspoon pure almond extract
• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

1.  Place oats, dates, almond butter, almond extract, ginger and nutmeg in a food processor and process until smooth and sticking together. Drizzle in 2 to 3 tablespoons hot water so that the mixture comes into a ball.

2.  Using a teaspoon, scoop out a heaping spoonful of the mixture. Roll into a ball, pressing firmly so that it sticks together. Chill bites until ready to serve.

3.  Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 1 week.

Roasted Chickpeas

• 2 can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• dash of garlic powder
• dash of cayenne pepper (optional)
• dash of sea salt

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  After draining and rinsing the chickpeas, place them in a single layer on a paper towel and dry by layering another paper towel overtop.

2.  Place dry chickpeas in a bowl and mix in olive oil and spices, stir.

3.  Place chickpeas in a single layer on a baking sheet with sides since they need to be shaken a little during cooking.

4.  Bake for about 35 to 45 minutes (or until crunchy), shaking the baking sheet about every 10 minutes. They do brown quickly so keep an eye on them during the last 10 minutes of baking.

Homemade Pumpkin Seeds in 3 Flavors

Salt & Pepper

• 1 cup raw pumpkin seeds
• 1 teaspoon coconut oil, melted
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Savory Curry

• 1 cup raw pumpkin seeds
• 1 teaspoon coconut oil, melted
• 1 & 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

Sweet Cinnamon

• 1 cup raw pumpkin seeds
• 1 teaspoon coconut oil, melted
• 1 teaspoon maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

Prep the Pumpkin Seeds:

1.  Scrape with either your hands or a spoon and removed the seeds from the pumpkin. Try to leave as much of the stringy pumpkin flesh aside and place the seeds in a large bowl.

2.  Cover the seeds with fresh water and, using your hands, massage off the remaining pumpkin flesh. Once they’re mostly clean, strain the seeds in a colander and set aside.

3.  Bring a pot with 2-3 inches of water plus 1/2 teaspoon sea salt to a boil over medium/high heat. Add the seeds to the water once it’s boiling and let them simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes.

4.  After the 10 minutes are up, strain the seeds from the hot water and pat dry with paper towels. Note that the seeds may stick to the towels and this is normal. Just scrape them off and continue.

5.  Preheat the oven to 325 F. Set the seeds in a small mixing bowl and add your flavors!

Salt & Pepper

1.  Add the coconut oil, salt and pepper to the pumpkin seeds and stir until each seed is evenly coated.

2.  Transfer to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and spread them out into one even layer.

3.  Bake at 325 F for 20-22 minutes, or until the skins have a slight crunch.

Savory Curry

1.  Add the coconut oil, curry powder and sea salt to the pumpkin seeds and stir until each seed is evenly coated.

2.  Transfer to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and spread them out into one even layer.

3.  Bake at 325 F for 20-22 minutes, or until the skins have a slight crunch.

Sweet Cinnamon

1.  Add the coconut oil, maple syrup, cinnamon and sea salt to the pumpkin seeds and stir until each seed is evenly coated.

2.  Transfer to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and spread them out into one even layer.

3.  Bake at 325 F for 20-22 minutes, or until the skins have a slight crunch.

Mediterranean Cucumber Roll-Ups

• 1 large cucumber
• ⅛ tsp. ground black pepper
• 6 tbsp. roasted garlic hummus
• 6 tbsp. roasted red pepper, chopped (or sun-dried tomatoes)
• 3 tbsp. crumbled feta cheese

1.  Use a vegetable peeler to shave off long, thin slices of cucumber. You could also cut the cucumber into thin slices using a knife. Don’t use the inner slices of cucumber that are full of seeds. You should get around 12 usable slices off of one cucumber.

2.  Sprinkle each slice of cucumber with a pinch of black pepper. Evenly spread about 1½ tsp. of hummus on each cucumber slice. Sprinkle 1½ tsp. of chopped red pepper and ¾ tsp. of crumbled feta on each slice.

3.  Pick up one end of the cucumber slice and roll the cucumber around the filling. End with the seam on the bottom and secure with a toothpick. Don’t try to roll them up too tight or the filling will squeeze out.

Kale Chips

• 1 medium bunch kale
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, more or less to taste

1.  Preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.

2.  Wash kale leaves and dry very well.

3.  Using a paring knife or kitchen scissors, trim out the ribs and discard. Cut the remaining kale into approximately two-inch pieces.

4.  Place kale in a large bowl and toss gently but thoroughly, making sure that every last bit of kale leaf is coated with olive oil.

5.  Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Lay kale in a single layer on the baking sheet and sprinkle with salt. (If you have more kale than baking sheet, you may need to cook them in batches).

6.  Bake for 8 – 12 minutes, just until crisp. Start checking at 8 minutes – don’t overcook!

7.  Remove from oven and let cool for a minute or two, then serve.

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