When life is full with work, hobbies, dashing around – after children or with other caring responsibilities, it can be tricky to keep your energy levels up and hunger at bay. And there are other reasons you might reach for a snack: perhaps you simply fancy something delicious.
We asked award-winning registered nutritionist Dr Laura Wyness and Consultant dietitian Juliet Wilson to whip up some recipes for delicious and healthy snacks, that are quick and easy to make at home. As Juliet Points out, many people don’t have lots of time, nor the finances to buy exotic or expensive ingredients. A quick, easy and inexpensive snack is ideal. Ideally, snacks will also be as healthy as possible too: low in salt, sugar and unhealthy fats. That is why picking one of these recipes to try, instead of more processed options, can help boost your energy levels and bring all sorts of other health benefits too.
Great Green Dip:
Enjoy this tasty dip on toast or crackers. Edamame beans and peas are high in protein that supports muscles and bone health. It’s also a great source of fibre to feed your gut microbes. A healthy gut microbiome has many health benefits such as better digestion and a stronger immune system.
Serves two. Ready in 15 minutes. The spread will keep, covered, in the fridge for up to three days.
Ingredients:
• 130g frozen edamame beans
• 100g frozen green peas
• 1 tablespoon tahini
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 spring onion (or half a shallot)
• 1 tablespoon rapeseed or olive oil
• Optional seasoning – chilli flakes, parsley, mint or chives.
Method:
1. Boil the edamame beans and peas together for about 5 minutes until cooked. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool them.
2. Add the beans, peas and all other ingredients into a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. You can also mash them with a fork or potato masher.
3. Spread on toast, wholemeal crackers or oatcakes and enjoy!
Mini Mackerel Frittatas:
Ideal as a morning, high protein snack, mini mackerel frittatas provide a range of key vitamins and minerals, including useful B-vitamins that help reduce tiredness and fatigue. As an oil-rich fish, mackerel is high in omega-3 fatty acids that are beneficial for heart health and brain function.
Makes six mini frittatas. Ready in 30 minutes. These store well in the fridge for up to three days (covered), or can be frozen – so are great to batch cook.
Ingredients:
• 6 medium eggs
• 1 spring onion
• 1 handful of green leafy veg like spinach or kale
• 100g smoked mackerel, flaked
• 1 tablespoon cottage cheese (or low fat cream cheese)
• Oil spray for greasing muffin tin
• Optional seasoning – eg dried Italian herbs, chives, parsley, black pepper.
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C / fan 160°C / gas mark 4.
2. Spray six muffin tray holes with oil.
3. Whisk the eggs and add your preferred seasoning.
4. Add the cheese and mix through.
5. Stir in the vegetables and flaked mackerel.
6. Pour into the muffin tray and bake for 18-20 minutes.
7. Enjoy warm or cold.
Pick-Me-Up Energy Balls:
Looking for something sweet mid-afternoon? Dates and sultanas provide natural sweetness, so there’s no need for added sugar. The oats, almonds and seeds in these energy balls provide a range of plant fibres that feed your gut microbes – and help stabilise your blood sugar levels, to avoid big fluctuations in energy levels.
Makes about 15-20 balls. Ready in 15-20 minutes. Can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
Ingredients:
• 14 dates, stones removed (as an alternative you can use sultanas)
• 6 tablespoons ground almonds
• Splash of water
• 4 tablespoons oats
• Half a carrot, finely grated
• Half a teaspoon cinnamon or mixed spice
• Sesame seeds to coat the balls.
Method;
1. Put the pitted dates (or sultanas) and ground almonds into a food processor or blender, along with a splash of water. Mix until it’s a sticky mixture.
2. Add the oats and spices, then mix again.
3. Stir through the grated carrot until you have a mixture that can be formed easily into balls.
4. Pour out some sesame seeds into a bowl. Roll the mixture into balls about an inch in diameter. Roll in seeds to coat and enjoy straight away or store away in an airtight container for up to a week.
Salsa Boiled Eggs:
Homemade salsa is very quick and easy to make. It needs minimal cooking equipment, just a stove, a knife and a chopping board. Better still, the ingredients will keep for several days in the fridge, so you can prepare in bulk and take one portion at a time.
Makes three portions. Ready in 10 minutes. Keeps in the fridge, covered, for up to three days.
Ingredients:
• 6 medium eggs
• 1 red onion
• 2 large garlic cloves (or to taste)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Juice of 1 lime
• Black pepper
• Fresh coriander, roughly chopped (optional)
• One-quarter green chilli chopped small (add to taste)
Method:
1. Bring a pan of water to boil, reduce the heat and add the eggs. Simmer for about six minutes. Drain the hot water and leave the eggs to cool. Peel the eggs once cool.
2. Roughly chop the tomatoes and red onion. Chop the garlic and chilli into small pieces (wash your hands after handling chilli!) and add to the tomatoes and onion. Set aside in a container.
3. Squeeze the lime, adding its juice and the olive oil to other ingredients in the container. Add black pepper to taste and sprinkle chopped coriander generously on top.
4. When you are ready to eat, put about one-third of the salsa on a plate, slice two eggs into the salsa and enjoy!
Hummus and Veggies with Seeded Flatbread:
This snack is very simple to put together and provides a good sustained dose of energy. It is also rich in fibre and healthy fats – as well as vitamin A, C and folate. Individuals with gluten intolerance can swap the flatbread for a gluten free option.
Makes one portion. Ready in minutes. The hummus will keep, covered, in the fridge for up to three days.
Ingredients:
• 40g hummus
• 100g carrots, peeled
• 80g red pepper, washed and thickly sliced
• 1 x 35g multigrain flatbread
(available from most supermarkets)
Method:
1. Weigh or estimate a 40g portion of humus and add to the plate.
2. Prepare vegetables by slicing them into strips and add to the plate.
3. Lightly toast the flatbread and add to other ingredients.
4. Now you can scoop up the humus with the vegetable strips and chunks of flatbread. Enjoy!
Bedtime Milk:
It used to be very common to have a hot milky drink just before bed, but it’s one of the food traditions that seems to have faded from our culture recently. Milk isn’t the popular drink it once was, but it may have some benefits thanks to tryptophan, an essential amino acid that supports the production of two important hormones in the brain that boost moods and prepare us for sleep.
Makes one cup. Ready in 2 minutes.
Ingredients:
• 300ml of milk
• A tiny pinch of ground turmeric (0.5g)
• A tiny pinch of ginger (0.5g)
• A small pinch of ground cinnamon (1g)
• 1 tsp honey
• A drop of vanilla extract.
Method:
1. Put the milk and spices in a pan and warm through – do not boil.
2. Add the honey and vanilla extract and whisk together.
3. Pour into your favourite mug and enjoy!
