29 comments

Paula Hendricks

Healthy (Yummy) Snack Ideas

Posted on 03.17.10 by Paula Hendricks | Twitter: @PaulaWrites678
Topics: Homefront

I have a problem. I like to snack. No . . . I think I need to snack.

I think it all started when I was a teen. Lovely summer afternoons were spent on my bed with a couple fiction books and a two-pound bag of Wildberry Skittles.

My Wildberry Skittle days are over, but I’m still a snacker. In fact, as I prepare for next week’s True Woman Conference, I’m already thinking about what healthy snacks I’ll bring, and Energy Bars and Humus came to mind right away. You might enjoy making them, too: 

Energy Bars (recipe from Joann Archer)
1 cup honey
1 cup crunchy peanut butter (I might try almond butter this time)
5 cups Quick cooking oats
6 ounces mini semi-sweet chocolate chips (I’m going to leave these out, but in the past I’ve enjoyed using butterscotch chips.)

Mix honey and peanut butter together. Stir in oats and chocolate chips. Spread in a 9x13 pan and chill for about a half an hour. Cut into squares.  

And here’s a recipe for humus from “The World’s Healthiest Foods” by George Mateljan. By the way, I’m borrowing this book from a friend, but I really hope to own it someday. It’s just so thick and great that I’m afraid to look online and find out how much it costs . . .

You can, of course, buy humus in the store if you’d rather not make your own. You can use it as a dip with pita chips; I’m going to eat it along with red pepper, carrots, broccoli, zucchini, and cucumber. (By the way, did you know that you can cut up and freeze veggies?)

Humus
15-oz Can Garbanzo beans, preferably organic (Be sure to say “Gar-BAN-zo” in a French accent—they’re so much more appealing that way!)
2 TBS Extra virgin olive oil
2 Cloves garlic
1 TBS Seasame tahini (I didn’t have this so I left it out. It tasted just fine without it.)
1 TBS Fresh lemon juice
Sea salt and pepper to taste
Puree these ingredients in a blender. Then add 3 more TBS of extra virgin olive oil, a little at a time, through the feed hole as the mixture is blending.

Okay, it’s your turn! What healthy snack ideas/recipes do you enjoy? I’d love to try them out. 

Comments

  1. Both sound delicious Paula! Printed them out already ;-). I think my husband is going to love the energy bars. I'll try them out!

    Love!
    posted by Laura
    on Wednesday, March 17, 2010 at 10:50 am
  2. Break up 3 frozen bananas into blender. . Cover with milk. Add a glob of honey, a dash of vanilla & cinnamon. Hold down the cover & blend. Our boys & their friends just love these. They give you tons of energy too.
    You can mix a little orange juice with plain Mountain High Yoghurt. And freeze them into popsicle forms.
    Thank you for your recipes Paula. I copied them out :-)
    Today Laurie's care-giver is off. So I have tons to do, do do!!!
    posted by Leslie.n
    on Wednesday, March 17, 2010 at 10:59 am
  3. I wonder if you add sesame oil, maybe a tsp. to the hummus recipe it will have the same effect as the tahini. Tahini is the sesame seed pureed and the oil combined. It separates and needs to be stirred to recombine. It can be stored in the fridge.
    posted by MaLinda
    on Wednesday, March 17, 2010 at 11:13 am
  4. Amazing/healthy popcorn:
    Try using coconut oil and pan cook popcorn in it. Add salt to the oil and popcorn before it starts popping. Excellent and healthy.
    posted by Sally Sharik
    on Wednesday, March 17, 2010 at 11:16 am
  5. For a bit of extra yum I find when you use Paula's 'borrowed' humus recipe (which is a nice basic recipe and pretty much the same in every cookbook that has a humus recipe): Humus works best if you microwave the 'chickpeas/garbanzo's' for about a minute (till they feel warm to hot) with their liquid (they burst if liquid isn't involved, plus if your hummus looks a little dry you can use this heated liquid to make it smoother). The heat helps the ingredients take on the lemon and garlic flavors for some odd reason (I got this tip from the best hummus maker I know). Then add a teaspoon of ground cumin. Voila, delish' hummus. :c)

    Peace, love n' blessings all.

    PS Another fun fact: I almost never spell recipe correctly for some strange reason. Oh boy, is 'spell check' good.
    posted by Jenny
    on Wednesday, March 17, 2010 at 11:36 am
  6. Dear Paula:
    I need snacks too!! I love to cook and I've made this recipe for many years. I hope you like it. I have this granola as snack but you may add some milk for breakfast too. To Write a recipe in English is new for me! Blessings to you and all the team!!

    Granola

    Ingredients:

    3-4 cups rolled oats
    1 cup finely shredded coconut
    ½ to 1 cup brown sugar
    1/4 cup sesame seeds or flax seeds ( optional)
    ¼ cup cranberries
    ¼ cup golden raisins
    1 cup dried fruit ( apricots, nectarines, apples prunes, cuts in pieces)
    ¼ cup honey
    1-2  tablespoons cinnamon
    1/2 cup melted butter
    Pinch of salt

    Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
    Combine all the dry ingredients in a bowl .And then you add raisins, coconut and all the other dried fruits. Add the butter, and honey, and mix well.
    Then you transfer the mix to a baking pan and bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees. You may stirring sometimes.
    Do not over bake. It get burn easily.
    When cool, store in an airtight container or sealed bag for a few days up to a week.
    posted by Elba Ordeix Reyes
    on Wednesday, March 17, 2010 at 11:44 am
  7. Wow, Elba, that sounds absolutely delicious! I'm going to cut and paste that one and try it out soon. :c) Thanks!

    Peace, love n' blessings to my dear sisters.
    posted by Jenny
    on Wednesday, March 17, 2010 at 11:53 am
  8. I love hummus too but not everyone does. Here's the link to another dip idea that is healthy (and yummy!) too.

    http://www.swansonvitamins.com/health-library/recipes/bean-dip.html?SourceCode=INTE621
    posted by Sara
    on Wednesday, March 17, 2010 at 12:12 pm
  9. My simple snack is celery dipped in Peanut Butter Dipping Sauce, (which is simply smooth, healthy peanut butter, thinned out a bit with water--you have to keep stirring to make the peanut butter break down). I get the peanut butter taste without as much fat. Sometimes I add just a dash of cinnamon.
    http://heartchoicestoday.blogspot.com
    posted by Dawn Wilson
    on Wednesday, March 17, 2010 at 12:20 pm
  10. Oops I forgot 1 cup of sliced almonds or walnuts pieces, to add crunchiness to your granola.

    Blessings!
    posted by Elba Ordeix Reyes
    on Wednesday, March 17, 2010 at 12:38 pm
  11. All these recipes sound great.

    I enjoy trying new recipes.

    Apple slices dipped in peanut butter or sunbutter are one of my favorite healthy snacks.

    For a warm apple dish, I put apple slices in a pan and sprinkle with a little brown sugar. Bake at 350 just till bubbly.
    true woman
    posted by Carol
    on Wednesday, March 17, 2010 at 1:03 pm
  12. a new sweet but healthier "dessert" snack we've tried is an apple dipped in Peanut butter melted in the the microwave with just 7 chocolate chips, until melted--stir up and dip! It's so good!
    posted by Jen
    on Wednesday, March 17, 2010 at 1:59 pm
  13. Paula,

    A quick note on the hummus....we cook our own dried organic garbanzos to save money and if you cook them with a spice called ajowan (ajwain) and soak them first overnight, you can avoid a lot of the gas-causing issues normally associated w/ beans.
    Ajowan is hard to find, but you can cook almost any bean with it and it really helps and you don't need a lot and it keeps forever. Use about 1/2 tsp for 4 cups of cooked beans which means 3/8 tsp for 1 lb of dried beans. You can freeze cooked beans easily in the fridge to use later!

    Also, we have a child who is deathly allergic to sesame. We add olive oil to our hummus and it makes it really creamy. Another great idea is to add some cumin and coriander to it to spice it up a bit. Enjoy!
    posted by Adrienne
    on Wednesday, March 17, 2010 at 3:00 pm
  14. All sounds great - but I'm a hopeless chocoholic. I've convinced myself it's healthy (it isl!!!) and Belgian chocolate is just too wonderful!

    One of God's inventions too!!

    Happy virtual munching on chocolate!l!!


    Judy
    posted by judy
    on Wednesday, March 17, 2010 at 4:12 pm
  15. So many great ideas. I can’t wait to try them. Thank you, ladies!

    Sally, I just discovered coconut oil, and am a HUGE fan.

    Sara, thanks for another great dip idea.

    I’ve never heard of Sunbutter or Ajwain. Thanks for the tips, Carol and Adrienne.
    posted by Paula Hendricks
    on Wednesday, March 17, 2010 at 4:54 pm
  16. Leslie, I prayed for you more than once today. I hope your day went well.
    posted by Paula Hendricks
    on Wednesday, March 17, 2010 at 4:55 pm
  17. Thanks for the sharing tips from the best hummus maker ever, Jenny. By the way, I’m still planning on sharing my snacks with you if you come to Chattanooga. That doesn’t sound like bribing, does it? ;)
    posted by Paula Hendricks
    on Wednesday, March 17, 2010 at 4:55 pm
  18. Elba, you’re amazing. I would never know this was the first time you wrote a recipe in English—you did great. It looks simple and yummy. And knowing that it came from your recipe book . . . well, you’d better believe I’ll make it soon!
    posted by Paula Hendricks
    on Wednesday, March 17, 2010 at 4:56 pm
  19. Paula,

    Sunbutter is a sunflower seed spread, the same consistency as peanut butter. It's made with people in mind that have nut allergies. My son is allergic to nuts so this is a great substitute.
    true woman
    posted by Carol
    on Wednesday, March 17, 2010 at 4:59 pm
  20. Hi Paula and dear sisters in Christ! (I too have been blessed to hear from you again, Leslie N.!) Thank you all so much for the wonderful recipes and tips. I love Hummus, having eaten it a lot years ago when I lived in Israel for a while. I also love oats, PB, granola... so this post was great! Gracias, Elba and all!
    The only thing I could think of to contribute in the way of snack ideas is not really a snack, but can be used as such. It's light, and has natural sugars for energy. It's a simple, refreshing fruit salad that has been a big hit in our home (and w/company). It does get juicy when the honey/lemon is added (so you might want to omit that if you're travelling, or add it later). Sorry I don't have exact proportions. Here it is:

    FRUIT SALAD

    Gently mix together the following:

    *chunks or balls of a canteloupe
    *" " small watermelon
    *" " honeydew melon (optional)
    *a handful or two of blueberries -- fresh or frozen (I use ones we picked, that were frozen)
    *peeled, sliced and halved or quartered kiwis (about 1-2 kiwis) (optional)
    *honey poured over it all (maybe 1/2 - 3/4 cup? or, to taste)
    *lemon juice (a good long squirt from a plastic lemon, or to taste)

    (Can also add pineapple, banana, strawberries, or other fruit as desired, but above is the basic recipe. Recently we had company and I hadn't finished making this salad -- had only put in cantaloupe, blueberries, and watermelon -- they ate it before I could finish making it, though I sliced some kiwi into some people's bowls and hastily added the honey/lemon -- they loved it!)

    Blessings to you all! Paula, may the Lord bless your preparations for the conference and use you for His glory! (Heb. 6:10)

    In His love,
    posted by Leslie S.
    on Wednesday, March 17, 2010 at 6:10 pm
  21. You had me laughing again Paula! I don't need to be bribed with snacks (because the conference is just about the most exciting thing I can think of... outside the obvious of our Saviour coming again!) but it's like putting the proverbial cherry on top for sure! *chuckles*... Though I certainly don't need to be snacking, as I may not be 'well rounded' in the thought department but I certainly am in the physique department *chuckling again* (yeah, I'm one of those that laughs at my own gags, how bad is that??). I'm going to guess now you might wonder what a 'vegan' eater would put that cherry on top of? ...Getting back to the subject of yummy snacks... Have you heard of the grocery store called Trader Joe's? They have magnificent non-dairy ice-cream, try the chocolate cherry or the mango vanilla, you'd be surprised (if you know any lactose intolerant folks, they might suddenly end up being your new best friends, if you kept that on hand).

    Good news: I bought my ticket today, but have to iron out the other details as soon as I can (yes, I am worried I'm cutting it too close). A wonderful prospect came up, the dearest sister I just met said she'd consider going with me, in prayer. Her schedule is extremely packed lately so it would be a real stretch for her to go BUT it would be such a joy if she could! I can't believe God is still giving me such wonderful hopes so close to the deadline.


    Oh Leslie S, that fruit salad sounds really nice! I think why your dish would be so 'gobbled' is that it's not often today, in this pre-packaged world, that people take the time to dig into a good dish of fruit. I would certainly try that recipe, I'd just switch out the honey for agave nectar (which is the sweetest thing EVER, and is incredible in tea, in lieu of regular sugar!).

    Judy, I've quit chocolate more times than I care to count, but I can sympathize with you entirely, being as you are from BELGIUM (if I could have, I would have underlined that one.... TWICE) home of insanely well made chocolate, that's got to be haaaaard to resist!!

    All the sisters who contributed today, I was glad to see such a variety of healthy ideas, it was wonderful to see so many new-to-me 'faces' today. :c)

    I'm SO thankful that God graces us with such variety of flavor, he is truly the best gift giver out there, isn't He? :c)

    "Bless the Lord O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name!" Psalms 103:1 (emphasis added)

    Peace, love n' blessings all.
    posted by Jenny
    on Wednesday, March 17, 2010 at 11:01 pm
  22. I love Hummus, but I make mine with cumin also. It really adds to the flavour! And I also love to eat it with raw veggies.
    Great ideas :)
    posted by Cindy
    on Thursday, March 18, 2010 at 11:56 am
  23. And I forgot to say, Garbanzo beans, or Chick Peas are called Pois Chiches in French. Say it like this:
    "Pwa Sheesh" Hahaha!
    posted by Cindy
    on Thursday, March 18, 2010 at 11:59 am
  24. Sheesh, that IS funny! *chuckles*
    posted by Jenny
    on Thursday, March 18, 2010 at 1:25 pm
  25. You lived in Israel, Leslie?! ’d love to hear more about how long you were there, and what you did. I went on a two-week study tour several years ago, and would love to go back someday.

    Thanks for the tasty fruit salad recipe!
    posted by Paula Hendricks
    on Thursday, March 18, 2010 at 1:39 pm
  26. You got a ticket, Jenny?! I’m trying to keep my excitement at bay, as it doesn’t sound you’re completely sure you’re coming. Still . . .

    I have heard of Trader Joes. It’s great. Thanks for the tip—I have a couple lactose-intolerant friend, and I'm sure they'd love to try their icecream.
    posted by Paula Hendricks
    on Thursday, March 18, 2010 at 1:43 pm
  27. “Pwa Sheesh” is SO much more French sounding than “Gar-BAN-zo beans” (probably because it is French). Thanks, Cindy! That was fun.
    posted by Paula Hendricks
    on Thursday, March 18, 2010 at 1:45 pm
  28. Hi I laughed aloud with the "Pwa Sheesh". It IS pronounced like that, but it does sound funny written like that!!!

    Yummy - fresh fruit salad - won't say it beats chocolate but wow, it is GOOD!

    Hugs to Jenny!!! (happy chocolate scrunchy time)

    Yeah GARBANZo - sounds like you're eating junk, doesn't it?
    posted by judy
    on Friday, March 19, 2010 at 12:55 pm
  29. Who would have thought anyone could squeeze so many chuckles out of snacks?

    I can't think what chocolate scrunchy time is, but it sounds hilariously delicious... is that possible? Today, for me I guess it is.

    Hugs back Judy!!

    Peace, love n' blessings all.
    posted by Jenny
    on Friday, March 19, 2010 at 2:05 pm

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