CHAPTER 8
SNACKS
Even if you eat three meals a day, hunger can strike when you least expect it. Long, hard days at work or school take their toll on grownups, leading to rumbling bellies and flagging energy levels. And kids, with their little tummies, can’t eat huge portions all at once, so they need healthy snacks, too. In the coming pages, you’ll find ideas for low-sugar snacks that are convenient for noshing on the go—or for leaving in the fridge for your child to grab after school.
For starters, try my recipe for Two-Ingredient Crackers. It’s based on my all-time favorite sour cream and chive cracker recipe, which is adored by kids and adults alike. (I always pack some in my son’s school lunchbox.) Or try the Easy Broccoli “Tater Tots” and the Magic Cauliflower Popcorn. They’re big hits with kids, too. You can sate your sweet tooth with the Cinnamon–Roll–Flavored Apple Chips. These good-for-you treats are sugar- and additive-free, but have all the crunch and comfy-cozy flavor of the store-bought variety.
JUST LIKE TORTILLA CHIPS
Ditch the starchy corn and the food additives. You don’t need them to make “tortilla” chips that will satisfy your craving for a crunchy, salty snack. This version is bursting with healthy ingredients and lots of fiber, plus—thanks to the nutritional yeast and the onion powder—plenty of flavor. Try dipping them in a batch of homemade guacamole.
INGREDIENTS
8 ounces (230 g) blanched almonds
1/4 cup (45 g) white chia seeds
1 tablespoon (5 g) nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon unrefined sea salt or Himalayan salt, or to taste
2 ounces (60 g) full-fat cream cheese, softened
Yield: about 48 chips
1. Preheat the oven to 210°F (100°C). Place the almonds, chia seeds, nutritional yeast, onion powder, and salt in a food processor. Process until the mixture resembles corn meal.
2. Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl. Add the cream cheese and knead until a smooth dough forms. If you can’t form the dough into a ball, add more cream cheese.
3. Place the dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place another piece of parchment paper on the dough. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out as thinly as possible. Remove the top piece of parchment paper.
4. Cut the dough with a knife or pizza cutter into squares and then crosswise into triangles. Place in the oven and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, checking frequently to prevent the chips from becoming too dark or burning.
5. Let cool completely, then break into triangles along the precut lines. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to one week.
MAGIC CAULIFLOWER POPCORN
Packed with fiber and vitamin C, this cauliflower “popcorn” beats the traditional starch-bomb version in every way. And best of all, it takes just five simple items! There’s a magic ingredient at work here, of course: cheddar cheese powder, which makes this popcorn incredibly tasty and impossible to resist. Don’t bake the cauliflower for too long, though, as you want to be sure to retain its delicious crunch.
INGREDIENTS
2 pounds (910 g) cauliflower (about 1 large head), chopped into bite-size pieces
1 tablespoon (15 ml) light olive oil
1 teaspoon unrefined sea salt, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/3 cup (35 g) white cheddar cheese powder
Yield: about 5 cups (500 g)
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the cauliflower, olive oil, salt, and garlic powder in a large bowl. Toss until well mixed.
2. Spread the cauliflower on the lined baking sheet in a single layer so that the cauliflower pieces barely touch one other, and bake for 10 minutes.
3. Remove the cauliflower from the oven and pour the hot cauliflower pieces into a large heatproof bowl. (The best way to do this is by grabbing the short ends of the cauliflower-loaded parchment paper and carefully lifting it up to pour the cauliflower right into the bowl. Don’t burn yourself!) Add the cheddar cheese powder and toss with a spoon until the cauliflower is completely and evenly covered. Let cool on a cooling rack for a few minutes. Serve warm.
EASY BROCCOLI “TATER TOTS”
Did you know that just 31/2 ounces (100 g) of commercially produced Tater Tots contain about eight sugar cubes? So, if you wouldn’t feed your child eight sugar cubes (especially at a single sitting), skip them and make a batch of these addictive-but-nutritious Easy Broccoli “Tater Tots” instead. They’re just as good, and far healthier, since there’s no nasty sugar in sight.
INGREDIENTS
1 cup (240 g) soft-cooked broccoli, tightly packed
1 cup (100 g) grated mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup (60 g) almond flour
1 teaspoon psyllium husk powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 egg
1 teaspoon unrefined sea salt or Himalayan salt, or to taste
2 tablespoons (28 ml) extra-light olive oil, for brushing
Yield: about 16 tater tots
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175 °C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place all ingredients in a medium bowl and mix with an electric mixer until smooth.
2. Scoop up 2 tablespoons (28 g) of the mixture. With liberally oiled hands, shape it into a cylindrical or rectangular tater-tot shape. Place the tater tot on the lined baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining broccoli mixture.
3. Brush each tater tot generously with olive oil, then transfer the tray to the oven and bake for 20 minutes, or until golden brown. (Keep an eye on them to prevent them from burning.) Remove from the oven, let cool, and then serve with Five-Ingredient Sugar-Free Ketchup, Foolproof One-Minute Mayo, or a sugar- free dip of your choice.
◁ TWO-INGREDIENT CRACKERS
These melt-in-your-mouth crackers are such a healthy alternative to starch-laden store-bought crackers or potato chips. With just two ingredients, they’re amazingly simple. They’re great on their own, or with just about any kind of low-sugar topping. Try spreading them with flavored cream cheeses (as long as they’re made without food additives, of course). Or you can add chopped fresh chives to the dough to make cream cheese and chive crackers.
INGREDIENTS
2 cups (230 g) almond flour
2.5 ounces (70 g) full-fat cream cheese (any flavor)
1 teaspoon unrefined sea salt or Himalayan salt, or to taste (optional)
Yield: about 48 crackers
1. Preheat the oven to 210°F (100°C). Mix all ingredients by hand in a medium bowl. Knead for about half a minute or until a smooth dough forms.
2. Place the dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place another piece of parchment paper on top of the dough. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out as thinly as possible between the two pieces of parchment paper. Then remove the top piece.
3. Use a knife or pizza cutter to cut the dough into squares (or other shapes of your choice). Place in the oven and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, checking frequently to prevent the crackers from becoming too dark or burning. Let cool completely before removing from the baking sheet. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to one week.
◁ BEST BBQ NUTS
These nuts make a great party snack, or an impromptu appetizer for last-minute guests. Don’t be surprised, though, if these gems disappear as soon as you serve them, since they’re spiced, crunchy, and finger-licking good. During the holidays, you can fill a beautiful glass jar with these nuts and give them as a healthy, delicious gift. Feel free to mix things up by experimenting with different herbs and spices.
INGREDIENTS
8 ounces (230 g) mixed nuts (such as almonds, blanched hazelnuts, pecans, or macadamia nuts)
1 tablespoon (15 ml) extra-light olive oil
11/2 teaspoons salt-free barbecue seasoning
1 teaspoon unrefined sea salt or Himalayan salt, or to taste
1 tablespoon (10 g) erythritol-based brown sugar substitute (optional)
Yield: about 21/2 cups (350 g)
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175 °C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place all the ingredients into a resealable freezer bag. Close the bag tightly and shake it well to let the spices and oil cover the nuts evenly. Spread the mixture over the baking sheet into a thin, even layer. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden brown. Keep an eye on the nuts as they bake, as they burn very easily.
2. Let the nuts cool completely on the baking sheet and then remove and serve. Store leftovers in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to two days.
◁ CINNAMON ROLL–FLAVORED APPLE CHIPS
Finally: There’s a healthy way to enjoy cinnamon buns! And the proof’s in the pudding—or, in this case, in the Cinnamon Roll–Flavored Apple Chips. Choose the sourest possible apples for the lowest sugar content, then rub them with spices and sweetener and pop them into a warm oven for a few hours. You can get creative with your choice of spices, too. For example, pumpkin pie spice makes a great autumnal treat, and gingerbread seasoning is perfect for the holidays. Don’t despair if the chips aren’t crisp when they’re warm from the oven: Thanks to the erythritol, they’ll crisp up after cooling down.
INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons (16 g) powdered erythritol
1/2 teaspoon Ceylon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon vanilla powder
2 small Granny Smith apples, or other sour apples
Yield: about 31/2 cups (98 g)
1. Preheat the oven to 200°F (90°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Place the erythritol, cinnamon, and vanilla powder in a small bowl and mix well.
2. Slice the apples as thinly as possible. Discard the seeds.
3. Place the apple slices on the lined baking sheets in a single layer. Using clean hands, rub each slice on both sides with the sweetener-and-spice mixture. Then bake for 4 hours or until crisp, switching the position of the baking sheets halfway through baking. When the slices are crisp, remove the baking sheets. Let the chips cool and then serve. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to two weeks.
TIP: To make a sweetener-free version, just rub the apple slices with a mixture of cinnamon and vanilla powder.
NOTE: Got leftover sweetener-and-spice mixture? Don’t let it go to waste: Sprinkle it on your breakfast yogurt, or spread butter on a slice of Easy Fluffy Bread and top it with the sweetener-and-spice mixture, to make instant cinnamon toast.