#healthy snack ideas

BANANA PECAN SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Ingredients

• 1 cup coconut oil (or sub vegan butter)
• 1/3 cup mashed ripe banana (~ 1 small banana)
• ¾ cup organic cane sugar or granulated sugar
• 2 ½ cups gluten free flour blend or unbleached all purpose flour
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• ¼ tsp sea salt
• ¼ cup pecans, finely chopped
• OPTIONAL: ¼ tsp ground cinnamon

Instructions

1. Cream oil, sugar and banana.
2. Add vanilla, sea salt and blend.
3. Add flour and blend.
4. Add pecans and mix once more.
5. Transfer to a large piece of parchment paper and roll into a tight log, ~ 2 inches wide. Freeze for 15 minutes to harden.
6. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
7. Unroll paper and slice cookies into slightly less than ½ inch discs with a sharp knife. If the dough has become too hard, let it rest for a few minutes at room temp to soften. If it’s too soft, freeze longer.
8. Place on an un-greased baking sheet. They won’t spread much, so they can be placed close together.
9. Bake for 18-22 minutes at 350 degrees, or until light golden brown.
10. Yields about 30 cookies.

Credits

Peanut Butter Balls

(Only 5 ingredients!)

INGREDIENTS

• ½ cup chunky peanut butter
• ⅓ cup honey or brown rice syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups rice crisp cereal
• 2 teaspoons cacao nibs or mini chocolate chips

• Gluten-free: Sub brown rice crisp cereal, 
  
• Vegan: Sub brown rice syrup
  

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In the microwave or a saucepan, heat peanut butter, honey, and vanilla extract together until easily combined and warm.
2. Add the rice cereal and any add-ins (cacao nibs, mini chocolate chips) into the peanut butter mixture.
3. Wet your hands and roll the mixture into balls slightly smaller than golf balls. You may need to rewet your hands each time you roll a new ball, and slightly crunch the ball into your palm so it sticks to itself.
4. Freeze the balls for 10 minutes and eat straight from the freezer.

Graham Cracker Dessert Sandwiches (UNDER 100 CALORIES)

This delicious dessert is low in calories and so delicious. Using only graham crackers, peanut butter and a banana, you can make a delicious frozen treat that will cure your cravings!

Yields 4 sandwiches

Ingredients:

1 medium or large ripe banana 

1 tablespoon peanut butter

8 graham crackers

Directions

In a small bowl, mash together 1 tbsp peanut butter & 1 banana until blended together 

Place mixture onto graham cracker, place 2nd cracker ontop and freeze for 4-6 hours!

Tip: If you like cinnamon, add a sprinkle or 2 into each sandwich, so delicious!

Each sandwich contains only 95 calories!

Breakfast on the go: http://nutritionbeast.com/2016/09/bobs-red-mill-vanilla-banana-blueberry-protein-smoothie/

Oh my gosh; eating made easy! http://nutritionbeast.com/downloads/pantry-raid/

These no bake protein bars are unbelievably delicious! http://nutritionbeast.com/2013/07/no-bake-peanut-butter-oatmeal-protein-bars/