Tag: healthy snacks

Chewy Date Granola Bars


I love a good snack. One that’s sweet and chewy and wrapped in bakery twine. I’ve wanted to develop a recipe for homemade granola bars for the longest time, but I also wanted them to be somewhat healthy. My latest infatuation with coconut oil helped me bring all the components together (quite literally) – for a sweet and tasty bite. Wrap these chewy guys up in parchment paper, and throw them in your bag for the perfect healthy snack on the go.

Chewy Date Granola Bars

3/4 c white whole wheat flour
3/4 c oats
1/3 c shredded coconut
1/3 c ground flaxseed
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
5 tbsp pure maple syrup
3/4 c brown sugar
4 tbsp solidified coconut oil
1/2 c sliced almonds
8 medjool dates, pitted and roughly chopped

Method:

Add all ingredients to a bowl and mix with your hands to form a dough. Grease an 8″x8″ baking dish with coconut oil and add the mixture, pressing down on it to condense. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, or until browned around the edges. Cool and cut into bars. For a crunchier texture, bake an additional 15-20 minutes.

VARIATION: For no-bake, raw granola bars, you may substitute 3/4 cup oat flour for the whole wheat (just add oats to the food processor and blend until flour consistency).  Toast the nuts and oats in the oven at 350 degrees and set aside to cool. Press ingredients into the baking dish and slice. No baking required.

1 year ago: roasted chickpeas
2 years ago: healthy baked pumpkin oatmeal

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Blueberry Frozen Yogurt Bites

When it comes to summer, especially here in Brooklyn, I think most people are about eating light and healthy foods that keep them from feeling heavy. Fruits are especially welcome on a hot summer’s day, as long as they’re cold, or my favorite way – frozen.

If you’ve ever bit into a frozen grape, you know just how a little time in the freezer can turn a simple grape into a sweet and creamy frozen snack. Chocolate-dipped frozen banana’s are another popular guilt-free delicacy. And then there’s the fruit-filled ice cubes, and the all-fruit Popsicle blends. But have you ever tried a Greek-yogurt-covered-frozen-blueberry?

Frozen blueberries are good enough on their own, but dipped in vanilla Greek yogurt, they’re simply outstanding. The yogurt freezes to form a creamy coating over the blueberries, making it the perfect snack on a hot summer day. Once you give these delicious frozen treats a try, you’ll be dipping everything from apricots to raspberries in your favorite Greek yogurt flavor. So have fun, get creative and enjoy the best that summer has to offer!


Blueberry Frozen Yogurt Bites

1 container vanilla Greek yogurt
1 pint blueberries (or your favorite fruit for freezing)
toothpicks or spiral dipping tool

Method:

Wash blueberries and drain. Working one at a time, dip the blueberries into the yogurt (with a toothpick or dipping tool) and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. If you are using toothpicks, you can use a second toothpick to help slide it off. Freeze the blueberries for 1-2 hours, remove them from the baking sheet and place them in a Ziploc bag. Return to the freezer and keep frozen until ready to eat.

1 year ago: loaded baked potato omelette
2 years ago: strawberry rhubarb soup

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Smoked Paprika Popcorn Cauliflower


If you read my review of the fabulous restaurant Pardes, you may have noticed that my meal started off unconventionally, with a giant cup of smoked paprika popcorn. That stuff was so incredible that I went back for more. And more. And then I pulled my popcorn machine out from the basement and I even made my own. And finally, I realized that if I don’t stop with my smoked paprika popcorn addiction, I will need to check myself into a 12-step program for popcorn addicts.

I realized that what I really loved most about the popcorn, wasn’t the popcorn at all. It was the amazing smokiness of the paprika. I’m a huge fan of smoked paprika in general. I put it in my cholent, sprinkle it generously over my roasted chickpeas, and slather it all over my roasted chicken. So, I decided to come up with a healthier, less carby version of my favorite Pardes treat, using cauliflower to mimic the popcorn. And that’s how this delicious healthy version of smokey “popcorn” cauliflower came about. Don’t be shy with the paprika, douse it on heavily for optimum smokey flavor!  This stuff is great for snacking or served alongside a piece of grilled chicken or steak!

Smoked Paprika Popcorn Cauliflower

2 small heads cauliflower, cut into florets (or one large)
6 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp smoked paprika
1 tbsp kosher salt

Method:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, add oil, paprika and salt and whisk to combine. Add the cauliflower and stir until the florets are well coated. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet (or 2 sheets, if needed) and bake for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the florets begin to brown around the edges.

1 year ago: my ultimate guilt-free breakfast
2 years ago: london broil with red wine reduction sauce

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Spicy Roasted Edamame

I am so excited about this post. And not because of the recipe (even though it is incredibly delicious!). It’s because I finally cracked the code to the mystery of food photography. OK it’s not exactly a mystery, but it was to me. If you’ve been following my blog for a while, you  may have noticed how my photography has been slowly evolving. First, I ordered this book. And then this ebook. Then I took a photography class. And then I listened intently to the talented food photographer Noah Fecks at the Kosher Food Blogger Conference. And finally, finally, I pulled out my tripod from the basement. As if 2 books and a class in photography didn’t stress it enough! I was just too lazy to set up a whole mini “studio” to photograph my dishes. But slowly I’ve been pulling out little things here and there (like my son’s old portacrib mattress that serves as my lightboard!) to form my little space in the corner of my kids playroom. Here’s a peak at my “studio”!

So, now for the food! I absolutely love those spicy wasabi roasted peas that they sell with the nuts in all the drug stores. You know what I’m talking about right? Well I wanted to recreate them at home, so I started playing around with some recipes. And here’s what I learned: wasabi loses it’s potency when heated. That’s right. Once you put wasabi-anything in the oven, it loses it’s flavor and it’s like you added nothing! So, to get that spicy kick, I added Asian hot sauce (sriracha) and sprinkled on wasabi powder once the edamame were browned and toasty. The resulting healthy snack is incredibly addicting. I like the medium spice level but you can adjust the sriracha to make it more or less hot. Roasted edamame beans are best eaten fresh, straight out of the oven!

For more Chinese recipes, check out the kosher connection link-up below!

Spicy Roasted Edamame

1 bag frozen shelled edamame, thawed
1 tbsp canola oil
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sriracha sauce
1 tbsp wasabi powder, for sprinkling

Method:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a bowl, combine the edamame, oil, soy sauce and sriracha. Spread out on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes, tossing occasionally.

Remove roasted wasabi beans from the oven and sprinkle with wasabi powder. Eat immediately.

1 year ago: crunchy shriveled green beans
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