Wholesome Snack Ideas

WHOLESOME SNACK IDEAS

to revive and keep you satisfied between main meals.

Frozen Fruit

Grapes, Pineapple or Mango

Smoothies

if on the go pop these into a thermos. 

make double and freeze half for a easy healthy after dinner treat.

Choc Banana Smoothie Recipe

Trail Mix 

make you own nuts, seeds, popcorn, dried fruit and occasionally choc chips!

Apple slices 

spread with peanut or nut butter

Egg boiled

boil 1/2 dozen eggs at the start of the week and keep in the fridge for a quick and convenient snack.

Cruskets\Rice Thins 

Cottage cheese, Tomato, Avocado or your choice of yummy toppings

Raw Veggie Sticks 

with Hummus or Guacamole

Hummus Recipe

Frozen Choc Coated Bananas

cut bananas into chunks dip all or half into quality dark chocolate and freeze.

you can also roll in coconut or nuts.

Popcorn

air popped.

Sunflower Seeds

raw or toasted.

Vitality Truffles

Click Here for recipe

Dried Fruit

Dried fruit a concentrated source of natural sugar, so go easy & enjoy petite portion

Muesli Bar 

either homemade or we like Natures Valley brand

Mountain Bread Crisps

cut into chip sized strips, spritz with olive oil, season and bake @ 160 degree celcuis until crisp. Accompany with this easy Dip: Unsweetened greek yogurt + Sweet chili sauce.

Pumpkin Seeds

pumpkin seeds, sprayed with a spritz of olive oil, sprinkle lightly with salt or your favourite spice mix and baked at for 200 degrees until brown.

Lettuce wrap

fill with your choice of sandwich filling and wrap it up

we love to use left over roast chicken with tomatoes and avocado!

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

A great little treat that can satisfy a chocolate craving with the added goodness of strawberries. Make sure to use good quality chocolate.

Banana Bread

Honeyed Yogurt

nonfat Greek yogurt with a dash of cinnamon and 1 teaspoon honey

For more info on Greek Yoghurt click here

Quesadilla

take 2 tortillas and pop in a sandwich press w/cheese (or not) - adding on tomatoes, beans, corn, olives, avocado or guacamole or whatever sounds good)

Seasonal Fresh Fruit Platter

Fruit Kebabs 

cut and thread fruit on kebab sticks add a couple of marshmallows occasionally as a treat (kids love these - everything is more fun on a stick!)

Parfait

build your own with unsweetened greek yogurt, fruit and homemade Muesli

Click here for muesli recipe

Rice Crackers and Salsa

Kale Crisps

Tear kale leaves into large pieces and arrange on a baking sheet. Spritz with olive oil and bake in a 160 degree oven until crisp. 

Cheesy Version: while still warm, sprinkle with a little grated Parmesan cheese - delicious

Chickpea poppers

drain and rinse canned chickpeas, then dry them with a paper towel. Spritz with extra-virgin olive oil, season with dried oregano and salt, and roast at 200 degree celcuis until crisp.

try other seasonings - chilli powder for those who like a bit of heat or Moroccan spice mix works well.

Vegetable Soup

great warmer on a winters day

Ryvita crackers

topped with salmon or tuna and sliced tomato or hummus and cottage cheese, or chopped boiled egg and avocado.

Do you struggle to think of snack ideas that are both nutritious and simple?

We did too, until we sat down together and wrote up this list. It was actually quite simple and once we started the ideas came easily. Feel free to print and keep a copy somewhere handy for a quick reference - we have ours on the fridge. 

Have you noticed how most pre-packaged snacks are high in sugar, bad fats, additives and preservatives and can leave you feeling less than satisfied and lacking in energy. Not only do you need to be aware of what is in these foods by checking the labels but also check the portion sizes. Often the manufacturers of these processed snack foods use small portion sizes to fool consumers and you'll find most people would eat more than the recommended portion size. Recently I weighed a portion of corn chips as per the packets recommended portion size and it was 1/2 what I'd usually dish up for myself!

With a little "Savvy at Home" know how you can make a good snacking choices that are wholesome and satisfying.

We'd love to hear what snacks you make for yourselves and your families. 

Trish and Treena x

Pizza in a Pan

This is quick and easy way to make a pizza

-Easy for the kids to make after school.
-Quick dinner or lunch
-Great way to use up leftovers
 
Put a few leftovers on Lebanese bread, and voila! Frying pan pizza! So easy to make.



On this pizza

Tomatoes in a can pureed together with a some pesto thrown in for the sauce. Grated cheese, roasted pumpkin, leftover chicken, mixed herbs. Serve with spinach leaves.

How
Spread the base with tomato sauce, sprinkle on cheese, place pumpkin, chicken on top. Sprinkle with Italian herbs. Carefully place in fry pan, put lid on (use a large pot lid if you don't have one for your fry pan) Cook on low until the base is crispy and cheese melted.

Savvy tip
We love to use this brand, available from Pak n Save - no additives or preservatives.

Natural Yoghurt for your face

Since I was a child I have been interested in and loved finding and using ingredients from the kitchen to make face mask, treatments etc. I would go through Mum's magazines (no Internet back then), and cut them out and try them.

Natural yoghurt is perfect for cleansing and moisturising tired skin.



It is one of the earliest known cosmetics and can help prevent fine lines, soothe blotchy skin and lighten brown age spots. The secret to yoghurt is its natural acidity, which removes dead skin cells while nourishing healthy ones, thus restoring the skin's natural balance.

Make sure you use plain sugar free yoghurt, preferably organic – if your skin is oily go for a low fat variety.

Here are a couple of great recipes for your face using yoghurt.

Super easy yoghurt cleaner
A very simple and effective cleanser. You will feel the softening effects straight away.

Ingredients:
1/2 a cup of plain yoghurt

Method:
Apply ½ a cup of plain yoghurt to your face and massage gently

Wipe off and rinse well with warm water.

Yoghurt and Oat facial
Oatmeal is a wonderful skin enhancer, and mixed with yoghurt it is a double delight for the skin.

Ingredients:
Small handful of porridge oats
1 - 2 Tbspn natural yoghurt

Method:
Mix a small handful of porridge oats with enough natural yoghurt to make a paste.
Apply to skin and leave for a few minutes
Rinse off with plenty of warm water. 




Savvy tip:
Make sure hands and utensils are scrupulously clean when making and applying these natural yoghurt face treatment recipes. As they are made from natural ingredients with no added preservatives they should be used immediately and not stored.

NB: Most people tolerate yoghurt, well but if you have a dairy allergy or very sensitive skin do a skin test first

Butter Chicken - a Savvy makeover for a healthy family friendly dinner

The reason this recipe is titled "Family Style" is due to the fact it was developed for large busy families that can't just pop up to the local "Indian Takeaways" .

Its a simple recipe that we've based it around canned foods to keep preparation time minimal.The goal was to create a recipe that was child friendly too, most children tend to love butter chicken. This version isn't authentic, but saying that it does satisfy and have that comforting appeal of the takeaway version.

MAMA'S "FAMILY STYLE" BUTTER CHICKEN
Serves 6


400g Chicken (boneless/skinless thighs or breasts)

A splash of Olive Oil

1 Onion finely diced
1 Clove of Garlic
1 tsp of Fresh Ginger

1 Can of Coconut Milk
1 Can of Chopped Tomatoes
1 Can of Chickpeas (optional)

1 teaspoon ground Cumin
1 teaspoon ground Coriander

1 teaspoon Chilli Powder (optional - leave out if feeding little ones)

1/2 teaspoon of Cinnamon

Chop Chicken into cubes and saute in a hot saucepan in alittle Olive oil until just browned - remove from pan and set aside.

Saute the onion in a splash of Olive oil on a medium heat until soft and clear.

Add in Garlic and Ginger and saute for 30 seconds.

Add in Cumin, Corriander and Chilli Powder (Optional) saute 20 seconds

Then add in the canned Tomatoes, Coconut Milk and Chickpeas and stir through.

Simmer gently for approx. 20 Minutes.

Serve over Brown Basmati Rice.

Savvy Tips

# Add the chicken into your pan in small batches, if you dump it all in at once you'll reduce the pan heat too quickly and your chicken won't brown and will overcook.

#  Stir through 1/2 cup of Unsweetened Greek Yoghurt prior to serving this adds a lovely creaminess and sprinkle with fresh coriander finely chopped.

# Add in sliced carrots or potatoes to the dish prior to simmering to boost the nutrition value of this meal (if your children are fussy grate in the vegetables).

# Grab out a bag of frozen green beans add them in and stir through 5 minutes prior to finishing cooking.

# Make it meat free, simply omit the chicken and add in lots of delicious veggies - Pumpkin works well, the chickpeas can will be the main protein source.

# Try stirring in a handful of baby spinach at the end of cooking also for a leafy green nutrition boost!

Nutritional Snapshot

# Chickpeas are a excellent source of Protein, making them a good meatless addition to your diet.  Also a high in fibre, including soluble fibre which can help to lower cholesterol.  A good source of minerals such as iron, copper, zinc, and magnesium. 

 *Nuritional information sourced from the internet

How to you tell a Egg is fresh?

How do you tell an egg is fresh before you even crack the shell? Easy!

Did you know you can test an egg and get an approximation of its age. All you need is a jug or bowl of cold water.

Gently drop the egg into the bowl of water. If it:

· Sinks to the bottom and stays there, it is about three to six days old.

· Sinks, but floats at an angle, it's more than a week old.

· Sinks, but then stands on end, it's about two weeks old. Best to use in baking Floats on the surface, there is a gas build-up inside, which shows it's past its use by date. Carefully throw the egg away being sure not to crack the shell. 

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