Ten Healthy Snack Recipes

Nuts are linked to improved health. Time to snack away.

Nuts image via shutterstock

Nuts image via shutterstock

Researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Brigham & Women’s Hospital discovered in a recent study that people who ate a daily serving of nuts had a significantly lower chance of dying over a 30 year period—of any cause. So apparently it’s time to start snacking. Nuts are great to pair with sweet and salty ingredients and can make bland foods pop. When buying nuts be sure to buy packages that are unsalted and don’t include any extra flavoring (sorry, honey roasted lovers). Try these healthy snack recipes this weekend.

1. Fig Hazelnut Granola
via Vegan in the South

Making your own granola is a great way to manage your sugar and sodium intake. You can substitute agave syrup for maple syrup and melted coconut oil for the canola oil. If you want to add something sweet, try candied orange peels.

2. Maple Bourbon Roasted Pecans
via Recipe Runner

Here’s a snack that will be enjoyed by the family and is good enough to package for a gift. Instead of maple syrup, try agave, and if you don’t like bourbon then try using orange juice or even water.

3. Energy Balls
via Recipris

These energy balls are great pre-workout snack. If you can’t find ghee and don’t want to use butter, try a bit of coconut oil or canola oil. You can also add other dried fruits to play with flavor. Try prunes, candied citrus peels, dried cherries, or cranberries.

4. Harvest Crackers with Cranberries, Pecans & Rosemary
via The Kitchn

This recipe includes buttermilk, but substituting low fat Greek yogurt mixed with two percent or skim milk is a great calorie-cutting alternative. These crackers are delicious with hummus, low fat cheese, or plain with coffee.

5. Sweet Sesame Almonds
via Pretty Bee

Toasting the almonds before adding the honey and sesame seeds will concentrate the flavor and make the nuts taste even nuttier. If using honey, try omitting the sugar. You may find that the honey is sweet enough.

6. Vanilla Espresso Almond Butter
via Kitchen Treaty

Make snack time a special treat by spreading this recipe on apples or whole grain crackers. Three tablespoons of brown sugar may seem like a lot, but this recipes makes two cups. If you’re concerned about sugar, try adding honey instead. As a bonus, this recipe includes instructions for making your own almond butter.

7. Chocolate Nut Bark
via Eating Well

Get your chocolate and nut fix with this easy recipe. Go with at least a 60 percent dark chocolate for taste and health benefits. Feel free to use your favorite combination of nuts. I suggest hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, almonds, or walnuts.

8. Rosemary Roasted Almonds
via Cooking Light

It’s very important to use fresh rosemary in this recipe since dried herbs will burn. The chile powder might seem like a weird spice to go with rosemary, but the smokey flavor will add a nice kick to the earthy nuts and rosemary.

9. Date Nut Bites
via The Haas Machine

Here’s a recipe that’s great for an afternoon snack at the office or for a post-workout pick-me-up on the commute home. Be sure to buy unsweetened coconut flakes, otherwise the finished product will be way too sweet.

10. Whole Grain Apple and Walnut Granola Bars
via The Hot Plate

This recipe lets you play with different dried fruits to make the it your own. Try apricots, dates, or cherries.