SNACKS Archives - Page 3 of 3 - Sara Haas, RDN, LDN

Short and Sweet Series: Banana Mango Coconut Smoothie Recipe

in LUNCH / Recipes / Short and Sweet Series / SNACKS August 26, 2015March 6, 2017 4 comments

Why I made this recipe: Because I love trying new smoothie recipes and mango is one of my favorite fruits.

Why I love this recipe: This one is super creamy, and the touch of coconut makes it feel indulgent and tropical, like you’re on vacation, laying on a beach, reading a good book, under the shade of a palm tree…you get the picture.

How this recipe is healthy: Oh, it’s healthy alright. If you read the ingredient list, you’ll know that this smoothie is jam-packed with good nutrients. It’s loaded with healthy fats from the avocado and flax seed and it’s bursting with powerful vitamins like A and C and important minerals like potassium. And don’t forget the calcium, it’s in there too, thanks to that healthy dose of low-fat milk.

And here are the pretty pictures:

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Banana Mango Coconut Smoothie

Author: Sara Haas

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Ingredients

Scale

1 small banana, peeled and sliced
1 mango, peeled, seeded and cubed
1 1/2 cups low-fat milk (or other non-dairy milk alternative)
1/2 avocado, peeled, seeded and cubed
1 tablespoon ground flax seed
2 tablespoons grated or flaked dried coconut
2 teaspoons honey

Instructions

Spread the sliced banana and mango cubes evenly out onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Freeze for at least 1 hour and up to 2 hours. (If desired, this step can be done advance, just be sure to transfer partially frozen fruit to a re-sealable freezer bag to prevent it from sticking to the paper).
Pour the milk into the bottom of a blender and add the frozen fruit, avocado, ground flax seed, coconut and honey. Puree until smooth. Pour into cups and serve immediately.

Notes

Makes 3 cups.
This smoothie isn’t mind-numbingly sweet. But if you’re looking for some additional sweetness, add a little more honey.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 4
Calories: 188
Sugar: 23
Sodium: 52
Fat: 7
Saturated Fat: 2
Unsaturated Fat: 4
Trans Fat: 0
Carbohydrates: 30
Protein: 5
Cholesterol: 5

Pe-anna-berry Smoothie

in LUNCH / Recipes / SNACKS July 24, 2015March 6, 2017 7 comments

Some people don’t see over-ripe, bruised fruits as having any potential. Not me! I see them as an opportunity! Case in point, I had a peach (leftover from my last post) and a banana sitting on my counter looking quite sad, but still viable. Knowing I needed to act fast, I did a little brainstorming and heeded the warning from my growling stomach, and decided upon a smoothie.

Luckily for me, it was fit the bill for what I was craving. I love the subtle flavor of the peach and the sweetness of the blueberries and banana. Adding the flax seed was a way to get some healthy fats and additional fiber in. And spinach just seems like an easy thing to add and I always enjoy the thought of drinking my spinach. For some reason, I think that’s fun. Yes, I am a little quirky like that.

I have to say it was a hit at my house. I enjoyed mine and had even more fun watching my 2 1/2 year old enjoy hers. So next time you see fruit on your counter and you’re considering tossing it, I challenge you to use it instead. Most fruits make a great base for smoothies, and if you happen to have a peach and banana lying around, try my recipe for Pe-anna-berry Smoothie!

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Pe-anna-berry Smoothie

Author: Sara Haas

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Description

A delightful way to start the day or finish a workout. Bursting with fruit, flax seed and even a little spinach. Why not make what you’re sipping a little more nutritious!

Ingredients

Scale

1 cup almond milk (or any other milk, preferably low-fat)
1 cup baby spinach
1 tablespoon flax seed
1 ripe peach, seeded and cut into chunks
1 ripe banana, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup frozen blueberries
1/2 cup low-fat Greek yogurt
¼ cup ice
1 tablespoon honey (if desired)

Instructions

Place the milk, spinach, flax, peach, banana and blueberries into a blender and pulse until combined. Add the yogurt and ice (and honey, if desired) and puree until smooth.
Pour into a fun glass and enjoy! (Fun glass is of course optional)

Notes

Makes 3 cups.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 2
Calories: 219
Sugar: 30
Sodium: 59
Fat: 5
Saturated Fat: 1
Unsaturated Fat: 3
Trans Fat: 0
Carbohydrates: 41
Protein: 7
Cholesterol: 4

A Perfect Pairing: Almonds and Chocolate

in LUNCH / Recipe Redux / Recipes / SNACKS February 21, 2015March 6, 2017 0 comments

I’m going to let you in on a little secret. Somewhere, hidden deep in the recesses of my pantry is my special stash of chocolate. It’s a secret because, well, I don’t feel like sharing it. No offense to other members of the household, but I just don’t think they would appreciate this little treasure like I do. I hold that stash near and dear to my heart. And thinking about it now, it seems rather ironic that I store it in an old trick-or-treating bucket that looks like a jack-o-lantern…totally classy and mature, I know.

I love chocolate and I have since I was little. Lots of good food memories come to mind when I think of chocolate. Because I love it so much, I suppose that could mean trouble for my waistline. But the good news is, I can control myself because I appreciate chocolate. I see chocolate as a fun indulgence or as a very lovely treat. Because of that, I try to enjoy it and savor it. That means I need less of it!

The ladies over at the Recipe Redux must have channeled my inner choco-holic when they came up with this month’s theme – our favorite pairing for chocolate. My mind of course went crazy with ideas. How about a mole? Or what about a twist on a ‘smore? When it came down to it, I decided upon a recipe that I felt would honor both the dietitian as well as the chocolate-lover in me. Reaching for almonds and my secret stash of chocolate, I bee-lined to the kitchen and got to work. I came up with a recipe that is the perfect snack or treat and one that highlights one of my favorite pairings: nuts and chocolate! Yum!

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Spiced Almonds with Dark Chocolate Drizzle

Author: Sara Haas
Total Time: 40 minutes
Yield: 3 1x

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Description

These roasted almonds are a delightful blend of sweet and savory.

Ingredients

Scale

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 large egg white
1 tablespoon water
3 cups whole almonds
2 ounces 60% dark chocolate
Kosher salt for finishing

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 300’F and line a large sheet pan with parchment paper.
In a small bowl whisk together the cayenne, cinnamon, brown sugar and salt.
In a separate bowl, whisk the egg white and water together just until foamy. Add the almonds and toss to coat. Spread the almonds out onto the sheet pan and sprinkle with the spice mixture. Stir and toss to coat.
Place nuts in the oven and bake for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let the nuts cool on the sheet pan.
To a small sauce pot add the chocolate and set over low heat. Stir constantly until chocolate is completely melted. Using a small spoon, drizzle the melted chocolate over the almonds. Sprinkle with additional salt as desired (Kosher or sea salt).
Allow chocolate to cool and harden before serving.

Prep Time: 10
Cook Time: 30