Innovative 10-Minute Snacks

Stop - before you reach for the bag of chips in the pantry that is calling your name, take a second to think about why. Is it convenient? Or, are you just craving a salty treat? You probably know that these packaged morsels of food, however delicious, probably aren't very healthy for you, but sometimes convenience and taste override a desire to eat well.

The pandemic has caused me to have a lot more time to experiment with snacks in my kitchen. In the process, I've discovered several snacks that are quick to make, delicious, and are ALSO healthy. Triple threats!

So, next time you want to reach for that bag of chips or everyday comfort food, consider making one of these snacks instead. They are fun, unique, and tasty, and won't take much more time than pouring yourself a bowl of pretzels! Happy snacking :)

1. Quick Apple Crumble Bowl
Bored of my normal yogurt, fruit, peanuts, and honey bowls (which I do recommend!), I discovered this dish while playing around in the kitchen one morning, and WOW was it revolutionary. Seriously, it tastes just like a traditional apple crumble, but it's much healthier and is made in a fraction of the time. What more could you ask for?

Ingredients
 - 1 finely chopped apple (the smaller the pieces are the smoother it is!)
 - 1/4 cup Nature Valley Oats and Honey granola (this is the BEST granola for it, and it's critical to the authentic apple crumble taste. I've experimented with other brands and flavors of granola and they don't taste the same, but it's up to you.) 
 - Honey
 - Cinnamon
Directions
Mash up the granola into small crumbles, then pour the apple and granola into a microwave-safe bowl. Drizzle some honey and sprinkle some cinnamon on top, then use a spoon to mix those in with the apple and granola. Microwave the apples and granola for 40 seconds. Enjoy your warm, simple apple crumble!

2. Egg-in-a-Basket
You may have seen this item on restaurant breakfast/brunch menus before, and here is how to make them from home! They're actually pretty easy to make, and nearly everyone likes eggs and toast, so why not eat them together?
Bonus topping ideas: avocado spread (mashed avocado with a dash of lime juice), red pepper spread, or Everything Bagel seasoning (can be found at Trader Joe's, or find a homemade recipe here: https://www.theedgyveg.com/2020/04/07/everything-but-the-bagel-seasoning-recipe/)

Ingredients
 - 1 slice of preferred choice of bread (rye works well with this)
 - 1 egg
 - 1/2 tbsp butter (healthier choice: I Can't Believe It's Not Butter, a 0-calorie butter spray that tastes JUST like butter)
Directions
1. Cut and remove a 2-inch circle of bread from the center of the slice.
2. Apply cooking spray to a medium saucepan, then either melt the 1/2 tbsp of butter in the pan or cover both sides of the slice of bread with the zero-calorie butter spray.

3. Veggie Sushi Bites
As someone who often enjoys making my own sushi, it is time consuming, and, not to mention, hard. And even if you buy sushi from the store, it's often very pricey. Never fear, because these are a great way to get your sushi fix quickly, inexpensively, and easily.
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Ingredients
 - 1 empty ice cube tray
 - Cooked sushi rice (recipe: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/99211/perfect-sushi-rice/)
 - Avocado
 - Cucumber
 - Carrot
 - Shredded nori (can also rip up those packaged seaweed sheets into small pieces)   (CRITICAL to authentic sushi taste!)
Directions
1. Prepare the filler ingredients. Peel the carrot, then use the peeler to make thin ribbons of carrot. Cut these ribbons into smaller pieces, whatever will fit in each space of the ice cube tray. Peel the cucumber and cut it into small matchsticks. Next, cut the avocado into small cubes.
2. Assembly is super easy! Spread some sushi rice across the bottoms of each space of the ice cube tray, and make sure to get some rice on the sides as well. Arrange the vegetables and nori in the middle of each space, then top each with another layer of sushi rice. You can refrigerate the bites if you'd like them to be more likely to stick together nicely, or enjoy right away! They should look like balls of rice stuffed with sushi ingredients.

4. Reese's Popcorn
This is a FANTASTIC dessert or snack for when you're craving something that tastes unhealthy that you won't later regret eating. It's only comprised of three ingredients, and tastes INCREDIBLE and just like Reese's, even without adding chocolate!

Ingredients
 - Microwave popcorn
 - Smooth peanut butter (NOT the chunky kind)
 - Honey
Directions
1. Start by microwaving the popcorn kernels according to the directions on the package. To prevent burning, I suggest flipping the bag upside down halfway through, and taking them out of the microwave when there are multiple seconds between when you hear pops.
​2. While the popcorn is cooking, mix together a sauce of equal parts smooth peanut butter and honey. Prepare whatever amount of Reese's sauce is appropriate for how much popcorn you're eating. And, that's it! You can drizzle the Reese's sauce on top of the popcorn, or for a less messy experience I suggest putting the sauce in a bowl and dipping each piece of popcorn into it.