Mindful Work-from-Home Snack Ideas

We’ve all been there: it’s 3:00 pm during a busy workday, and hunger hits! It can be easy to gravitate towards a bag of chips or sugary granola bar because it’s pre-packaged and ready to go, but oftentimes those snacks will leave you feeling unsatisfied and hungrier. We are sharing some of our favorite go-to snacks to have during the week that is simple to prep the night before or require only a few minutes to put together. Whether you’re craving something salty or sweet- we’ve got you covered!

Homemade Hummus

Hummus is one of our favorite snacks because it is so versatile and can be paired with various foods like fresh veggies, crackers, or toast! This recipe from Inspired Taste is versatile and tastes so delicious; you’ll never repurchase store-bought hummus again.

Ingredients:

• 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (1 large lemon)
• 1/4 cup well-stirred tahini
• 1 small garlic clove, minced
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• Salt to taste
• 2 to 3 tablespoons water

Instructions:

1. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the tahini and lemon juice and process for 1 minute, scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl, then process for 30 seconds more. This extra time helps “whip” or “cream” the tahini, making the hummus smooth and creamy.
2. Add the olive oil, minced garlic, cumin, and a 1/2 teaspoon of salt to the whipped tahini and lemon juice. Process for 30 seconds, scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl, then process another 30 seconds or until well blended. Open, drain, and rinse the chickpeas. Add half of the chickpeas to the food processor and process for 1 minute. Scrape sides and bottom of the bowl, then add remaining chickpeas and process until thick and quite smooth; 1 to 2 minutes.
3. Most likely, the hummus will be too thick or still have tiny bits of chickpea. To fix this, with the food processor turned on, slowly add 2 to 3 tablespoons of water until you reach the perfect consistency.
4. Taste for salt and adjust as needed. Serve hummus with a drizzle of olive oil and a dash of paprika. Store homemade hummus in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to one week.

Frozen Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Bites

Curb your sweet tooth with these mouthwatering chocolate peanut butter banana bites from Not Enough Cinnamon! These are a delicious, mindful choice, including healthy fat from peanut butter, potassium from the banana, and antioxidants from the dark chocolate. We love to add a bit of flaky sea salt on top to finish them off! YUM!

Ingredients:

• 3 bananas ripe but still firm
• 1/4 cup peanut butter or your favorite nut butter
• 10 oz dark chocolate
• 2 teaspoons coconut oil *optional but recommended!

Instructions:

1. Cut the banana into slices (about 1/4 inch – 0.7 cm each). Set aside half of the slices and arrange the other half on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
2. Heat peanut butter in the microwave on low/medium for about 30 seconds to 1 minute, stirring in between, until it’s smooth and easily spreadable.
3. Spoon about one heaped 1/4 teaspoon (up to 1/2 teaspoon if the banana is large) on the banana slices you arranged on the baking sheet. Top with the other half of the banana slices you set aside earlier. Freeze for two hours.
4. When the banana sandwiches are frozen, prepare the chocolate. Place chopped chocolate (or chocolate chips if using) in a microwave-safe bowl along with the coconut oil (it helps the chocolate melt and stay smooth).
5. Microwave on low/medium heat in 30 seconds bursts, stirring between each until chocolate is fully melted and glossy (watch carefully, so the chocolate doesn’t burn).
6. Prepare another baking sheet (or a plate) with parchment paper. Take two to three bites out of the freezer. One by one, dip them in the melted chocolate and, using two forks, “roll” them in chocolate to cover all sides.
7. Remove excess chocolate and place it on a prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining frozen sandwiches.
8. Place the chocolate covered bites back in the freezer until set. Once they are set, you can transfer them to a container. Store in the freezer.

Homemade Potato Chips

Ditch the bag of oily chips and make your own using this recipe from Bowl of Delicious! It’s SO simple and only requires 3 ingredients! Bake using our SuperSteam+ Wall Oven or Superheated Steam Countertop Oven for best results.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of thinly sliced potatoes of any kind will work (about 2 medium-sized potatoes)
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• Other spices, such as black pepper, paprika, garlic powder, chili powder, etc. *optional

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, mix the potato slices (2 cups) and olive oil (1 tablespoon). Mix well, so every surface of every slice of potato is covered evenly- you may want to use your hands for this since the sliced potatoes may stick together.
3. Place the sliced potatoes on the prepared baking sheet, making sure they don’t overlap (but they can touch a little on the edges). Sprinkle them evenly with the kosher salt (1 teaspoon)and any other spices you want to use. Bake in the top half of the oven for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown. Turn OFF the oven and allow to sit in the oven. At the same time, it cools off 15-30 minutes (this is optional if you’re in a hurry, but highly recommended, as it will make the potatoes crispier. Keep an eye on them through- the residual heat can quickly burn them if you aren’t careful!).
4. Serve potato chips plain or with your favorite dipping sauce.

Crunchy Granola Clusters

Trail mix is so 2020. Upgrade your snacking with this granola recipe from blogger, From Scratch Fast! We love topping our yogurt off with this or grabbing a handful when we need something crunchy and nutrient-dense.

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups old fashioned rolled oats, divided
• 1 cup pecans
• ½ cup walnuts
• ½ cup pumpkin seeds
• ½ cup coarsely chopped dried fruit, such as apricots, dates, cranberries, currants, cherries, etc.
• ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/3 cup maple syrup or honey (or a mix of both)
• ¼ cup virgin coconut oil, melted
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 300˚F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Put ½ cup of the rolled oats in the food processor and process to coarse flour. Add the remaining oats, along with the pecans, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, dried fruit, coconut, cinnamon, and salt. Pulse until the nuts are coarsely chopped, about 5-6 pulses.
3. In a small bowl, combine the maple syrup or honey, melted coconut oil, and vanilla. Pour the syrup mixture over the ingredients in the food processor, and pulse until the mixture comes together and looks damp, about 8 pulses.
4. Transfer the granola to the baking sheet. Using a rubber spatula, press it into a ½-inch thick rectangle, about 8×12-inches large. Bake 20 minutes. Rotate the pan 190 degrees and bake until lightly browned along the edges, golden on top, and firm to the touch, about 20-25 minutes longer.
5. Cool the granola on the pan. Break it into clusters before serving.