Looking to stay lean for summer? You’re not alone! Whether you want a few good smoothie snack recipes that will get you on the lean and healthy track or to know about the best snacks that you can take with you to watch the kids’ soccer games, swim meets, etc., we’ve got you covered!
So here you have it—five of our favorite on-the-go snacks and one of our favorite smoothie recipes for summer to help you bust-out-of-winter-hibernation rut! They have the magical protein and fiber combo that may help to give you satiety—and energy!
5 Fab On-the-Go Snacks
Cucumber Tuna Sammies—Cucumbers make a light and refreshing mini “bread” for tuna sandwiches. Slice the cucumber like coins and make mini sammies or slice it length-wise and spread tuna with dijonnaise in between two slices.
Whey Chocolate Covered Popcorn. Make a small bag of plain, air-popped popcorn and add 1 scoop of chocolate protein powder. Shake until the powder covers the popcorn. We love this snack because it instantly quenches our sweet tooth craving and our desire to crunch. Plus the popcorn is packed with energy-providing carbohydrates and the fiber and protein powder gives it staying power.
Pistachios. With a delicious taste and satisfying crunch, pistachios have earned the unique distinction as the “Skinny Nut”. Pistachios are one of the lowest fat, lowest calorie snack nuts and among the highest in protein. They’re packed with the winning combination of both fiber and protein that may help to keep you feeling satiated. Plus, they’re portable! This is one of our faves and we’ve been choosing it for an afternoon snack to boost us for as long as we can remember. In fact, pistachios are such a staple in our energy-revving diet that we now work with Wonderful Pistachios to help others make healthier snack choices.
Red Peppers (or veggie of choice!) and Black Bean Dip. Red peppers are loaded with anti-oxidants and fiber. They’ll give you a quick energy burst while the beans in the dip will extend that boost with fiber and protein. Red peppers are a staple in our house. We combine them with black bean dip, hummus or low-fat yogurt dip—all provide protein for longer lasting fuel.
Non-fat Greek Yogurt with Apples and Cinnamon. We like to cut an apple into little chunks and stir them right into the yogurt (both plain and vanilla yogurt are our faves!), and then we add a dash of cinnamon. Our clients tend to like their yogurt with cinnamon as a dip for the apples. Whichever you prefer, you’ll be getting an energy surge from the apple’s fiber- packed carbohydrates. The creamy, satisfying, protein-filled yogurt will prevent energy crashes and keep you at full throttle.
The Nutrition Twins’ Orange-Bananapple Veggie Smoothie
Serves 4
Ingredients:
12 ounce frozen mix of Broccoli, Cauliflower and Carrots, cooked according to package directions, cooled (we leave the bag in the fridge overnight so it defrosts so we don’t even have to cook it!)
2 cups non-fat vanilla Greek yogurt (or flavor of choice)
1/2 cup orange juice
2 medium ripe bananas
1 small apple
1-1/2 cups ice cubes
Directions:
Place all ingredients in blender or mixer and process until smooth. Enjoy!
Nutrition Information per serving: 183 calories, 0 grams fat, 35 grams carbohydrate, 12 g protein, 3 g fiber, 0 g cholesterol, 56 mg sodium
Relationship disclosure: The Nutrition Twins work with Wonderful Pistachios to help people make healthier snack choices.
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