One of the things I’ve learned in this postpartum season is the importance of being INTENTIONAL! I absolutely love the reminder and challenge that Isla brings to live intentionally in every aspect of life…including what I snack on!

Okay, moms, I know you’ll feel me on this post, but honestly this is for everyone! Life can be BUSY and if you’re like me, when you’re run down and starving because you’ve been on the go all day and legit forgot to eat (or maybe didn’t forget, just didn’t have time) you tend to reach for the first easy thing in your pantry that’s snacky…and most likely it’s sugar.

First of all, why is sugar not the best fuel for our bodies?

Sugar itself contains absolutely NO nutritional value to our bodies
It is addicting; it stimulates the same part of our brains that cocaine does and creates a positive feed back loop in our bodies to encourage more consumption.

Sugar promotes chronic inflammation in the body when eaten in excess
Chronic inflammation can lead to strain on your adrenals, disrupts your hormone balance, and compromises your immune system
Sugar causes our neurotransmitter dopamine to first skyrocket and then plummet, causing mood swings
Too much sugar causes spikes in blood glucose levels
Sugar is detrimental on our oral health, leading to enamel decay and cavities

I’ve found that a great way for me to take care of my body is to plan ahead and have healthy snacks on hand.

That way when I’m hungry but don’t have time for a full meal (mom life) or my body is telling me it’s hungry but it’s not time for a full meal yet, I have something to go to that won’t make me feel like gross mentally and physically.

Before I share these recipes, just a heads up that although I’m a nurse who is super passionate about nutrition and has done lots of research, I am not a nutrition specialist in any way. My best advice is know your body and fuel it in the way that works best for it. That said, enjoy these SUPER SIMPLE yet SUPER NUTRITIOUS recipes that are staples in my kitchen!

RAW VEGAN PEANUT BUTTER CUPS

This is a must for me to have stocked in my freezer always! I looooove dark chocolate and peanut butter, and with these ingredients I can feel good about snacking on these goodies!
3/4 c cacao powder (NOT coco powder)
1/2 c coconut oil (softened)
1/3 c maple syrup (ahem…the REAL stuff!)
your choice of organic nut butter (I prefer peanut butter or almond butter)
himalayan salt
Mix together cacao powder, coconut oil, and maple syrup
Take a baking sheet (I use a silicone baking sheet on top to prevent mess) and shape small dollops of the cacao mix on the sheet.
Next add nut butter on top of the cacao dollops, and then sandwich another dollop of cacao mixture on top of the nut butter
Finally, sprinkle a dash of Himalayan salt on top and put baking sheet in the freezer. Once frozen, you can peel off of the sheet (if you’re using a silicone baking sheet this step becomes way easier!) and store in a container in the freezer.
**Cacao powder: a pure form of chocolate, high in magnesium, antioxidant rich, and full of iron and calcium. Considered a super food!
**Coconut oil: a healthy fat great for hormone balance and healthy hair, skin, and nails; benefits brain health; has antimicrobial effects
**Maple syrup: high in antioxidants and minerals such as zinc, riboflavin, magnesium, calcium, and potassium

KALE CHIPS

Recipe from plentyfullme, but I tweaked it a bit to show how I typically make them based on ingredients I usually have on hand. Ooohhh how I love this snack! Soo earthy and crunchy with a hint of spice.

A heck of a lot of kale…enough to fill a very large mixing bowl when all the leaves are pulled from the stems!

1 c raw cashews soaked for 2 hours (sometimes I’ll soak them overnight)

1 c red bell pepper

1/3 c nutritional yeast

juice from 1/2 a lemon (sometimes I skip this step depending on if I have lemons on hand, but I love when I add it! )

4 tbs olive oil

1-2 garlic cloves

1 tsp cayenne pepper

2 tsp sea salt

Add water to get the right consistency…thick and creamy!

Blend all ingredients in a food processor

Pour over kale leaves and mix thoroughly

Use a food dehydrator to get the best crunchy consistency! With mine I dehydrate at 135 degrees for about 6 hours, or however long it takes until they’re thoroughly dry and crunchy. You can also bake in the oven at a low heat.

**Kale: very rich in iron and vitamin K. Considered a super food!

**Red bell pepper: high in vitamin C, helps your body absorb the iron from the kale

**Cashews: a healthy fat and good source of protein

**Garlic: antimicrobial, great for the immune system!

GRANOLA

Favorite road trip snack, for breakfast with nut milk, or yogurt topper! So versatile :) I LOVE eating seasonly, so I really enjoy being able to customize this recipe depending on what season I’m in.
***Autumn/Winter:***
1 c cashews
1 1/2 c almonds
1/2 c pumpkin seeds
3/4 c walnuts
1/2 c pecans
1/2 c dried cranberries
1/2 c coconut oil
1/3 c raw local honey
2 tsp cinnamon
dash of nutmeg
***Spring/Summer:***
2 c cashews
1 c almonds
1/2 c sunflower seeds
1 c walnuts
about 1/4 c dried lavender buds (or more if you’d like)
1/2 c-1 c dried blueberries
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 c coconut oil
1/3 c raw local honey
**all nuts preferably raw and organic
**The nuts pack a lot of protein
**Raw local honey packs some antimicrobial properties as well as helps support the body during allergy season
**Coconut oil is a healthy fat and is also antimicrobial

VENISON JERKY

Not many people love venison, but this was pretty much the only meat I grew up eating! It’s super lean, and our venison always comes straight from the woods…my husband is a hunter! If you’re not a venison fan, you can pretty much use any meat you like. I recommend organic bison, which is my second favorite to use for jerky!

1 lb your choice of meat

Mix in seasoning and jerky cure by following directions on package. I buy a local seasoning and jerky cure, but you can season it yourself with spices and buy your own cure (I found lots of good options on Amazon!)

Use a jerky gun to shape the jerky strips onto a dehydrator trays. Set the dehydrator to 165 degrees and dehydrate for 4-16 hours (until the meat is completely dried)

**Wild game meat is very lean source of protein

BREAKFAST BARS

I love these breakfast bars for a quick ready made breakfast on mornings i don’t have the time to fix a smoothie or avocado toast.

This is the recipe I follow and I actually don’t change a thing, except that I don’t add any sweeteners!

**Blueberries are a great source of antioxidants

**Gluten causes an inflammatory response for most people (even if you don’t have symptoms!) so I love using gluten-free oats

**Bananas are a great source of potassium and keep ya full for a long time

COCONUT MILK POPSICLES

Love these especially on a hot day or after a long run!
2 c coconut milk
2 tbs coconut cream
1 c frozen fruit of choice (I’ve tried blueberries and cherries so far, but honestly I think any fruit would be great, especially berries!)
Combine ingredients in a blender and blend on high speed until combined well. Pour into silicone popsicle molds and place in freezer until frozen. Enjoy!
**Coconut milk and cream: great source of electrolytes and antioxidants
**Berries are high in antioxidants and low in fructose

6 Healthy & Simple Homemade Snacks to Always Have On Hand

One of the things I’ve learned in this postpartum season is the importance of being INTENTIONAL! I absolutely love the reminder and challenge that Isla brings to live intentionally in *every* aspect of life…including what I snack on!