10 Healthy and Comfy Snacks for Home Office Cravings

I don't know if you have the same thing as I have. Even if I eat well, as I am working from home all day, I often have cravings between meals. Home office is great, but also has its temptations, and snacking is one of them!

Sometimes, it is just because I skipped breakfast (because I overslept) or because I had been doing some workout.

Anyway, I frequently have cravings, and they ask for comfy snacks. There is absolutely nothing to chew on in the house. I do not buy any cookies or chocolate bars. Everything is homemade, and sugar free, as you may already know if you follow me for a while!

I wanted to share with you some snacks that are healthier and still make the trick to my cravings!

They were all brought to me by my nutritionist (for a change!) and some are just super quick and easy others require a bit a of cooking in advance.

All are refined sugar free, gluten free and mostly vegan. I also opted in this case for mainly savory snacks, as my 5 cookies recipes for lockdown are a great list to dig in if you have sweet tooth!

 

1/ Pop corn

You may think, it is not a healthy snack.... well, it depends how you prepare it, and how much you eat as well, of course! ;-)

I always make my own pop corn, and i especially love with no flavors except the coconut oil where I cooked them!

I take a thick bottomed fry-pan and add 1 tbsp. of coconut oil and let it get hot at high heat. When the pan is hot and oil melted, I add 1 small handful of corn kennels and stir to let the corn get covered with the oil. I reduce to medium heat and put a lid on top. My pan had a glass lid, and I must say it is quite handy. 

Then, let the magic happened! I soooo love the pop sound in the kitchen!!! It means I am going for a cozy night movie!

I reduce the heat, when the pops starts to calm down and the pan is already full and the pop corn pushing the lid! And finally stop the heat and wait for a couple more minute to be sure it is finished.

Personally, I like them like that! I do not even add salt... But of course, you can add a pinch of salt, 1 tbsp. of maple syrup (or both, actually), I also love it with thyme or zaatar, it is addictive! And also with some smoked paprika or curry... You can also try it with matcha tea or cocoa powder....

2/ Apple & peanut butter

This is the quickest and easiest one! You slice an apple and add a bit of peanut butter... it is sooo delicious!!! So much better than a peanut butter toast.

I carefully choose my peanut butter. I use a unsalted and unsweetened peanut butter, and try to get the one which has more peanut content, and no preservatives!

 

3/ Date & peanut butter & salt and cocoa nibs

This one is also easy, and totally addictive. It is the season for Medjoul fresh dates. They are my favorite, because they a slight toffee taste! Take out the pit, and place 1 tsp. of peanut butter. I sprinkle sea salt and cocoa nibs!!!!

You can find recipes on different accounts on Instagram, I follow: @jshealth and @deliciouslyella

4/ Bliss balls

This recipe is actually for a chocolate spread, so you can choose how you prefer to eat it. The bliss balls are the easiest for me.

- 40 gr. of raw cacao

- 125 gr. of dates

- 75 gr. of hazelnut butter

- 2 tbsp. of coconut oil

- 200 gr. of roasted hazelnuts

- 1/2 tsp. of salt

- 1/2 tsp. of vanilla extract

 Basically, you put all the ingredients together in a good food processor, and blend till you get a smooth texture! I added a couple of tbsp. of water to ensure the right texture I was looking for.

After 10 minutes, I have got my choco-hazelnut spread ready!... and it is sooo delicious!

As it hardens in the fridge, I use this trick to make some energy bliss balls I roll into shredded coconut or moringa/ matcha powder. It had been my snack at the office, and you feel like having a truffle, treating yourself, and actually it really gives me a good kick to go through my day! All the nice effects of boosting my energy without any insulin pick or down side.

For the next batch, I am thinking to add some cacao nibs to give a crunchy bite... what do you think?

You can easily keep it in a jar for several weeks in the fridge.

 

5/ Spiced gingerbread

 I made my first loaves for Christmas, and I am totaly in love with this recipe, taste and texture, I had to share it:

- 200 gr. honey

- 200 ml of water

- 5 gr. or 1 handful of dry or fresh orange peel

- 180 gr. of rye flour

- 70 gr. of wheat flour

- 1 tsp. of baking soda

- 2 tbsp. of gingerbread spices mix (ginger, cloves, star anise, cinnamon, coriander, cardamom and nutmeg)

1/ Turn on the oven to 180C.

2/ Warm up in a pan, the honey and water with the orange peel at medium heat for 5 minutes. The goal is to allow honey and water to mix properly. I add the peel to infuse better the amazing taste of orange!

3/ Take out of the stove and gather in a bowl with the spices mix and the baking soda. stir to mix.

4/ Add finally the flours and stir to mix well at the same time till you get a nice fluid batter.

5/ Grease a mold with butter or coconut oil. Pour the batter and cook for 45 minutes minimum in the oven. Check if the gingerbread is ready by punching a sharp knife in the middle. If the blade comes out clean, it is ready.

6/ Let it cool, and keep in an airtight box or plastic bag in the fridge for 1 month! The spices taste will develop after a couple of days, and the vegan original recipe insure a long lasting shelf life.

6/ Red lentils pâté

This is a total discovery, inspired by The Green Kitchen cookbook. This recipe is also a great aperitif or perfect for a light dinner.

 

Cook 2 glasses of red lentils in cold water for 20 minutes, till cooked. 

Drain the lentils properly. Usually they are already almost mashed. 

In a blender, put the lentils, add salt, pepper, fresh lemon thyme leaves and 3 dried tomatoes. Blend till smooth. 

You can easily make it in advance and keep it in the fridge for 1 week. 

Serve with garlic grilled bread or veggies sticks and florets.

 

7/ Classic hummus

•     200 gr. of cooked chickpeas
•     ½ Lemon juice
•     1 garlic clove
•     1 handful of sesame
•     1 handful of fresh coriander
•     paprika powder or sumac
  
•     1 tsp. tahini paste
•     pepper
•     sesame oil or extra olive oil

Gather in a blender the lemon juice and the tahini paste the cooked chickpeas and crushed garlic. Blend. If it is too thick to blend smoothly, add a bit of water. 

Add the pepper and the coriander, blend again shortly. 

Spread on top the sesame seed, paprika and oil. 

Serve with veggies sticks.

The beetroot hummus or the green peas hummus are also great alternative. You will find the recipes on my blog, just click on the names!

 

8/ Celery and cashew butter

This one is as easy as the apple and peanut butter one! You will not believe how celery stick becomes tasty with some cashew butter! I add either goji berries on top or some chili flakes (or both), and it really rocks! I am sure you will be as surprised as I was, the first time I tried!

9/Fresh green smoothie

All the greens are balanced with the sweet pear and apple! You will not believe how yummy it is! And all seasonal fruits and veggies!

Mix together in the blender:

• 1/2 pear
• 1 glass of of unsweetened organic apple juice or 1/2 apple and 1/2 glass of water
• 1 tbsp. of cashew butter or any other butter you have in hand
  
• 3 lettuce leaves
• 1 handful of fresh spinach (or frozen ones)
• 2 mint stalks
• 1/2 lemon juice
• 2 celery stalks with leaves

 

 10/ Sardines paté in cucumber basket

Slice the cucumber in 5 to 7 cm long chunk. Peel half of the skin to create kind of stripes. Make a small well inside the cucumber. Salt and put upside down on top of a kitchen paper or towel for 10 minutes.

 

In the meanwhile, prepare the sardines rillettes with a sardines can. Get the filets, and remove the spine, tail and other small parts you don't want to mix with. 

 

Add 1 lemon juice, salt and pepper. Mix with some drained fresh cheese (cottage cheese, cream cheese, ricotta, etc.) or some soft tofu.

Put a tbsp. of rillettes in each cucumber well. Top with some fresh herbs and serve. 

You can also use tuna instead of sardines, but I am trying to stay away from tuna cans, as the fish is disappearing. Plus, you will get higher quality of fish and Omega 3 with sardines, smaller and less intoxicated than the bigger tuna.

 

What is your favorite snack? Do you have another comfy and healthy recipe to share with us and to keep up the inspiration?

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