Snack Like a Health Nut

Simple Recipes for On-the-Go Nutrition

Let’s be honest: sometimes, our eating habits veer toward not-so-healthy options simply because it’s more convenient. That’s why the VIE team reached out to some healthy recipe authors to curate a list of easy meals and snacks, most of which can be prepped in advance so you can grab and go!

Annie Fenn, MD, author of the cookbook Brain Health Kitchen: Preventing Alzheimer’s Through Food, shared the perfect breakfast smoothie and a delicious pancake recipe designed to keep you energized and improve cognitive function. Blogger and holistic private chef Sophia Victoria Vegan came in clutch with an easy “crunch ball” snack you can take anywhere, while the wellness experts at The Ranch retreats in Malibu and Hudson Valley shared a raspberry cookie we can’t wait to try for dessert.

Whether you need a light breakfast or afternoon pick-me-up, you can’t go wrong with these items that will make you feel good about snacking in the new year!

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Coffee Berry Smoothie

By Annie Fenn, MD, author of Brain Health Kitchen: Preventing Alzheimer’s Through Food

BrainHealthKitchen.substack.com | @brainhealthkitchen

Coffee and berry flavors work surprisingly well together in this bracing, not-too-sweet smoothie. Some high-quality coffees have fruit-forward flavors. Ethiopian coffee, for example, smells like blueberries! That’s because coffee beans are technically a fruit. The beans are actually the pit of a cherry-like fruit now being studied for memory-enhancing properties.

Besides giving you a double dose of berry flavors, there’s an abundance of polyphenols from the coffee and the berries, making this a smoothie that quells inflammation and combats oxidative stress in the brain. Hemp seeds blend up creamy and add omega-3 fatty acids and protein.

Serves 2

Ingredients

2 frozen bananas (about 10 ounces/285 g total), broken into pieces

1 cup (190 g) frozen blueberries, blackberries, black raspberries, or a mix

1/4 cup (35 g) hemp seeds, plus more for serving

1 cup (240 ml) Basic Nut Milk (page 363 of Brain Health Kitchen) or store-bought nut milk

1 cup (240 ml) freshly brewed coffee, at room temperature or chilled

Directions

In the following order, layer the bananas, blueberries, hemp seeds, milk, and coffee in a blender. Blend on high speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Divide between two glasses and top with more hemp seeds, if you like.

Tips

To store bananas in the freezer for making smoothies, peel them and cut them into four pieces each. Store in a zip-top bag or other airtight container for up to 6 months.

For a thicker smoothie, use ice-cold coffee; for a thinner one, use room-temperature coffee.

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Caramelized Apple and Quinoa Pancakes

By Annie Fenn, MD, author of Brain Health Kitchen: Preventing Alzheimer’s Through Food

BrainHealthKitchen.substack.com | @brainhealthkitchen

Stirring cooked quinoa into batter transforms pancakes into something unique and delicious. 

These are fluffy yet hearty with a delightfully chewy texture. Hazelnut flour enhances quinoa’s nutty notes while boosting vitamin E and adding more fiber. Both ingredients are protein-rich, too, meaning they’ll sustain you long after breakfast is over.

Serves 4

Ingredients

1/2 cup (100 g) quinoa

3/4 cup (100 g) quinoa flour

1/2 cup (45 g) hazelnut flour or meal

1 tsp baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp kosher salt

1 1/2 cups (360 ml) unsweetened plant-based milk, homemade (page 363) or store-bought

1 egg

2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 Tbsp pure maple syrup, plus more for drizzling (optional)

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Extra-virgin olive oil, for the pan

2 large apples, such as Gala or Honeycrisp, thinly sliced

4 tsp hemp seeds

Plain, unsweetened yogurt (coconut, whole milk, or nut-based)

Directions

Pancakes don’t like to wait, so it’s ideal to use a large griddle to cook them if you want to serve a group at once. Alternatively, use a small skillet and serve in batches.

If you want to serve the pancakes all together, set an oven rack in the center position and preheat the oven to 300ºF (150ºC) to keep them warm while you cook.

Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil and add the quinoa. Boil, uncovered, until the quinoa is fluffy and tender, about 12 minutes. Drain well. You should have about 1 1/2 cups (215g).

Meanwhile, whisk together the quinoa flour, hazelnut flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl until no lumps remain.

Whisk the milk, egg, lemon juice, maple syrup, and vanilla in a medium bowl until combined. 

Pour over the flour mixture and fold until no streaks of flour remain. Fold in the cooked quinoa. 

Let the batter sit for 10 minutes.

Heat a griddle or large nonstick skillet over medium heat and coat with a few drops of oil. Pour in 1/3 cup (80 ml) of the batter and arrange as many apple slices as will fit on the surface. Cook until the underside is crispy and brown and the center is set, 4 to 5 minutes. Using a rigid spatula, carefully flip the pancake and cook until it’s golden brown on the other side and the center is dry, another 3 to 4 minutes. Serve right away or transfer to a plate and place in the oven to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining batter.

Serve hot, sprinkled with 1 teaspoon hemp seeds per serving, topped with a dollop of yogurt, and drizzled with maple syrup, if you like.

Tips

Even if the surface seems crowded, layer as many apple slices as will fit on each pancake. You can replace the apple slices with 1 cup (190 g) blueberries or 1 cup (170 g) chocolate chips.

Though boiling quinoa like pasta takes only about 12 minutes, these pancakes come together in a snap with leftover cooked quinoa.

Quinoa flour adds even more toasty quinoa flavor and is a nice addition to your whole-grain pantry. If you don’t have any, use white whole-wheat or oat flour instead. (See the DIY oat flour on page 132 of Brain Health Kitchen.)

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Healthy Chocolate Caramel Crunch Balls

By Sophia Victoria Vegan

SophiaVictoriaVegan.com | @sophiavictoriavegan

These chocolatey, no-bake snack balls are easy to make and irresistibly delicious! Once chilled, the outer layer forms a luscious chocolate shell, giving way to a sweet and salty filling of gooey caramel-like dates, creamy sunflower butter, and crunchy rice puffs.

The perfect snack to satisfy your sweet tooth and give you an energizing boost!

Nut-free, Oil-free, Gluten-free, Whole Food Plant-Based

Ingredients

1 cup sticky Medjool dates (pitted)

1/2 cup (heaping) sunflower butter or your favorite nut butter

2 Tbsp (heaping) flax seeds

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1 cup crispy brown rice cereal

1 cup dark chocolate chips for chocolate coating

Directions

Place the pitted dates in a food processor and blend until a sticky ball forms.

Add sunflower butter, vanilla extract, flax seeds, sea salt, and cinnamon to the food processor. Blend until combined, occasionally scraping the sides to ensure everything is properly mixed. The mixture should become crumbly; if it’s still a sticky ball, keep blending.

Next, add the crispy puffed rice and pulse a couple of times until incorporated, leaving some pieces of puffed rice intact.

Once everything is evenly distributed, it’s time to roll the balls. With clean hands, roll about two tablespoons of the mixture into a ball slightly smaller than a golf ball. You should get around 16 to 20 balls, depending on size preference. Place the balls onto a parchment-lined plate and chill in the freezer while you melt the chocolate.

Melt the chocolate by microwaving it in a small microwave-safe bowl in 30-second intervals, stirring in between. Make sure no water gets into the chocolate so it doesn’t clump up. (You can also use the double boiler method for the chocolate.) It should only take about 1 to 2 minutes to melt (don’t overheat or the chocolate will burn).

Using a fork, dip each ball into the melted chocolate until fully coated. (You can drizzle chocolate on top instead, but coating it is quick and thorough.)

After coating in chocolate, sprinkle a small pinch of flaky sea salt on top of each ball.

Enjoy one right away (to test how tasty they are), then put the rest in the fridge for about an hour to let the chocolate harden fully.

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Berry Oat Cookies

By The Ranch

TheRanchLife.com | @theranch.life

Ingredients

2 cups rolled oats

3/4 cup almond flour

1/3 cup ground flax

2 smashed bananas or 1 cup applesauce

1/4 cup grape seed or avocado oil

1/4 cup maple syrup

1/8 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda + 1/2 tsp lemon juice, mixed together

1/2 cup fresh blueberries or raspberries

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with a Silpat or parchment paper.

In a bowl, stir together the oats, almond flour, ground flax, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk the mashed banana or apple sauce, oil, maple syrup, and baking soda/lemon juice. Add the banana mixture to the dry ingredients, stirring until just incorporated. Gently stir in the blueberries or raspberries.

Using a scoop, drop the cookie dough into 13–14 rounded scoops onto the prepared sheet. Gently press down on the tops of each cookie.

Bake at 350°F for 10 to 12 minutes.

Cool on the pan for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely and enjoy!

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