Healthy Living: Healthy snacks for a beach day from Limerick

Kale contains four times the vitamin C content and twice the selenium content of spinach

placeholder image — Kale contains four times the vitamin C content and twice the selenium content of spinach

WHILE the warm summer weather and the availability of fresh local vegetables is the perfect time for fasting and detox regimes, most of us reach for treats instead. We used to carry packed lunches – wholesome sandwiches, vegetables, fresh fruit for the beach, now all I see is processed, sugar – salt and chemical loaded rubbish – followed by burgers and chips for dinner.

In every consultation, talk and lecture I give I cannot emphasize enough the importance of healthy snacks – especially for children. A nutrient dense, blood sugar balancing snack can give you and your children a chance to increase the intake of much needed antioxidants, and by keeping hunger away, it may balance moods - prevent you getting “hangry”. Try these home-made snacks instead and pack home-made, sugar-free or raw honey sweetened fresh lemonade.

KALE CRISPS

1 bag of curly kale

1/4 tsp Herbamare salt

freshly cracked black pepper

1 heaped tsp smoked paprika

pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)

5 tbsp ground almonds

Wash the kale and tear into bite-sized pieces. In a small bowl, mix ground almonds with the spices. Lay parchment paper onto two large & thin baking trays. Put the kale into one of them, sprinkle over the spiced almond mix and wearing a rubber glove massage the kale to spread the seasoning evenly. Divide the kale and spread evenly on the baking trays. Pre-heat fan oven to no higher than 45-50°C and dry your spiced-up kale for 1.5 hours, mixing them a couple of times. Cool completely before packing them into an airtight container. Root vegetable crisps can be prepared the same way, shave thin slices with a potato peeler, season and dry until crunchy.

BEETROOT – APPLE TZATZIKI

3 medium beetroots

1 apple

200ml natural Greek yoghurt

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

2 cloves of garlic – crushed

1/2 teaspoon wasabi paste/powder

Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper

Scrub and steam the beetroot whole for 40-50 mins or until they are soft. Remove and allow to cool before gliding the skin off with your fingers – the skin and any other bits should fall off. If you're short on time, buy pre-cooked/peeled beetroot in a vacuum pack - but the nutritional Value will not be the same! Grate the beetroot in a large bowl, next grate in the apple and stir well. Then add the garlic, yoghurt, vinegar, and wasabi paste. Stir very well and season. Serve on crusty sourdough bread.

Ukrainian woman counts on her new confectionary career in Limerick

ALMOND & CHOCOLATE POWER BALLS

2 tbsp almond butter

2 tbsp raw honey

110g Unflavoured Whey Protein Powder

3 tsp vanilla extract

3 tbsp Raw cacao powder

1 tbsp coconut oil

Splash of coconut milk if needed

2 tbsp coarsely chopped roast hazelnuts or pecans (for coating)

Combine all ingredients except the milk. Mix well to get a paste similar to the consistency of marzipan. Add a splash of coconut milk if too dry.

Form 8 walnut-sized balls, roll them in chopped nuts and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Keep them in a cooler bag to prevent softening.