CHAPTER EIGHT

Snacks

Creamy Fruit Dip

MAKES 1½ CUPS

This dip works beautifully any time of year because you can use it with all types of fruit. Almond butter adds a nice flavor, but you could use any nut butter with great results. Almonds are full of antioxidants that can help reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease, and they also help stabilize blood sugar, making them a great weight-loss food.

1 CUP NONFAT PLAIN GREEK YOGURT

½ CUP ALMOND BUTTER

½ TEASPOON PURE VANILLA EXTRACT

ASSORTMENT OF CUT FRUIT

1. In a small bowl, stir together the yogurt, almond butter, and vanilla until well blended.

2. Store the dip in the fridge until you’re ready to use it.

3. Serve with the fruit.

Clean Eating Corn Bread

MAKES 16 PIECES

You might think of corn bread as fattening, which it can be when it’s full of butter, oil, sugar, or extra ingredients such as bacon and cheese. Even though this is a clean recipe, the bread has all the buttery, sweet goodness of traditional corn bread, enhanced by almond flour.

EXTRA-VIRGIN OLIVE OIL FOR THE BAKING DISH

¾ CUP ALMOND FLOUR

1¼ CUPS CORNMEAL

1 TABLESPOON BAKING POWDER

PINCH OF SEA SALT

2 EGGS

1 CUP SOY MILK

3 TABLESPOONS MAPLE SYRUP

3 TABLESPOONS CANOLA OIL

¼ TEASPOON CHOPPED FRESH JALAPEÑO PEPPER

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F.

2. Spread a thin coating of olive oil on the bottom and sides of an 8-inch-square baking dish.

3. In a large bowl, stir together the almond flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the eggs, soy milk, maple syrup, canola oil, and jalapeño. Mix until the batter is well combined.

4. Spoon the batter into the baking dish. Bake the corn bread for 20 minutes.

5. Cut the corn bread into 2-inch squares and serve warm.

Black Bean Salsa Recipe

SERVES 8

Everyone needs a no-fail salsa recipe to whip together when unexpected company drops in. This recipe is bursting with fresh vegetables and goes perfectly with wraps, baked tortilla chips, grilled meats and fish, brown rice, or quinoa. If you like your salsa fiery, you can add more jalapeño. Either wear plastic gloves when chopping your jalapeños or do it in a processor; you can actually get burned by the fiery capsaicin in the peppers.

4 CUPS CHERRY TOMATOES, CUT INTO QUARTERS

1 RED BELL PEPPER, SEEDED AND CHOPPED

1 GREEN BELL PEPPER, SEEDED AND CHOPPED

½ JALAPEÑO PEPPER, SEEDED AND MINCED

½ RED ONION, CHOPPED FINE

¼ CUP CHOPPED FRESH CILANTRO LEAVES

1 TEASPOON MINCED GARLIC

½ TEASPOON GROUND CORIANDER

¼ TEASPOON GROUND CUMIN

FRESH JUICE AND ZEST OF 1 LIME

1 (15-OUNCE) CAN SODIUM-FREE BLACK BEANS, DRAINED AND RINSED

1. In a large bowl, thoroughly combine all the ingredients except the black beans. Add the black beans and stir to combine.

2. Serve in a bowl alongside multigrain tortillas or baked chips, or spoon over your favorite proteins, veggies, or grains.

Almond Quinoa Squares

MAKES 24 SQUARES

This is the Clean Eating version of Rice Krispies treats, but with more flavor! You can use honey instead of brown rice syrup if you want, but use a little less, because honey is sweeter. Although brown rice syrup is high in calories, it’s usually organic and is probably the best substitute for sugar if you want a sweet taste.

EXTRA-VIRGIN OLIVE OIL FOR THE BAKING DISH

1 CUP ALMOND OR CASHEW BUTTER, AT ROOM TEMPERATURE

½ CUP BROWN RICE SYRUP

2 TEASPOONS VANILLA EXTRACT

¾ CUP UNSWEETENED COCOA POWDER

12 CUPS PUFFED QUINOA

1. Lightly oil a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish.

2. In a large bowl, stir together the almond butter, brown rice syrup, vanilla, and cocoa powder until very smooth. Stir in the puffed quinoa until it’s well combined.

3. Press the mixture firmly into the baking dish and put it in the refrigerator until it’s firm, about 2 hours.

4. Cut into 2-by-2-inch squares. Store in an airtight container.

Traditional Hummus

MAKES 2 CUPS

Hummus, an ancient Middle Eastern dish, is nutrition-rich and versatile. It’s a great spread and a perfect dip, and is wonderful for an energy-packed breakfast. Chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans), the main ingredient, are high in protein and free of saturated fat and cholesterol. They’re also heart-friendly and help stabilize blood sugar.

3 CLOVES GARLIC

2 CUPS CANNED CHICKPEAS, DRAINED AND RINSED

½ CUP TAHINI (SESAME BUTTER)

1 TEASPOON GROUND CUMIN

1 TEASPOON GROUND CORIANDER

PINCH OF SEA SALT

FRESH JUICE AND ZEST OF 1 LEMON

1 TABLESPOON EXTRA-VIRGIN OLIVE OIL

1. Put all the ingredients into a food processor or blender and pulse until blended but not entirely smooth. Adjust the seasoning if needed.

2. Serve in a bowl as a dip for raw or steamed veggies, or use as a spread in Clean Eating sandwiches.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

MAKES 32 COOKIES

These treats are pretty close to the cookies you might find at your grandmother’s house. Chewy and slightly sweet, they’re perfect dunked in a glass of nonfat milk. Make sure to buy unsweetened coconut so your cookies don’t turn out too sweet. These cookies freeze well, so make a double batch and just take a cookie out of the freezer when you want one.

EXTRA-VIRGIN OLIVE OIL FOR THE BAKING SHEETS

3 CUPS ROLLED OATS

1 CUP ALMOND FLOUR OR WHOLE-WHEAT FLOUR

½ CUP ALMOND BUTTER

⅓ CUP MAPLE SYRUP

1 TABLESPOON CANOLA OIL

1 TABLESPOON VANILLA

1½ CUPS UNSWEETENED APPLE JUICE

1 CUP GOLDEN RAISINS

½ CUP UNSWEETENED FLAKED OR SHREDDED COCONUT

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.

2. Lightly coat two baking sheets with olive oil.

3. In a small bowl, combine the oats and almond flour.

4. In a large bowl, combine the almond butter, maple syrup, canola oil, vanilla, and apple juice until very well blended.

5. Add the oat mixture to the wet ingredients and stir to combine. Stir in the raisins and coconut.

6. Drop the batter by tablespoons on the baking sheets about 2 inches apart and flatten the cookies with the back of a wet spoon.

7. Bake the cookies until lightly browned, about 30 minutes. Store in an airtight container.

Clean Eating Date Bars

MAKES ABOUT 60 BARS

Dates are extremely rich in minerals, vitamins, and fiber. They promote good digestion, help maintain bone health, counteract anemia, and provide tons of energy. Dates are also beneficial to the cardiovascular system, which makes these treats a perfect sweet choice before sports. Eating just one date a day can make a real difference in your Clean Eating plan.

EXTRA-VIRGIN OLIVE OIL FOR THE BAKING SHEET

3 CUPS PACKED PITTED DATES

¼ CUP MAPLE SYRUP

½ CUP TAHINI (SESAME BUTTER)

2 CUPS GLUTEN-FREE ROLLED OATS

⅓ CUP PECAN PIECES

1 CUP SESAME SEEDS

1. Preheat the oven to 300°F.

2. Lightly oil a rimmed baking sheet. Put the dates and maple syrup in a food processor or blender and pulse until a smooth paste forms.

3. Scrape the date mixture into a large bowl and add the tahini, oats, and pecan pieces. Stir the ingredients together thoroughly and press the mixture onto the baking sheet. Scatter the sesame seeds over the top and press them in firmly.

4. Put the baking sheet in the refrigerator until the bars are firm, about 2 hours.

5. Cut into 1-by-3-inch bars. Store the squares in the fridge or freezer in airtight containers.

Pumpkin Protein Bars

MAKES 16 BARS

Commercially prepared protein bars are often the snack of choice for people trying to eat healthfully, but these homemade ones are much tastier. When buying the whey protein powder for this recipe, look for a product from hormone-, antibiotic-, and steroid-free milk whey, or find a high-quality vegetable whey. If you don’t like vanilla, you can use unflavored or chocolate protein powder with delicious results.

EXTRA-VIRGIN OLIVE OIL FOR THE BAKING DISH

1½ CUPS ROLLED OATS

1 CUP VANILLA WHEY POWDER

1 TEASPOON GROUND CINNAMON

½ TEASPOON GROUND NUTMEG

¼ TEASPOON GROUND CLOVES

¼ TEASPOON GROUND GINGER

1 CUP ALMOND BUTTER

½ CUP CANNED UNSWEETENED PUMPKIN (NOT PUMPKIN PIE MIX)

½ CUP MAPLE SYRUP

⅓ CUP UNSWEETENED APPLE SAUCE

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2. Lightly oil a 9-by-13-inch baking dish or line it with parchment paper.

3. In a medium bowl, stir together the oats, whey powder, and spices until well combined.

4. In a small bowl, stir together the almond butter, pumpkin, maple syrup, and applesauce until blended. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix well.

5. Spread the dough evenly in the baking dish so that it’s about ½-inch deep.

6. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

7. Remove the dish from the oven and allow the slab to cool for 15 minutes before cutting it into bars. Allow to the bars to cool completely and store them in an airtight container.

Kiwi Cucumber Salsa

MAKES 3 CUPS

Several shades of green make this salsa simply gorgeous, and its fresh, tart flavor is nice on baked pita bread or fish. Kiwi is incredibly high in fiber (it has more than bran), has no fat, and has a low glycemic index. It can give you an energy boost while helping to lower your blood pressure and bad cholesterol level. This salsa would be a wonderful midmorning pick-me-up during a hectic day.

4 KIWIS, PEELED AND DICED

½ ENGLISH CUCUMBER, DICED

½ RED BELL PEPPER, DICED

1 TOMATO, SEEDED AND DICED

1 TABLESPOON CHOPPED FRESH CILANTRO

¼ TEASPOON CHOPPED JALAPEÑO PEPPER FRESH JUICE AND ZEST OF 1 LIME

PINCH OF SEA SALT

1. In a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients.

2. Store the salsa in the fridge until you’re ready to eat it.

3. Serve with raw or steamed veggies or baked tortilla chips, or spoon it over your favorite protein.

Mango Pineapple Ice Pops

MAKES 8 POPS

Mango has a distinct sweet, piney taste that blends sublimely with the slightly tart flavor of pineapple. Packed with nutritional benefits, mangoes support heart health, reduce the risk of cancer, improve the digestive system, stabilize blood sugar, and boost the immune system. No wonder mango is called the “king of fruits”! If you don’t have ice pop molds, you can make the pops in plastic cups (buy the sticks at your craft store).

2 POUNDS MANGO CHUNKS

1 CUP PINEAPPLE JUICE

1 CUP FRESHLY SQUEEZED ORANGE JUICE

¼ CUP FRESHLY SQUEEZED LIME JUICE

1. Put all the ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth.

2. Pour the mixture into ice pop molds or plastic cups and freeze for 4 to 6 hours. Unmold the pops by briefly running warm water on the sides of the molds or cups. Eat immediately.

Papaya Coconut Chia Pudding

SERVES 4

Papaya was described by Christopher Columbus as the food of angels, and no wonder: its vibrant orange flesh has a smooth, buttery texture. It’s also fantastic for your digestion. Don’t buy green, unripe papayas because they will never ripen enough at home to be perfect. Instead, choose fruit that gives a little when squeezed, and ripen it a little further for a couple of days at room temperature.

1 CUP UNSWEETENED ALMOND MILK

1 CUP SEEDED, PEELED, AND DICED FRESH PAPAYA

2 TABLESPOONS CHIA SEEDS

2 TABLESPOONS UNSWEETENED SHREDDED COCONUT

3 TEASPOONS HONEY

1. In a medium bowl, mix together all the ingredients until well combined.

2. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, or overnight. Spoon the pudding into bowls and serve chilled.

Chocolate Protein Bites

MAKES 24 BITES

These are like Clean Eating truffles. The base is oats, which obviously aren’t in real chocolate truffles, but they add texture and nutrition to these treats. Because oats are hulled but still retain their bran and germ, they’re a great source of fiber and nutrients. Oats help lower cholesterol, reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, and stabilize blood sugar. They’re truly a super food.

¾ CUP ALMOND BUTTER

¼ CUP BROWN RICE SYRUP

1 TEASPOON PURE VANILLA EXTRACT

1 CUP ROLLED LARGE-FLAKE OATS

½ CUP UNSWEETENED SHREDDED COCONUT

½ CUP CHOCOLATE PROTEIN POWDER

½ CUP DRIED CRANBERRIES

¼ CUP UNSWEETENED COCOA POWDER

PINCH OF SEA SALT

1. In a small saucepan over low heat, stir together the almond butter and brown rice syrup until melted.

2. Remove the mixture from the heat and stir in the vanilla.

3. In a large bowl, stir together the oats, coconut, protein powder, cranberries, cocoa, and salt until well combined.

4. Add the almond butter mixture to the oat mixture and combine thoroughly.

5. Put the bowl in the refrigerator and chill the paste for about 1 hour, or until you can easily roll it between your palms without it falling apart.

6. Roll into 1½-inch balls. Store the bites in an airtight container in the fridge.

Cantaloupe Ice Cream

MAKES 4 CUPS

This ice cream is pastel orange and subtly sweet. Cantaloupes are very high in vitamin A, vitamin C, and beta-carotene. In order to get a nice ripe melon, make sure you buy one with no gray or green shades on the skin.

3 CUPS COCONUT OR ALMOND MILK

½ CANTALOUPE, PEELED, SEEDED, AND DICED

¼ CUP HONEY

1. Pulse all the ingredients in a food processor or blender until very smooth.

2. Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

3. Store the ice cream in an airtight container in the freezer until you’re ready to eat it.

4. Scoop into bowls and serve immediately.

Clean Berry Parfait

SERVES 4

This simple snack is an absolute treat, especially midmorning—and it’s guiltfree. You can use store-bought granola as long as it’s Clean Eating–friendly, but since it’s so easy to make granola, why not use your own?

2 CUPS NONFAT PLAIN GREEK YOGURT

2 CUPS CLEAN EATING GRANOLA (SEE THE RECIPE IN CHAPTER 7)

4 CUPS MIXED BERRIES OF YOUR CHOICE

1. Spoon the ingredients into 4 glasses in alternating layers: yogurt on the bottom, then granola, berries, yogurt, granola, berries, yogurt, and granola.

2. Chill and serve.

Orange Cream Ice Pops

MAKES 12 POPS

This creamy, cool treat is flavored with real oranges. The sweetness of oranges is often hard to gauge, so leave out the honey until you taste the mixture. Then add the honey a tablespoon at a time until you reach the desired sweetness. If your oranges are very ripe and juicy, you might not need any honey at all.

4 SEEDLESS ORANGES, PEELED AND SECTIONED INTO SEGMENTS

1 CUP NONFAT PLAIN GREEK YOGURT

4 TABLESPOONS ALMOND BUTTER

3 TABLESPOONS HONEY

1. Put all the ingredients in a food processor or blender and process until smooth.

2. Pour the mixture into ice pop molds or plastic cups and freeze for 6 to 8 hours. Unmold the pops by briefly running warm water on the sides of the molds or cups. Eat immediately.