Need Crohn’s-friendly snacks to drive away the after-school “hangries”? Try these ideas for five yummy snacks that are easy to prepare and don’t sacrifice nutrition.
1 – Baked Apples
Welcome your kids home after a long day of school to the delicious warming aroma of apples and cinnamon. It takes five minutes of prep time. You throw the dish into the oven (not literally, please). One hour later, voila! You have a sweet, tasty snack.
Steps:
- Place peeled and cored apples in a buttered Pyrex dish or metal baking pan
- Sprinkle with cinnamon
- Optional: add chopped walnuts and a drizzle of honey to the core of each apple
- Bake at 400°F for 1 hour or until tender
2 – Guacamole and Veggie Sticks
Serve up your favorite veggie sticks with guacamole for a savory snack loaded with nutritious fats. Find the Wholly Guacamole brand in your local grocery store or make your own.
Homemade guacamole:
- 2 avocados, diced
- 2 T red onion, finely chopped
- 2 sprigs cilantro, chopped
- Juice of 1 lime
- Small sprinkle of cayenne pepper
- Frank’s hot sauce
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed or minced
- ¼ t cumin
Add all ingredients to a food processor and pulse into a chunky blend or add ingredients to a bowl and mix.
TIP: When preparing veggies sticks, avoid hard fiber and seeds. Choose seedless cucumbers or go with a regular cuke and scoop out all seeds before slicing.
3 – Cheesy Zucchini Chips
Cut fresh zucchini into thin rounds – about ¼ inch thick. Toss with olive oil and place in a single layer on parchment paper
Sprinkle with grated Pecorino Romano cheese (from sheep’s milk) and bake at 400°F for 20 minutes.
Cool and enjoy!
4 – Sweet Potato Oven Fries with Coconut Oil and Cinnamon
Sprinkle with cinnamon or chili powder for a hot and hearty snack to satisfy an after-school case of the munchies:
- Preheat oven to 415°F
- Peel 2 sweet potatoes and cut into sticks
- Toss in 1 T coconut oil
- Bake one hour, turning after 30 minutes
Serves 2.
5 – Crunchy Roasted Crickets
With 13 grams protein and 0 grams of sugar per serving, crickets are the perfect snack for the Keto, gluten free, low carb, and paleo lifestyles. The healthy low-carb treat tastes “just like popcorn,” according to its biggest fans.
Your kids get to gross out their friends. And you get a crunchy low-carb popcorn substitute to keep you productive through the afternoon slump.
If you don’t have a cricket section in your grocery store, order them online from Amazon or cricketflours.com.