Foods are powerful medicine! Offering the right kind of snacks will prevent brain drain and help your kids power through their homework or sporting activities without the drama that comes with a sugar crash. When preparing after school snacks, make the display look enticing. You may be surprised with what your kids will eat if it’s laid out and looks amazing!
10 Brain Healthy After School Snacks:
Make your own protein bars – see Tana’s recipe below!
Hummus and colorful veggies
Turkey bacon or chicken sausage (nitrate-free)
Guacamole and veggies
Celery and raw almond butter
Hard-boiled eggs
Grapes and raw nuts
Protein shake
Meatballs using ground turkey, chicken, beef, or lamb with tomato sauce
Dark chocolate frozen-dipped bananas
Grainless Granola Protein Bars – by Tana Amen
These delicious bars can be made in advance to and hold up well when stored in the refrigerator. If you are not allergic to eggs, you may choose to cut the fat in half and increase the protein by eliminating the cacao butter and adding 4 egg whites.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons cacao butter
½ cup raw pumpkin seeds
½ cup walnuts or cashews
½ cup shredded (raw, unsweetened) coconut
½ cup almond meal
¼ cup chocolate-flavored pea protein (sweetened with stevia)
½ cup raw sunflower seeds
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon cloves
½ teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons macadamia-nut oil
¼ cup honey
¼ cup erythritol
2 tablespoons 70-percent cacao, nondairy chips (or unsweetened carob chips)
2 tablespoons dried goji berries or mulberries
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. In a small sauce pan, melt the cacao butter over low heat.
3. Using a food processor, grind the pumpkin seeds, nuts, and coconut until you achieve the texture of a coarse flour. Place mixture in a large bowl.
4. Add almond meal, protein powder, sunflower seeds, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger to the bowl. Mix. The mixture will be thick, so you may need to use your hands to mix it thoroughly.
5. Add vanilla, oil, and cacao butter. Mix well with a fork or rubber spatula.
6. Add the honey and erythritol and mix well.
7. Fold in chips and berries and mix well.
8. Lightly grease a baking pan with coconut oil or grape-seed oil (or use a nonstick baking pan). Press the mix into the pan until it is even on all sides. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until lightly golden.
