5 healthy snacks to power a writer’s brain

I just love fruit smoothies! They’re delicious, nutritious, filling, AND they can really be enjoyed at any time of the day! Sometimes I have them for breakfast, or lunch, or a late-afternoon snack when I’ve forgotten to eat after a hard day of writing or studying. The smoothie pictured contains milk, fresh banana, frozen mango and mixed berries, natural yoghurt and a little bit of tinned passionfruit pulp. Yum!

I’m a little obsessed with how pretty this plate of veggie sticks and homemade hummus looks, and I guarantee it’s just as delicious! I’ve found this to be a great mid-morning snack, and a wonderful way to get a couple of those daily vegetable servings in. If you have a blender or food processor, dip is also super easy to make yourself, and probably way healthier than the store-bought variety. You can find the hummus recipe pictured here!

Have you ever noticed that the vast majority of commercially available snack bars are either (A) ridiculously expensive or (B) ridiculously packed full of sugar? A couple of years ago I started making my own muesli bars and power bars—and protein bars, where I substitute skim milk powder for protein powder since it’s so much cheaper—and I haven’t looked back! The power bar pictured is from Donna Hay’s Life in Balance cookbook.

I was a bit sceptical about whether cookies made with minimal sugar and without any baking could actually taste good…until I tried them. No-bake cookies are a scrumptious and guilt-free snack that I like to enjoy with my morning and/or afternoon coffee, especially on those long days spent in front of my computer! The cookie pictured is a modified version of a recipe found in Emily Von Euw’s book 100 Best Juices, Smoothies & Healthy Snacks.

Before you ask…no, I don’t usually make grain bowls as a one-off snack. I don’t love cooking enough to do that! However, when I make some kind of grain salad for dinner, I usually expand the recipe to ensure there’ll be leftovers for the next few days. They are an excellent lunch option, because they’re super healthy (just don’t overdo the dressing!) and there’s so much room to be creative! The grain bowl pictured is based on this recipe here.