vegetables Archives - Busy Moms Helper

Are There Healthy Snacks?

When we talk about snacks, we’re not talking about chips or flips. You should stay as far away from this junk food as possible. There are, however, many healthy snacks you can nibble on all day long to keep your energy levels up. Snacks will also fight off hunger until the next meal so you won’t be tempted to reach for chips.

Of course, just like the three meals, snacks should be nutritious and healthy. And, although many believe there are no such snacks, we’ll provide a few below you can have every day.

Vegetables

Broccoli, baby carrots, cauliflower, cucumbers, peas, carrot sticks, and peppers are just some snacks you can eat as much as you want. They can be easily prepared and can be consumed fresh or baked. Just try salty baked carrot sticks and you’ll see how great they are.

Popcorn

Craving something to nibble on? Popcorn is the ideal snack. Low in calories and fat, popcorn is almost an ideal snack, especially for those trying to lose weight. Always keep a bag of popcorn in your kitchen. Whenever you crave a salty snack, make some and enjoy. Remember – microwave popcorn is nothing like the real thing.

Dry Fruit

You can find dry (dehydrated) fruit almost anywhere today. Cranberries, apricots, apples, raisins, pineapples, and papaya are all on offer with no added sugar and great taste. Eat as much of these as you want or get a dehydrator and make your own at home.

Trail Mix

Trail mixes have grown very popular these days and can be easily prepared. Simply mix some sunflower seeds, peanuts, almonds, pumpkin seeds, cashews, and some dry fruits and put them in a sealed bag. They taste great, will keep your energy up, and won’t make you gain weight.

As great as it is to try unique, funky recipes with long names, sometimes there’s nothing like a good ol’ cheeseburger, right? Well, even your basic burger can be made even more flavorful and amazing with these fantastic Blended Burgers. Trust me, blending in the tasty mushrooms and other veggies take your normal beef burger to a whole new level!

I have to admit, this started out as hubby’s idea. Yes, he comes up with amazing recipes, too! Not only is it a great idea for the great taste, but you can blend finely chopped mushrooms with meat to create more delicious, nutritious and sustainable meals. Blending mushrooms with meat adds an easy serving of vegetables to the plate – then once you add your other favorite burger veggies, it’s a very healthy dinner!

The Blend helps you do better for flavor: When cooked properly, mushrooms can easily mimic meat. For the best blend results, mushrooms should be chopped to match the consistency of the meat they’re paired with. Here’s the best way to blend your mushroom-meat combo:

Chop up your favorite mushroom variety to match the consistency of the ground meat.
Blend the chopped mushrooms with the ground meat.
Cook your mushroom-meat blend to complete the recipe.

Optional: Prior to chopping, roast mushrooms for 10-15 minutes to enhance flavor. Cool, then chop and blend.

See, super easy! Now on to creating these delicious blended burgers – keep in mind, you can switch up these other veggies based on your preference. Don’t like tomatoes? Leave them out. Not much of an onion person? Don’t add them.

Ingredients

1 lb. Ground Beef
6-8 oz. Portobella Mushrooms
Tomatoes, finely diced
Green Peppers, finely diced
Onions, finely diced
Other toppings for the finished burger: sauces, lettuce, cheese, etc.

Note: when buying your ground beef, remember that the higher the fat content, the more easily the burgers fall apart.

Directions

Follow the steps for blending your mushrooms above, then blend them together with the ground beef. Mix in the other finely diced veggies into the mushroom-meat mixture.
Cook your patties to your desired done-ness, then finish your burger with any sauces, lettuce or cheese you prefer.

These were so full of flavor, and I was thrilled they were healthier for the family. Not that the kids cared, but later they’ll appreciate that I looked out for them, right?

There’s so many other things you could do The Blend with, too, such as Shephard’s Pie or Lasagna. So don’t be afraid to give it a try with your other beef recipes, too!

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Healthiest Snacks You Can Eat