Simple Healthy Recipes

Victor Carcamo, Operations Director for the Rosslyn BID, by day ensures that Rosslyn is a safe and enjoyable place to be. But that isn’t all that he does. Before I knew him, Victor was a professional soccer player. He has a bachelor’s degree in physical education and works as a professional trainer in his spare time. Over the years, Victor has taught me a lot about health and fitness, but I’ll always remember one critical lesson. He said that you can exercise as much as you want but you won’t really take your health to the next level if you don’t improve your diet.

I took his advice to heart and began to think about how I could eat better. Here are a few healthy snack recipes and ideas I came up with that you may also enjoy:

Peanut Butter Banana:

Slice a banana in half lengthwise and spread cut sides with peanut butter. Add a sprinkling of raisins or chocolate chips. Put cut sides together to form a banana sandwich. You can also use a plain or cinnamon rice cake.

Cottage Cheese & Fruit:

Combine cottage cheese, cinnamon and cut up pieces of your favorite fruit. Add a couple of tablespoons of your favorite nut butter. This is delicious and filling!

Sweet Potato & Egg:

I got this recipe from Runner’s World magazine. Cook a sweet potato in the microwave. When it’s done, split it in half and crack an egg in the middle. Sprinkle with salt and crushed red pepper. Microwave until the egg is cooked through but still runny. It can take some trial and error before you get the consistency of the egg just how you like it!

Hummus & Raisin Wrap:

Spread a whole-wheat tortilla with store-bought hummus. Top with raisins, roll up and serve this sweet and savory treat.

Easy Smoothie:

Combine a frozen banana, skim milk, peanut butter, a few ice cubes and some honey or a couple of chopped up, dried dates. The frozen banana will give this shake a rich and creamy texture. Experiment by adding other fruits or flavorings, but be sure to keep the frozen banana as your base.

Do-It-Yourself Protmeal:

Before you eat your oatmeal, dissolve a scoop of protein powder in some milk and then mix the oatmeal into that. It’s a complete breakfast with carbohydrates and protein that will keep you full for a long time.

Easy Guacamole:

Mash a ripe avocado and add lime juice, salt, and garlic powder to taste. You can eat this with baby carrots or put it on whole wheat toast for a delicious lunch. Experiment by topping your avocado toast with different types of cheese and sliced tomatoes.

Roasted Veggies:

Roasting makes every vegetable tastier, so if you aren’t roasting your veggies yet, you are missing out. Simply toss a cut-up vegetable with olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder and roast on a baking sheet at 450 degrees for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Experiment with different herbs and spices. My favorite roasted veggies are broccoli and cauliflower. Grape tomatoes become super sweet when roasted and green beans are good, too, although be careful not to burn them.

What Healthy Snacks Do You Eat?

Let us know if you try any of these healthy snack ideas and if you have healthy recipes you like to eat in our Facebook group.