[Featured Guest] Easy, Tasty Afternoon Energizing “Pick-Me-Up” Snacks

The following post was written by Angela Berry editor and author at Ripped.me. Ms. Berry is from Sydney Australia. She is a big advocate of healthy life, healthy food, travel, kids, lifestyle and yoga.

You don’t have to eat tasteless food in order to stay healthy and be beaming with energy. Contrary to popular belief, healthy snacks are delightful to eat! The problem is that we are way used to the “fried delights” to even begin to understand the complexity of healthy tastes. Naturally, as they say – live and learn.
To all of the health-enthusiasts who’ve been trying out various recipes for a while or have just jumped on the healthy bandwagon, we’re listing a few of our favorite snacks you can try and eat on the go or at the office. We like to call them “pick-me-up snacks” as they’re incredibly quick to make!

No-Bake Granola Bars
Although buying those pre-packaged granola bars at the store is easier than making your own, why wouldn’t you give it a go? After all, these delicious snacks don’t even require baking, so there should be no drama.
Along with excellent sources of energy like dates, oats, and honey, they also have protein in the form of almonds and peanut butter. As for the topping, add any sort you like: chia seeds, more nuts, raisins or some mini chocolate chips.

Perfect Parfait
This is by far one of our favorite on-the-go recipes! It is absolutely yummy and it will energize you through the afternoon.
To make this delicious snack, you’ll need 1 cup plain or vanilla yogurt, ½ cup granola and ½ cup mixed berries, fresh or frozen.
If you want your snack to not only taste heavenly but look the part too, make alternating layers of yogurt and berries, and sprinkle the granola on top of it. If you don’t care about the visual of it – just mix it all up together and chow down. Simple!

Peanut Butter and Honey Toast

There isn’t a snack that’s simpler to make than this one, we promise. All you need for this delicious bite is a slice of your favorite bread, whether this means the store-bought 9-grain, your homemade honey wheat bread, or a slice from your local bakery (try to avoid this one as much as possible as bakeries tend to use white wheat flour), some peanut butter and a little bit of organic honey on top. Peanut butter and honey topping add protein to the mix and a sweet taste, as well.

Bran Muffins

For all of us who struggle with portion control, the best thing to do is use a mini muffin tin when making these types of foods. So, how does this recipe differ from any other muffins you’ve tried before? Well, it uses raisin bran CEREAL instead of flour and we all know how hard it can be to find this ingredient. With plenty of whole-wheat nutrition and relatively little oil, these muffins make an excellent mid-morning snack.

Chia Seed Pudding
Whether you want it for a delicious snack or to make a whole breakfast out of it, this dairy-free, vegan-friendly and gluten-free meal will keep you feeling full throughout the day as it packs a real protein punch. Try mixing 1 cup of coconut milk, 1/4 cup of chia seeds and 1/2 tablespoon of honey in a small mason jar. Let the mix set in the fridge overnight. When it’s firm, top it with nuts, fruit or even pieces of dark chocolate, and enjoy it on the go.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Protein Bites
When a chocolate craving strikes, there is nothing else to do but obey. But, instead of munching on a double-glazed chocolate donut or an entire box of Oreos, satiate your craving with chocolate chip cookie dough protein bites. If you’ve got an awesome set of kitchen supplies like the ones offered by KitchenAid, you’ll make these in a second! In fact, here’s a little advice: for a quality snack – this, or some other – you’ll always need high-quality kitchen gadgetry, so don’t save your buck on that, please.