HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- With the kids home for the summer, it's easy to start snacking on what they're eating, and it may not always be the best option for our waist lines, so April Ree, the Executive Chef of Deer Lake Lodge has some snack recipes that are made with whole foods and take minutes to make.
"Processed sugar and gluten tends to bloat us up, so when we're in our bikini or sitting out at the pool, you know we want to look a little slimmer," says Ree.
Instead, she recommends natural sweeteners, like dates. That's one of her key ingredients in her Hemp Cacao Brownie.
"We love to get more hemp in our diet because it's loaded with fiber, omegas, and your really, really good fats," she adds.
Along with hemp, the other main ingredient is cacao. You just mix in a food processor and form the brownie into balls.
"And then roll it in coconut, hemp seeds, or cacao nibs," Ree says.
Next, Ree makes cookie dough.
"It seems super-naughty, but it's not," she says.
"It's your almond meal, which is of course gluten-free, it has protein. It has fiber. It also has coconut oil, which is anti-fungal, anti-viral, anti-bacterial," adds Ree.
Vanilla, sea salt, maple syrup, and cacao nibs go into the dough and mix. That's it.
Finally, the easiest recipe of all: ice cream.
"Just take really ripe bananas - the riper the sweeter - freeze them and put them in your blender," says Ree.
Top it with frozen fruit, honey, or cacao nibs.
Here are three healthy snack recipes that Ree recommends.
Sweet Mama's Gluten Free Vegan Cookie Dough
2 cups finely ground almond flour
1 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp real salt
1/4 c Maple Syrup or honey
2 tbs coconut oil
1 c vegan (soy lecithin free) chocolate chips
2 tsp water, add more to reach desired consistency mix all ingredients together w hands and eat raw, can also be baked in oven at 350 for 7-9 mins
Raw Hemp Superfood Brownie Bites
1 lb pitted dates
2 tbs hemp protein powder
1 cup raw Cacao powder
1 tbs vanilla
1 tsp salt
1 tbs coconut oil
2 tbs chia seeds
2 tbs flax seeds
1/2 c unsweetened coconut flakes
1/2 raw walnuts (optional)
1 tbs Maple Syrup
Add all to food processor until it becomes a big ball all stuck together.
Put in brownie pan and top with raw hemp seeds. You can also roll into balls and roll through Raw Hemp Seeds, Cacao Nibs, Shredded Coconut, Matcha or Beet Root Powder.
Banana Nice Cream
4 frozen bananas
Mash in high powered blender till smooth
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