Heart Healthy Snacks

For many of us, there comes a time every afternoon when our energy and attention start to drop, our stomach starts to growl, and we mindlessly reach for the nearest snack to keep us going. But before you grab a prepackaged munchie full of obscene quantities of sugar or salt, stop and think! Remember your hard-working heart, that beats over 100,000 times per day, and show it some love.

It’s not hard to do. There are lots of delicious heart healthy foods that are antioxidant-rich, high in fiber and complex carbohydrates, and low on salt, saturated fats, and added sugar. In an effort to stay away from junk food, here are some scrumptious heart healthy snack recipes that you can whip up for yourself and your whole family.

Berry Nice Brown Rice Pudding

1 cup short grain brown rice
2 cups water
1 cinnamon stick
¼ tsp salt
1 can coconut milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp Organic Berry Power™ Powder
Raw honey to taste

Place water, salt, and cinnamon stick in a medium pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to low and add brown rice. Cover and let simmer about 30 minutes. Add coconut milk, stir, and cover again for another 20-30 minutes or until liquid is almost fully absorbed. Take off heat, stir in vanilla and Berry Power Powder, serve and enjoy!

Easy Beet Avocado Toast

½ avocado
½ tsp fresh lemon juice
2 tsp Organic Beet Juice Powder
Pinch salt & pepper
1 slice toasted whole-grain bread

Mash avocado in a bowl, add lemon juice, beet powder, salt and pepper, and mix well. Spread avocado mixture on toasted bread. Top with any of the following: sliced tomato or cucumber, smoked salmon, fresh sprouts, fresh basil or cilantro, shredded cheese, baby greens, sliced hard-boiled egg, sesame or hemp seeds, or just enjoy as is!

Nutty Matcha Energy Bars

1 ¼ cups dates, pitted & chopped
½ cup almonds
½ cup cashews
¼ cup shredded coconut
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp Organic Matcha Power® Powder + more for sprinkling
2 tbsp cacao nibs unsweetened

Add all ingredients into a food processor and blend until well combined. Mixture should stick together like a dough when pressed. If mixture falls apart, add a couple more dates and blend again.

Line a small baking dish with parchment paper and add mixture to dish. Use your hands or the back of a spoon to press the mixture down until it’s compact and smooth. Sprinkle matcha powder on top and press down again with back of spoon. Place dish in freezer for 30 minutes. Remove mixture from dish by pulling out parchment paper, and cut into bars.

Blue-Green Smoothie Bowl

1 banana
1 cup frozen or fresh mango chunks
½ cup Greek yogurt or coconut yogurt
½ cup almond milk
3 tsp Organic Blue-Green Algae Powder

Put all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. If consistency is too thick, then add more almond milk. Pour into a bowl, top with fresh fruit, granola, or chopped nuts, and enjoy the nutrient-rich, blue-green glory immediately!

Enjoy Everyday

Finding ways to incorporate heart-healthy snacks into your daily routine is a great way to make sure your body is getting the nutrients it needs. Do your heart a favor and start making healthy snack choices part of your everyday diet.