Quick & Healthy Snacks & Sides

Recipes on this page:

Frozen Blueberry Smoothie
Crunchy Kale Chips
RA Easy Hummus
Veggie Berry Salad

Frozen Blueberry Smoothie

by Kelly

Place these ingredients in a blender or large cup for stick blender:

½ cup vanilla (or plain) yogurt
½ banana
2 Tablespoons flaxseed meal
2 Tablespoons oat bran
1 – 1 ½ cups crushed ice
½ cup frozen blueberries
1 cup orange juice
optional: 1 serving of favorite protein powder

 

 
 
 Just blend until smooth.

 

 

    

     

Crunchy Kale Chips

By Marge

Ingredients

1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
½ Tablespoons salt (or less, they’re pretty salty)
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 bunch kale, rinsed

Directions

Tear kale leaves from tough center stem.  Tear or cut leaves into 2 to 3 inch pieces. Put pieces in a large bowl.

Mix vinegar, oil, and salt in a small cup and drizzle over kale.  Then mix by hand trying to get all the leaves covered.

Place on 2 cookie sheets and bake at 350 F until they are crispy. It helps to flip them over and move them around with a spatula at about 10 minutes in to make sure they bake evenly.

After about 20 minutes, if it looks like they are not sizzling a bit or getting a little crispy, turn up the heat to 400°F. Time for baking varies depending on the size of your chips and desired crispness. 

Note from Marge: Antioxidants are needed to help fight RA.  Kale is loaded with them.  If you’ve never been fond of green leafy vegetables, do not worry.  These crispy chips will fool you into thinking you’re noshing on something much more indulgent. Think potato chips with a kick.

 

RA Easy Hummus

by Kelly

The beans: Canned garbanzo beans work fine. Just open & rinse 2 cans of beans. Drain. (Sometimes, I start with dried beans. It does taste fresh & saves money. After soaking, the dried beans cook in water with a little salt for about an hour with a lid on. Then follow the same directions.)

The Process: Pulse 3 cloves of garlic in food processor. Add beans, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ cup lemon juice, 2 Tablespoons tahini (sesame seed paste), and 2 Tablespoons olive oil. Pulse several times until it becomes a smooth paste. Add more of any ingredient to taste.

To Serve: Spread hummus over plate or shallow bowl. Drizzle with olive oil. Garnish with olives. I like Kalamata (Greek olives) the best with hummus. Dip with warm flatbread. (Pita is a good substitute.)

Veggie Berry Salad

by Angie

1 small package of field mix salad greens

Add the following veggies to your liking:

Diced red bell peppers
Diced red onions
Diced carrots
Sliced cucumbers

Sprinkle over top:

¼ cup of dried cranberries
¼ cup of dried goji berries, optional (usually available at health food stores and natural foods stores)
¼ cup of chopped walnuts
1 cup of sliced strawberries
1 diced avocado

Dressing:

Ken’s Balsamic Vinaigrette or
Newman’s Own Balsamic Vinaigrette

Note: Vary the measurements depending upon what you like most or what is available.

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