8 Scrumptious Summer Snacks
If you’re like me, you may be trying to prolong the warm nights, barbecues with new friends, and suntans as long as possible. Lucky for me, Alabama stays warm for quite some time after August ends, so our summer weather is here to stay for a bit longer. Why not help it last longer with some scrumptious summer snacks?
One of my favorite things this summer has been trying out new recipes, especially now that I have another person to cook for! I can tell you that my service member has certainly been appreciative of my new hobby.
Here are some of my favorite healthy, and some not so healthy, summer snacks:
Summer snack beverages:
Watermelon Agua Fresca
Blend 3 cups watermelon, 1 cup water, the juice of a lime, and a squeeze of agave. Serve over ice, or put in freezer for a few hours and serve as a slush!
Peach and Mint infused Spa Water
Spa water is something I always like to have in my fridge. In the sweltering southern heat, there is nothing better than having freshly infused fruit water on hand.
One of my favorites is adding sliced peaches with fresh mint.
Summer Breakfasts:
Chia Seed Pudding
What are chia seeds, you might ask? Chia seeds are edible seeds that come from a desert plant and are a concentrated food containing omega-3 fatty acids, carbs, protein, fiber, antioxidants, and calcium.
Chia seed pudding is one of my absolute favorite breakfasts. I add 4 parts of almond milk to every 1 part of chia seeds. Here, I used 1/4 cup chia seeds and 1 cup of almond milk. After mixing with a spoon, I cover the concoction and leave overnight in the refrigerator. This leaves time for the chia seeds to absorb the almond milk and turn into a pudding consistency. While you can really add any type of fruit to this to make it a complete breakfast, I have been adding peaches and either a squeeze of honey or agave. Another favorite of mine is to add sliced bananas, a sprinkle of cinnamon, and honey.
Fruit and Yogurt Popsicles
Yes, you can eat popsicles for breakfast! All you need is a popsicle mold, greek yogurt, and fruit. My new favorite is blending mango with vanilla greek yogurt and freezing overnight. You could really blend any mix of fruit with greek yogurt to make a variety.
Summer Lunches and Dinners:
Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad
Since I really dislike following directions when it comes to recipes, I often freestyle and add in a little of this, a little of that. Luckily, this time my greek yogurt chicken salad came out wonderfully, and while I don’t have precise measurements, I will give you a general idea of what went into this delicious mix.
I added 4-5 cooked large, skinless, boneless chicken breasts, a 1/2 cup chopped celery, 1 cup diced red onion, 1 cup halved red grapes, a 1/2 cup slivered almonds, 3/4 cup dried cranberries, 1 cup diced red apple, minced garlic, the juice of a fresh lemon or lime, and 1-2 cups of greek yogurt.
I mixed all ingredients together, topped with freshly ground black pepper, covered, and refrigerated overnight so all the flavors could mix together.
BLT and BBQ Flatbread
I love flatbreads. And bacon. And cheese. And BBQ sauce. And this marvelous meal contains all of those!
I sliced 2 small flatbreads in half so they were really thin. I put them in the oven at 400 degrees for a few minutes to start crisping up while getting the other ingredients together.
I then added spinach, red onion, corn, tomato, bacon, feta, and BBQ sauce to the flatbread, and cooked for about 10 minutes. Such an easy, delicious meal!
Dessert Summer Snacks:
Krispy Cakes
When I lived in San Francisco, there was a little dessert bar less than half a mile from my house that had the most delicious treat I’ve ever had, called Krispy Cakes. Imagine rice krispies sandwiching a generous portion of rich frosting. They are heaven.
Since moving to Alabama, I haven’t found anything that comes close to my dear little dessert bar, so I decided to make krispie cakes myself!
I made rice krispies as directed on the cereal box, using a slightly larger pan, so the krispies would be a little more thin. After letting them set for an hour or two, I frosted half the pan with dark chocolate frosting (thank you, Betty Crocker). After that, I flipped the unfrosted side on top of the frosted half to create a sandwhich of rice krispies and chocolate frosting. Divine.
Watermelon-Mint Popsicles
If I’m looking for a little lighter dessert option, watermelon-mint popsicles are a great go-to summer dessert. I blend watermelon with just a bit of water (or coconut water), and add some fresh mint leaves. A good overnight freeze will solidify the dessert so they are ready to eat!
