1. Cold Smoked Salmon and Cream Cheese Crackers
This flavorful snack is simple and easy to make as many grocery stores sell pre-packaged cold smoked salmon slices for about $6-$10. Some packages even come with their own dill sauce that compliments the salmon excellently, as the usually citrus infused sauces enhance the flavor of the fish.
Any type of cracker can be used as the base to hold the fish, however flat and wheat based crackers that are not baked in layers usually work best, think crackers that don’t crumble or break under pressure. Regular full fat cream cheese that can be bought for a few dollars is the best option to spread onto the cracker, however, any cream cheese can be used.
Applying a thick layer of cream cheese will help the fish “stick” to the cracker and help balance out the crunch of the cracker. Usually, a single salmon slice is too large to fit on one cracker, therefore tearing up the salmon into smaller pieces and placing 1-2 pieces on top of the cracker works best. Finally, apply a few drops of the sauce on top of each cracker although this is completely optional. Eating about 4-6 of these crackers provides more than adequate snack satisfaction.
2. Avocado Toast with Honey and Red Pepper Flakes
This Instagram worthy creation is not only pleasing to the eye but is also healthy enough to enjoy completely guilt free. Whole wheat bread or rosemary sourdough bread works best as both options are healthier than the traditional and boring white bread that is usually far more processed and loaded with butter.
Toast 2 slices of those types of bread for about 1-3 minutes depending on how crunchy and toasted you like your bread. Next, add half an avocado to 1 slice of bread and spread it evenly creating a smooth layer. Sprinkle on some crushed red pepper flakes for some extra spice and add a few drops of raw, organic, and local honey and you are good to go.
3. Deviled Eggs with Spicy Hummus
This snack requires slightly more preparation however it’s completely worth it. Take about 6-8 eggs and boil them in hot-water for about 10-15 minutes. This will create hard-boiled eggs meaning the yolk is dry and not runny unlike in soft-boiled eggs.
Afterward, remove the egg shell, one tip to do this is to place the egg horizontally, smack it, and roll the eggshell out from under it. This method doesn’t always work but if done correctly the eggshell can take just a few seconds to be removed and is done so in far fewer pieces than slowly scratching the shell off.
After removing all the shells, halve each of the eggs and place on a tray with the yolk facing up. Spicy hummus or traditional hummus can be used for the topper on the egg to create that creamy, rich, and dense bite. If traditional hummus is spooned onto the tops of the eggs add a little dash of paprika or cayenne pepper.
4. Sriracha Chili Shrimp Lettuce Cups
This dish is refreshing and perfect for those hot summer and fall months. Creating it is a little time-consuming but it can all be whipped up in under 20 minutes. Take peeled and deveined shrimp about 10-20 pieces depending on how hungry you are and then wash and place them in a pan. Add crushed red pepper flakes, cooking oil or coconut oil, sriracha, chili garlic sauce, and some cayenne pepper and coat the shrimp around until they are sizzling and cooked.
Remove them from the pan and place about 4-5 shrimp per lettuce cup which you can either buy pre-made or you could just tear some of the lettuce leaves into make-shift cups to hold onto the shrimp. The final optional step is to add a few sesame seeds on top of the shrimp once they are laying in the cup.
5. Honey Ginger Garlic Chicken Kebabs
This snack requires one day of preparation for optimal results. The marinade is a staple Indian blend of garlic and ginger which can be made from crushing ginger and garlic in a mortar and pestle and adding turmeric, honey, and cooking or coconut oil to it.
After the basic marinade is made, coat about 1-2 chicken breasts that you can cut up into 20-25 kebab like pieces with it. The chicken pieces can be made into chunks or typical slender skewered kebab shapes. Let the marinade mix in with the chicken for about 12-15 hours or if you don’t have time 20-30 minutes will also do it and then place those pieces on a pan with cooking oil on it, add some salt and pepper and wait until the chicken turns a warm golden brown and yellow color.
Serve it on metal or wooden skewer sticks with some ketchup or sweet and sour sauce.
