At my most recent holiday gathering, I had some delicious new healthy spreads I wanted to share with you all. I put out some seite chips (which are made of cassava) and pickled veggies that were both a hit. But my favorite- and one that received a lot of compliments- was definitely the stuffed mushrooms.

Here's the secret: I used mini portobello mushrooms. In a non-stick pan I sautéed onions, garlic, the mushroom roots, and 1 yellow zucchini with salt and pepper. I mixed with them with baked sweet potatoes and about 1/4 of a cup of parmesan cheese. I sprayed them with a little avocado oil and cooked them for 12 minutes on 390 degress in my air fryer! It made 24, and they were gone before you could say "Happy Holidays." And healthy...  shhh. Try them, and enjoy the holidays guilt free!

The incredible chickpea- full of protein and fiber, low in calories, chickpeas are a smart snacking choice. I tried this easy air fryer recipe and discovered that it satisfied my craving for a crunchy, salty treat. Of course, the seasoning possibilities are endless, for example, you could go for cinnamon and sugar if you're after something sweet. Another, not insignificant, plus is that chickpeas are inexpensive. It took under 20 minutes from start to finish, with almost zero effort. So, yeah, I'm sold!

​Servings 3 people
Calories 126 calories
Author Tanya
My favorite is Chili Lime seasoning
Ingredients

• 15.5 oz can Garbanzo beans drained
• Oil for spraying
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
•  ¼ teaspoon true lime

Instructions

• Place chickpeas in Air Fryer basket. Set temperature to 390 degrees Fahrenheit and timer to 17 minutes. After 5 minutes, open basket and spray chickpeas with oil and shake basket. Close and continue air frying, shaking about every 5 minutes.
• With about 2 minutes left, open air fryer basket and sprinkle half of the seasoning on the chickpeas. Close and continue air frying for the remaining 2 minutes. Once chickpeas are done, remove and place in a bowl. Sprinkle remainder of the seasoning on the chickpeas and stir to combine. Serve and enjoy.

I followed the recipe as closely as possible (my air fryer has multiple settings- I chose the french fry setting). Basically, you rinse the beans and put them in the air fryer at 390 F for a total of 17 minutes. At 5 minutes, remove and spray with oil, return them to the air fryer for 10 minutes, add your spices, then let it go for 2 more minutes. That's it. I will experiment with the cooking time and possibly the settings, as I thought they may have been slightly overdone. I may also adjust the timing of adding the oil and seasonings.

Important to note- it passed the kid test; the two in my kitchen gobbled them up. The one negative comment I have is they were a bit dry. This may be remedied by simply taking them out sooner. I will comment below to let you know how it goes next time. I invite you to do the same.

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Dish: Snack
​Ingredients
4 cups of rolled oats
1 cup of unsweetened coconut
1 c. salted chunky peanut butter
3/4 c of honey (if to sweet us maple syrup)
1 c of dried apricots
2 scoops of Naked whey protein powered
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tablespoon of coconut oil for making ballet
1 bit of water

Instructions
Combine all ingredients, mix well. Coat hands with coconut and form a heaping tablespoon of mixture and use hands to form into balls. Use a bit of water as well.

Makes 50 balls. Nutritional informations: Each ball is 112 calories, 4.9 grams of fat, 14.4 grams of carbohydrates, and 3.4 grams of protein.
​
Note:
I had originally seen this recipe in a Clean Eating magazine. I could not find it so I had to improvise and do a few batch to get consistency right. I would still add a bit more unflavored protein whey power to fit macros but be careful, don't want to over do it with certain whey powdered, they will start tasting like dry milk! Keep in refrigerator or freezer.

Many of you have asked me about the engery balls like the Mirava chocolate one I posted last year. Here is another variation balls
​SALTED CARAMEL COCONUT BLISS BALL
Came across this one from: https://choosingchia.com/salted-caramel-coconut-bliss-balls/
Author: Jessica Hoffman
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 12 balls 1x
Category: Snack/Dessert
Method: No-bake
Cuisine: American
Diet: Vegan


INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup pitted Medjool dates (packed)
• 1 cup almonds (I use blanched sliced almonds)
• 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut (+extra for rolling)
• 1/4 tsp salt

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Add the Medjool dates, almonds, shredded coconut and salt to a food processor and pulse until it forms into a sticky dough.
2. Using your hands, roll into bite-sized balls, and then roll into a plate of shredded coconut to top if desired.
3. Store in the fridge in an airtight container

NOTES Depending on how fresh your dates are, you may need a few more dates. If your dough isn’t sticky enough, add a couple more dates and pulse until it feels like a sticky dough.
Can’t find Medjool dates? Soak regular dates in hot water for 5 minutes. Drain and use.

NUTRITION
Serving Size: 1 ball; 
Calories: 129, Sugar: 12g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Carbohydrates: 16g.Fiber: 3g, Protein: 3g