Meals on the go? Go healthy!

Overnight Oats Parfait

Hit the snooze button an extra time with this healthy, quick breakfast. Prepped in minutes the night before and packed with whole grains and protein, this family-friendly breakfast will give you the energy you need to start your day and get you out the door on time. Experiment with whatever fresh fruits you have on hand. If you use dried fruits, read the ingredients list and try to avoid ones that include added sweeteners. To keep the sugar content even lower, try plain non-fat Greek yogurt.

Ingredients

Directions

1. Add a ½ cup of rolled oats to the bottoms of two jars. Add ¼ to ½ teaspoons cinnamon (to taste) to the oats and stir to mix them together. Add ½ cup milk to each jar and stir to combine.
2. Peel banana and divide in half. Slice each half into bite sized coins. Place half the coins over each oatmeal mixture.
3. Add ¼ cup Greek yogurt over the bananas in each jar. Slice 4 strawberries and layer 2 sliced strawberries over each layer of Greek yogurt. Top each jar with another ¼ cup of Greek yogurt. Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight.
4. In the morning, top the oatmeal parfaits with the remaining strawberries and serve cold.

Serves 2.

Nutrition

Crunchy Hummus and Veggie Wrap

Heart-healthy hummus makes a great snack, but don’t stop there. Use that fiber- and protein-packed hummus as a creamy and flavorful spread for a sandwich wrap. Add a colorful pile of crunchy fresh vegetables to create a portable, satisfying wrap that is sure to brighten your lunch hour.

Ingredients

Directions

1. Spread ⅓ of each sandwich wrap with ¼ cup hummus. Top each with ½ cup baby kale mix. Evenly divide the carrot, bell pepper and cucumber between the two wraps topping the kale mix.
2. Roll wrap tightly and if necessary use a little extra hummus as “glue” to hold it together. Slice in half, wrap and keep refrigerated until ready to eat.

Serves 2.

Nutrition

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus Ingredients

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus Directions

1. Add all ingredients to the bowl of a food processor. Blend until completely smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides as necessary. If desired, season to taste with a pinch of salt or extra lemon juice. Use immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Makes 6 ¼ cup servings.

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus Nutrition

Loaded Sweet Potato

Delicious served hot, room temperature or cold, loaded sweet potatoes are a great option for those evenings where dinner at home isn’t a possibility. Sweet potatoes are full of vitamins and minerals, and when topped with healthy ingredients like chickpeas and greens, they leave side-dish territory and become the main course. Sweet potatoes are tasty baked, but for a super-fast meal cook them in the microwave. Prepare the night before and store in the refrigerator for a satisfying on-the-go meal.

Ingredients

Directions

1. Prick sweet potato all over and microwave according to your microwave’s settings, about 5 minutes.
2. Use a hot pad to carefully remove cooked sweet potato from microwave and set aside to cool slightly before handling it further. In a small microwave safe bowl combine greens and 1 tablespoon water. Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap and microwave just long enough to lightly steam the greens, about 1 minute. Drain and gently press greens with a spoon to remove any excess liquid.
3. Add chick peas and balsamic vinegar to the greens and toss to coat. Carefully slice open the cooked sweet potato and top with the greens mixture. Top with goat cheese crumbles and dried cranberries. Eat right away or refrigerate until ready to eat.

Serves 1.

Nutrition

Spiced-up Popcorn

Air-popped popcorn is a high-fiber, low-calorie, whole-grain snack that is a healthy alternative to most microwave or pre-bagged popcorn, which tends to be high in sodium and added fat. Don’t have an air-popper? Here is a simple solution: make your own microwave popcorn by using a brown paper lunch bag. Measure the kernels, dump in the bag, fold and microwave. Easy-peasy. Plain popcorn is tasty, but if you find it bland, spice it up with your favorite no-salt or low-sodium seasonings. A little cooking spray will help the spices stick.

Ingredients

Directions

1. Combine cinnamon, smoked paprika and garlic powder in a small bowl and set aside.
2. Pop popcorn using an air-popper. Alternatively, place popcorn kernels in a brown paper lunch bag and fold the top down twice (about 1 inch per fold) to seal. Lay bag on its flat side in the microwave and pop for about 1:30-2:30 minutes, depending on the strength of your microwave. Stop the microwave when the popping slows significantly. Do not wait for kernels to entirely stop popping or popcorn will begin to burn.
3. When popcorn has cooled slightly, open the bag taking care to avoid the steam and empty the bag into a large bowl. Lightly spray the popcorn, mixing while you spray. Sprinkle with ½ the spice mixture. Stir and sprinkle with the rest. Once cool, store in an airtight container.

Serves 2.

Nutrition