Despite our best efforts for a good night’s sleep, there is a crucial factor that all too frequently keeps us tossing and turning at night - hunger.
Instead of resigning ourselves to raiding the kitchen for whatever leftovers we can find and eating them by the light of the refrigerator, we consulted expert sources to find three of the best healthy midnight snacks that, honestly, we would eat any time of day.
Protein smoothie
Fruit (this one is raspberries, strawberries and pineapple)
Veggies (celery, lettuce and carrots)
Protein (1 scoop of vital proteins collagen powder)
A handful of pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds
1 tbs ground flax
1 tbs ground chia
Hemp hearts
Nut butter (a spoonful of natural almond butter)
Oils (MCT oil)
Liquids (half oat milk and half water)
Method
Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend.
Add a little cinnamon on top.
Recipe by Courtney Russell.
Vanilla blueberry muffin zoasts
Ingredients
30g oats, blended)
⅓ courgette (shredded, water removed, and blended)
Pinch of salt
½ tbs baking powder
Cinnamon, nutmeg, anise, and ginger
40ml aquafaba
⅓ banana
120ml almond milk
Sweetener of choice (optional, banana is most of the time enough if your protein powder is with sweetener)
Filling
30g cream cheese
½ tsp vanilla extract
10g almond cream
Pinch of salt
Blueberries and blackberries
Toppings
Cookie
Almond milk
Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C, combine everything for the oats in a bowl and blend it (but you don’t have to).
Mix in the berries and pour ¾ of the batter into an ovenproof bowl.
In another bowl, mix the cream cheese with vanilla extract and a pinch of salt.
Add the filling onto the batter.
Add the almond cream as well as the centre and pour the other quarter of batter on top.
Add the cookie in the middle, bake the oats for 18 to 20 minutes and pour some almond milk over it before eating, enjoy!
Roasted tomatoes and avocado on toast
2 or 3 juicy tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise
Olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
The flesh of 1 ripe avocado (on the small side)
2 tbs fresh lime juice
Pinch sweet Spanish smoked paprika (pimenton) or Aleppo pepper
2 or 3 tbs tomato jam (may substitute no-sugar apricot preserves)
2 slices sturdy, thick multigrain or rye bread, toasted
Watercress or pea shoots, for garnish
Method
Preheat the toaster oven to 220 degrees. Line a small baking pan with aluminium foil.
Arrange the tomatoes, cut sides up, on the baking pan.
Drizzle with the oil and season lightly with salt and pepper.
Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, or until softened and a bit toasted at the edges.
Meanwhile, combine the avocado, lime juice, smoked paprika or Aleppo pepper, and a small pinch of salt in a medium bowl; use a fork to mash into a coarse consistency.
Spread the tomato jam (1 tablespoon each) on the toasted bread slices, then the avocado mixture. Top with the roasted tomato halves (2 halves each) and the greens.
You may wish to cut the slices in half, for ease of eating. Serve right away.