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Side view of 3 plant based bistro boxes loaded with chickpeas, edamame, rice balls, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, berries and plant based yogurt.

How to Build Balanced Plant Based Snacks

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  • Author: Catherine Perez
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 3 snack boxes 1x
  • Category: Snacks
  • Method: Stove Top
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegan

Description

This guide will help you become a snacking expert. Learn how to build more balanced plant based snacks and get 3 new DIY bistro box ideas to try yourself.


Ingredients

Scale

High Protein Rice Ball Bistro Box

  • 1/2 cup cold leftover cooked white Jasmine rice
  • 2 tsp rice wine vinegar
  • 2 tsp toasted sesame seeds
  • Pinch of salt
  • 3/4 cup thawed unshelled edamame
  • Pinch of Everything But the Bagel Seasoning
  • Toasted Nori Sheets
  • Cucumbers
  • Baby Carrots

Roasted BBQ Chickpeas with Veggies and Tahini Ranch

  • 3 tbsp tahini
  • 3 tbsp plain vegan yogurt
  • Juice of half a lemon
  • 2 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp dry dill
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Whole Grain Crackers
  • Cucumbers
  • Cherry Tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup roasted chickpeas

Peanut Butter and Blueberry Chia Jam Cracker Sandwiches

  • 1 cup frozen blueberries
  • 1 tbsp chia seeds
  • Zest and juice of half a lemon
  • 12 tsp maple syrup, optional
  • 68 Whole grain crackers
  • 12 tbsp nut or seed butter
  • 1/2 cup vegan yogurt
  • 12 tbsp pepitas
  • 1/2 cup fresh or frozen berries of choice

Instructions

High Protein Rice Ball Bistro Box

  1. For the rice balls combine the cold leftover rice with the rice wine vinegar, salt and toasted sesame seeds. With damp hands take a portion of rice and squeeze and rotate the rice in your hand until a ball starts to form. Repeat this with the remaining rice.
  2. In your box add the edamame and sprinkle with the everything seasoning. Serve with rice balls, roasted Nori, and veggies.

Roasted BBQ Chickpeas with Veggies and Tahini Ranch

  1. In a small jar combine the tahini, yogurt, lemon, mustard, nutritional yeast, garlic, onion, and dill until it starts to thicken. Add a tablespoon of water while mixing and continue to add and mix until your desired consistency is achieved.
  2. Add some pre-roasted chickpeas, veggies and extra whole grain crackers and serve with the tahini ranch dip.

Peanut Butter and Blueberry Chia Jam Cracker Sandwiches

  1. Make the homemade chia jam by combining the frozen blueberries and chia seeds in a saucepan and heat up until the blueberries are thawed and soft. Mash the berries then add the zest and juice of half a lemon and a splash of maple syrup. Let the jam sit and cool completely until thickened to your liking.
  2. To a cracker add peanut butter and a little jam and squish together with another cracker to make the sandwiches. Place the cracker sandwiches in a container with some vegan yogurt, berries, and pepitas.

Notes

Feel free to rely on premade ingredients. They are there to make life easier. You might not be into cooking and if buying a pack of flavored roasted chickpeas reduces the number of barriers to building a balanced meal, then take advantage of that!

Plan these boxes around cravings. If you know you’re a snacker, plan it ahead so it is ready when a craving starts.

You don’t have to eat everything in your snack box all at once. You can eat small parts of it when you start to feel hungry and if there are things you don’t get to, save them for your snack box the next day.

Mix and match. Make these your own by prioritizing the things you love and adjusting seasonings and flavors based on preference.