A snack is a wonderful reset and a great way to give yourself a little love. I’m taking a “snack break” of sorts next week. I will be out of town, unplugged. I’m ready to soak up some soul sustenance in the form of rest. To honor the idea of taking a replenishing break, and because Crumbles have been chatting so much about snacks lately, I wanted to share a few of my favorites here. Who doesn’t love a mini meal?

Speaking of fruit, a thinly sliced apple and a couple teaspoons of almond butter is a simply delicious combination.

Vegetables also make great snacks. Sweet Potato Wedges tossed in olive oil, salt, and pepper, then roasted and served with guacamole or a handful of pistachios is such a healthful, nutrient dense snack, as are my Spicy Cauliflower and Green Beans Almondine from my cookbook. Make sure to give your green beans a really good sprinkle of salt and don’t skimp on the browned garlic or the almonds. Babaganoush from the Middle Eastern store is inexpensive and great for dipping celery and carrots.

Have you made my egg salad from the cookbook? I’m not gonna lie: it is amazing. The technique of shredding the eggs with a box shredder is a game-changer, and finishing them with chopped celery, chive, and onion creates a magnificent result (provided you don’t overcook the eggs). My kids always had a fresh jar of egg salad in the refrigerator growing up; we called it Lucy’s Egg Salad because it’s one of their favorites.

Here’s another great snack: remove an Italian sausage from its casing and form mini meatballs the size of marbles. Sauté them until they’re nice and brown, then freeze them so that you can thaw a few whenever you need a snack or want to add them to soup.

Lately, my favorite snack has been little bowls of soup. Soup got me through Whole30! I tend to make a pot twice a week and always have quarts in the fridge. I love to enjoy a little Italian Wedding Soup or my Spicy Chicken Soup or my Green Minestrone Soup with mini-meatballs. Soup is a nutrition packed snack. I serve mine in a small bowl for portion control.

It’s also wonderful to have a special beverage as part of my snack, too. I absolutely love my Tazo® Passion Tea, a jar of water with fresh grapefruit juice ice cubes, or one of my favorite Spindrift® flavors––use code CRUMBLES for 10% off! I also love snacking on a little cocktail too, like my Spindrift Strawberry Lemonade Mojito. Sometimes a beverage can be a satisfying snack on its own.

I’ll be on vacation next week, which means there will be no Friday Favorites on April 23. Molly will be sharing some daily nocrumbsleft stories on Instagram, and I will be posting, but I won’t be reachable by direct message. If you have any urgent questions, please email us. Meanwhile, enjoy one of this week’s wonderful snacks!

In this episode, I was delighted to sit down with Dan Pelosi, the popular, unpretentious, self-taught cook behind @grossypelosi, whose IG, Pinterest, and product line really exploded during the pandemic, when people were cooking seven days a week. We are so simpatico in our desire to create what he calls “edible love.” He tells me about how he learned to cook from his family at an early age, his day job in fashion, his grandfather’s marinara sauce, his unique online appeal, cooking as storytelling, positivity, LGBTQI+ issues, and recipe creation. This is not an episode to miss!

• I love saltines! Great with PB&J, but I also make a super simple smoky savory saltine
• I love dips: guacamole and chips, Muhammara, pretzels and mustard, tzatziki and falafel, or white bean dip with pita chips
• I love the combo of Triscuits and Cracker Barrel cheddar (the squares of both are perfect!)
• Dark chocolate and peanut butter
• Haribo® Gummy Bears (I’m obsessed)

There is absolutely nothing better for snacks than Crum-bowls. Whether its for a bit of soup, some fabulous granola, a yummy dip, fruit, or a scrumptious chicken salad, the truth is that they make snacks taste better. Crum-bowls help keep your portions small while filling your snacks with joy. Because Crum-bowls are so perfect for snacks, this week in the shop we're doing a special promotion: when you buy three Crum-bowls, you get fourth one on us in our beautiful new Daffodil glaze! Click here to start shopping this promotion and get in on the fun.