5 100-Calorie Snacks You’ll Want to Make this Fall

By Elizabeth | August 15, 2022

It's not too soon to start thinking about Fall and the many delicious snacks that seem to taste better when the weather cools off.

Here are 5 100-Calorie Snacks You'll Want to Make this Fall. I'd love to hear if you've tried these out!

Pumpkin-Oat Mini Muffins

These gluten-free pumpkin muffins are packed with oats and chocolate chips. Plus, these mini pumpkin muffins are made entirely in the blender, making cleanup a breeze. If you'd rather make 12 regular-size muffins, bake for 18 to 20 minutes and let cool for 10 minutes before turning them out of the pan.

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups rolled oats (see Tip)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 cup unseasoned pumpkin puree
¾ cup packed dark brown sugar
3 tablespoons grapeseed or canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
⅓ cup mini chocolate chips or chopped dried cranberries

Directions:
Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 24-cup mini muffin tin with cooking spray.

Step 2: Pulse oats in a blender until finely ground. Add baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt; pulse once or twice to blend. Add eggs, pumpkin, brown sugar, oil and vanilla; puree until smooth. Stir in chocolate chips (or cranberries). Fill the prepared muffin cups two-thirds full.

Step 3: Bake the muffins until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 15 to 17 minutes. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes, then turn out to cool completely.

Mushroom Jerky

This vegan version of beef jerky has the same level of smoky spice you'd expect from the real thing. It can be enjoyed as a snack or on top of a salad for a jolt of meaty, umami goodness. It's also a great snack to take camping! The mushrooms stay pretty chewy (no crunch except for some of the crispy ends); this method is a great option if you don't have a dehydrator.

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons cider vinegar
3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon garlic powder
4 large portobello mushrooms, stems and gills removed, cut into 1/4-inch slices

Directions:
Step 1: Stir vinegar, soy sauce, oil, brown sugar, paprika, mustard and garlic powder together in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Add sliced mushrooms and stir to coat well. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.

Step 2: Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper and set a wire rack on each of the baking sheets.

Step 3: Divide the mushrooms between the prepared racks, arranging them in a single layer, making sure not to overlap. Roast, rotating the pans halfway through, until the mushrooms are dried and shrunken, about 1 1/2 hours. They should have a chewy texture with crisp edges. Remove from oven and let cool completely.

Flourless Blender Zucchini Muffins

The batter for these healthy gluten-free zucchini muffins comes together in a flash in your blender. And these tasty treats are baked in a mini muffin tin, so they're the perfect snack or quick breakfast. The chocolate chips are an optional but excellent addition.

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups rolled oats
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 medium zucchini, shredded (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 large eggs
⅓ cup packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup mini chocolate chips (Optional)

Directions:
Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 24-cup mini muffin tin with cooking spray.

Step 2: Pulse oats in a blender until finely ground. Add baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda and salt; pulse once or twice to blend. Add zucchini, eggs, brown sugar, oil and vanilla; puree until smooth. (The batter will be wet.) Stir in chocolate chips, if using. Fill the prepared muffin cups.

Step 3: Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 15 to 17 minutes. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes, then turn out to cool completely.

Air-Fryer Sweet Potato Chips

Thinly sliced sweet potatoes fry to a crispy crunch in the air fryer. These homemade chips also use much less oil, which cuts down on calories and fat. They're a naturally sweet side for sandwiches, burgers, wraps and more.

Ingredients:

1 medium sweet potato, (about 8 ounces), sliced into 1/8-inch-thick rounds
1 tablespoon canola oil
¼ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon ground pepper

Directions:
Step 1: Place sweet potato slices in a large bowl of cold water; soak for 20 minutes. Drain and pat dry with paper towels.

Step 2: Return the sweet potatoes to the dried bowl. Add oil, salt and pepper; toss gently to coat.

Step 3: Lightly coat air-fryer basket with cooking spray. Place just enough of the sweet potatoes in the basket to form a single layer. Cook at 350 degrees F until cooked through and crispy, about 15 minutes, flipping and rearranging into a single layer every 5 minutes. Using tongs, carefully remove the chips from the air fryer to a plate. Repeat with the remaining sweet potatoes.

Step 4: Let the chips cool for 5 minutes; serve immediately or cool completely and store in an airtight plastic container for up to 3 days.

Cranberry-Oat Energy Balls

Craisins and dried figs do double duty as sweeteners and binders to make these easy energy balls both tasty and practical. These portable snacks mix in sunflower butter for plenty of protein. They're ready in just 25 minutes and can be stored in your freezer for easy snacking.

Ingredients:

1 cup rolled oats
¾ cup dried cranberries
¾ cup dried figs
½ cup sunflower seed butter
3 tablespoons hemp seed (see Tip)
2 tablespoons honey
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

Directions:
Step 1: Combine oats, cranberries, figs, sunflower seed butter, hemp seed, honey, vanilla and salt in a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped, 10 to 20 times, then process for about 1 minute, scraping down the sides as necessary, until the mixture is crumbly but can be pressed to form a cohesive ball.

Step 2: With wet hands (to prevent the mixture from sticking to them), squeeze about 1 tablespoon of the mixture tightly between your hands and roll into a ball. Place in a storage container. Repeat with the remaining mixture.

Source: Eating Well

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