Beau and I are still on a constant mission to keep up with my ever-growing appetite and still stay within our grocery budget. It is for sure not an easy task since lately I have taken to wanting to eat 5 or 6 times a day! Now don't let that make you think I am just sitting around eating all day. It is more like, when I do eat I can only eat small bits because it feels like my stomach is being shoved into my lungs so I am eating more often. I am still loving my yogurt, but I have been trying to stock our pantry with other snack type things for on the go and for when I think I am starving to death. Granola bars are an easy and sometimes cheap go to snack, but unfortunately, they are so loaded with sugar! I have scoured the shelves at the grocery store looking for the "healthiest" granola bar, and to my dismay, the less the sugar the more they charge. TLC has a pretty good selection of healthier granola bars, but they are still about $1 more than the other brands. So today while we were at Target and I was picking up some boxes of snacks, I was looking around and thinking of how silly it is that I spend the money on these fancy boxes of little wrapped treats, when I actually happen to know how to make versions of all of these! I know how to make crackers, I can make my own trail mix and I even have a few granola bar recipes. So why do I spend the money on convenience? My goal when I became a natural chef was to inspire people to make healthy and delicious food on their own at home, but how can I expect people to take me seriously when I don't even practice what I preach?
Here are some reasons why I opt for convenience...
1. It seems so much faster
2. I love the packaging. Silly but true! It grabs my attention and pulls me in
3. You can get more of a variety by buying multiple boxes rather than a bunch of one type that you made
4. Fear that buying all the ingredients will cost too much
This was all that I could come up with so I decided to explore this topic a little bit. Wouldn't it be worth it to stock up your pantry and take a little time if it meant you would have much healthier snacks? And hopefully they would be just as tasty.
Snacks can be as simple as a piece of fruit or some veggies and dip. One of my all time favorites is ants on a log, which is just celery with peanut butter and raisins. But let's face it, sometimes you just don't want veggies! Or maybe all your favorite fruit is out of season, or perhaps you have had such a hard day that even the simple task of smearing peanut butter onto a celery stick sounds absolutely absurd. Hey, I'm not judging. I have been there. So here are some ideas that you can have around the house conveniently at your fingertips.
Trail mix is one of those awesome snacks with tons of good for you stuff and is yummy to boot. Unfortunately, grocery store trail mix can be upwards of $10 a bag and full of unnecessary sugar. A lot of people are afraid of nuts because of calories, but in fact they are very very good for you and in moderation can be a healthy "diet food". There are oils in nuts that are amazing for your health and all those little antioxidants we have all heard so much about. As for dried fruit, the quick jolt of sugar can be a fantastic energy booster, while the nuts are more slowly metabolized and will give you a more slow and steady type energy. So you have the whole package! A quick jolt to wake you up, and the slow and steady to keep you going for hours. Here is what you do: find a place that sells nuts and such in bulk. Stock up on your favorites such as walnuts, almonds, pecans etc. Now get some fruit. You want a little more nut, a little less fruit because of the sugar. It is healthy sugar, but you don't want to overdo it because even too much of a good thing can make you tubby. Some good ones are cranberries, dried blueberries, raisins are cheap, apricots, cherries, etc. Some flaked coconut, sunflower seeds, dark chocolate chips and wheat germ are all wonderful additions and each contain their own special nutrients. Mix it all up in an airtight container and pour small bits into a bowl to keep on the counter or coffee table. It will keep more fresh in the fridge, and if you only put small amounts you will be less likely to eat too much. A handful should be plenty. You will spend half of what you would spend on the packaged mixes!
I also have a recipe for a granola bar that took me weeks to make perfect! I came up with it for my dad and they were quite delicious, but the recipe seems to be MIA. I am on a mission to find it, and once I do I will post it right away. :)
But in the meantime, I found an easy sounding recipe on my school's forum that is similar to how I make bars when I want them. Once you find an easy base you like, you can always add whatever sort of ingredients you want to make it your own. It is never a bad idea to add some flax seeds, green powders, protein powders, etc. for a little additional nutrition.
This recipe calls for rolled oats, wheat germ, nuts and seeds of your choice, dried fruit, cinnamon, coconut,honey, nut butter, and coconut oil. One of my favorite ingredients in this recipe is the coconut oil. I added that in addition to the original recipe. It has a delightful flavor and fantastic health benefits. Coconut is another misunderstood food but trust me, the fats are incredible. It can even help you lose weight! For these bars, just toast the nuts and oats. Mix together all the dry ingredients. In a pot, melt together the wet ingredients. If it is too thick add a little water. Mix together everything and lay flat on a cookie sheet covered in parchment paper. Put in the freezer and then cut into bars. Ta da!
So now you hopefully have a little inspiration and you can stay away from those expensive and terribly sugary packaged snacks. You can do something quick and easy like trail mix and pre cut veggies or get more creative and make your own bars to keep in your purse or eat when you are in a hurry. I hope you enjoy it!
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