Snacking
-
Favorite Diligent Indulgence – The Mocha Smoothie
This creamy, chocolatey treat can be whipped up in your blender in less than five minutes. Gluten-free, vegan, and dairy free. What has under 250 calories, plenty of protein, some healthy fat, and tastes like a chocolate dream-come-true? I’m so excited to introduce you to Mocha Smoothie. I developed this recipe when I was an e-campus student taking all my courses from home. It was summertime, so hot outside, and I wanted to have a healthier, lower calorie alternative to a Frappuccino. Oh … and I wanted to be able to make it at home to save time and money. Plus, I made extra coffee every morning, and I did…
-
Amazing Super Bowl Party Dips That Aren’t Guacamole
Sick of guacamole? Me either – I could eat it forever! Still, if you’re looking to change up the dips you serve this superbowl, here’s a roundup of non-guacamole options that are healthy and delicious. There are options for every dietary restriction – all are gluten-free, most are paleo, and some are vegan and dairy-free as well. I’ve included helpful labels to let you know which categories they fall into. Easiest – Homemade Ranch Dip Gluten-Free, No Sugar Added Ranch Dip – it’s a crowd-pleasing classic, not to be underestimated! Mix a cup of sour cream with 1 – 2 tablespoons of these dried herbs and spices and a few…
-
How to Make Better & Cheaper Protein Bars at Home
Tired of spending money on protein bars that look (& sometimes taste) like a piece of you-know-what? With the help of my taste-testing family (and lots of failed attempts), I’ve learned how to make protein bars at home that taste better and are a lot cheaper than prepackaged ones we buy. Have you ever been in an airport or grocery store looking for a healthy and convenient snack and wandered over to the protein bar aisle? There are dozens of carefully-concocted bars that have just the right “macros”, are shelf-stable, and come in mouth-watering flavors like “chocolate chip cookie dough” and “peanut butter pie.” Follow-up question: How many times do…
-
No-Bake Cookies – The Easy Way
Want delicious, chocolatey, gluten and refined sugar-free no-bake cookies in 30 minutes? Me, too. Problem: Hot Day at Home & No Ice Cream It was 100’F outside yesterday afternoon, and my kids had a hankering for a cold treat. They were horrified to find out that we were totally out of any kind of ice cream, ice cream bars, popsicles – even our fresh fruit was room temperature! Solution: 30-Minute No-Bake Cookies Yes, you can have super chocolatey, peanut buttery cookies without using the oven or stovetop. What makes this recipe work The fat is solid at room temperature. You can use any fat – coconut oil, butter, lard –…
-
Back to School Snack Traps: Top 4 Healthy Not Healthy
And better alternatives for backpack snacks Parents across the nation are singing the praises of the back-to-school season. Because, no matter how painful and tedious back-to-school shopping is, every parent knows that the reward for this effort is that his/her kids will be back in the classroom and out of the house soon. If you aren’t a parent with kids in school, you may be unaware that, these days, kids are allowed – nay, encouraged – to bring snacks to school … for consumption during non-lunch times of the day. I don’t know about you, but when I was in elementary school, snacks brought from home were straight up contraband…
-
10 Healthy Snacks Under 200 Calories
Being hungry is the pits. That gnawing, empty, relentless feeling of your body wanting food is hard to ignore. If you’re like me, you’ll be irritable, have a hard time concentrating, and give the dirtiest of looks to anyone who causes you to be late for lunch. While not yet in the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the word “hangry”, or, irritable due to hunger, is a feeling I try to prevent every day. Snacks are the antidote to hangriness, but if you’re not careful, snacks can be unhealthy, meal-sized, and leave you feeling like you need a nap. Whether you work in an office, are at home during the day, or out…
-
Healthy In-flight Snacking
7 carry-on friendly alternatives to cookies and pretzels For our family, summertime is travel time. The kids are out of school and the weather is less blizzardy; thus, making it the ideal time to trek across the country to see our far-flung loved ones. With our relatives anywhere from 1100 – 2500 miles away, we find ourselves on several flights every year, just to visit family. Add in work-related trips and the occasional vacation, and I might average a roundtrip flight once a month. If you travel even a few times a year, I’ll bet you’re familiar with the challenges of eating well while traveling. Often, you can’t control where…