Three Times Fast

Banana Bread Bars.

Try saying that three times fast.

Since I've been on this "Make Everything Myself" trip, granola bars have been at the top of my list. My goal is to try to make one that replaces my favorite Kashi Peanutty Dark Chocolate Granola Bars. Those might take a while though, so these Banana Bread Bars are the next best thing. These bar are almost an exact replica of Oh She Glow's Banana Bread Protein Bars, with just a few changes to make them a little less fat heavy (even if they're good fats).

They are definitely a hardy bar! Great for eating as I ride 40 miles in this weekend's 5 Boro Bike Tour. Weeeeeee!

Banana Bread Bars

by Bonnie Graham

Keywords: bake snack oats nuts peanut butter bananas

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Ingredients (8 - 10 bars)

• 2/3 cup gluten-free rolled oats
• 1/2 cup buckwheat flour
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 3 tbsp chia seeds
• 3 tbsp mini dark chocolate chips (such as Enjoy Life brand)
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp fine grain sea salt
• 3/4 cup mashed ripe banana (about 2 small-medium)
• 1/4 c butter
• 1/4 cup brown rice syrup
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F and line an 8-inch square pan with 2 pieces of parchment paper, one going each way.

2. Whisk all dry ingredients together in a mixing bowl.

3. Mash bananas until smooth and measure out 3/4 cup. Stir together the banana and all the wet ingredients in a bowl.

4. Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and stir well until combined. The dough should be very sticky.

5. Scoop batter into prepared pan. Press batter down to spread it out evenly with wet your hands lightly

6. Bake at 350F for 22-26 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the bread is firm to touch. Cool in the pan completelybefore removing and slicing into bars.

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Snack Pack

Isn't there something about smelling other people's delicious food that makes you want to eat EXACTLY what they're eating IMMEDIATELY?!

This has become a regular experience for me in the last few months. My yoga teacher training happens to take place above a Panera Bread and Starbucks. While normally I bring my own food, there is something about watching other people drink their lattes and eat their soup out of a bread bowls that I can't resist!

One item that I have been a frequent consumer of is Starbucks' Protein Bistro Box. This box contains
a hard boiled egg, cheddar cheese, honey peanut butter spread, multi grain bread, apples and grapes. Sounds like just the thing a diabetic needs when doing 6 straight hours of yoga, right? 

Starbucks' Protein Bistro Box

Except it costs seven dollars. Seven dollars?! Yes, seven dollars! For essentially something I can make myself for 50 cents. Okay, maybe not 50 cents, but definitely for significant less then $7.

Challenge......accepted!

Here is my version of the Protein Bistro Box.

Isn't it cute?

My version of the Protein Bistro Box contains:
1 Jonagold apple - $.65
1 hard-boiled egg - $.25
1/4 c roasted peanuts - $.25 (though I could just as easily put in a couple of tablespoons of peanut butter)
2 slices of 2% milk cheddar cheese - ~$.75
1 Grab & Go Orange Oatmeal Cupcake - ~ $.75

For a whopping grand total of $2.65.

Take that Starbucks!

Nuggets

Sometimes, you just need a snack! Am I right or am I right?

Now, I am sure the idea of Tofu Nuggets sounds like something offered to you by a middle-aged white woman with dreadlocks, wearing a tie-dyed t-shirt who reeks of reefer smoke at a hippie commune. Which actually sounds kind of awesome to me! 

Regardless of your judgements on clothing made out of hemp, these nuggets are a delicious and easy snack that can be dipped in tomato sauce, ketchup, and my personal favorite, BBQ sauce! Truth be told, I love anything that can be used as a vehicle to get any kind of sauce into my face.

Whatever you're preconceived notions of tofu are, you should try this recipe. You'll be ordering your Birkenstocks and googling recipes for pot brownies in no time.

Crispy Tofu Nuggets

by Bonnie Graham

Keywords: bake snack tofu

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Ingredients (8 - 12 nuggets, depending on y)

• 1 package firm or extra firm tofu (I used Trader Joe's High Protein)
• 1 egg, scrambled
• 1 tbsp water
• 1/2 tsp liquid smoke (optional)
• 1/3 c cornmeal
• 1/2 c seasoned breadcrumbs
• 1/2 t smoked paprika
• 1/2 t oregano
• 1/2 t chili powder
• scant 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• BBQ sauce, ketchup, tomato sauce, or sauce of your choosing

Instructions

1. Place tofu on a couple kitchen towels (I use paper) on the counter. Wrap the tofu with more towels and set several heavy cookbooks on top. Let sit for at least 20 minutes to soak out the water.

2. Mix together egg, water, and liquid smoke in a bowl. In another bowl, mix together the cornmeal, breadcrumbs, salt, and spices. Set aside.

3. Preheat oven to 400F and grease baking sheets.

4. Slice tofu into 8-9 strips, lengthwise, depending on how thick you want it.

5. Dip the tofu strips into the egg mixture and then into the cornmeal/breadcrumb mixture. Coat both sides entirely and then place on baking sheet.

6. Bake tofu for 20 minutes, then flip and bake for another 15-20 minutes until crispy.

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Dates: Nature's Candies

I love dates. Not the dinner and a movie kind, but the ones that slightly resemble insects.

I've totally turned you off to dates now. But really, they're awesome despite their bug-like appearance. Okay, the last time I refer to them like that, I promise. 

I've talked about the benefits of dates before. But just for ha-ha's, here is my spiel again. Dates are an excellent source of carbohydrates, contain no cholesterol, are high in fiber, and boast a wide range of nutrients. They aid in digestion and help to regulate blood sugar levels. They also make an excellent all natural sweetener. 

I pretty much covet any recipes that use dates as its sweetener. Luckily, all of the crunchy, granola-munching blogs I obsess follow provide me with plenty of options. 

In constant pursuit of the perfect snack to bring with me to Yoga Teacher Training, these Peppermint Patty Bars on Oh She Glows have been begging to get in my belly! After a recent trip to BJ's and the purchase of a 3 lb bag of dates, it was on! 

Peppermint Patty Bars

by Bonnie Graham

Keywords: vegetarian sugar-free dates oats nuts

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Ingredients (12 small bars)

• 1 c packed, pitted Medjool dates (approx 12)
• 1 c rolled oats
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1/4 c hemp seed (or protein powder)
• 1/4 tsp fine grain sea salt, or to taste
• 2 tbsp plus 1 tsp milk
• 1/2 tsp peppermint extract, or to taste
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 1/4 cup almonds
• 3 tbsp chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Line a loaf pan with plastic wrap. Set aside.

2. In a food processor, process the pitted dates until chopped and sticky.

3. Add in the rolled oats, cocoa powder, protein powder, salt, peppermint extract, and milk. Process until combined, scraping down the side of the bowl as needed.

4. Finally, add in the nuts, and chocolate chips and pulse until combined and sticky. It should be sticky enough to easily make a ball. If it's too dry, add some milk. If it's too wet, add some oats.

5. Add mixture to loaf pan, smushing evenly into the pan.

6. Freeze for about 15 minutes or until set. Slice into 6 rows and then slice rows in half to make 12 small bars.

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Snacky Snack

I have a goal to never puke on my yoga mat. I think it's a good goal. It's something that's generally frowned upon in the yoga community.

When my Yoga Teacher Training started two weekends ago, I knew I needed to come up with some light, healthy snacks that were portable, good on the blood sugar, and wouldn't make me want to hurl in the middle of my Downward Facing Dog.

What I came up with were this cookies, inspired by Dr. Oz. Dr. Oz has started to make a strange appearance in our household lately. Mostly because Jerry has decided he is a middle-aged housewife who just loves Dr. Oz.

I have to admit, his show can be pretty engaging. Especially since he often tauts a lifestyle we already live, which includes a non-processed, whole foods diet with plenty of physical activity. You can keep this recipe in line with that philosophy by using plant-based protein powder and unrefined sugar.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Protein Cookies

by Bonnie Graham

Cook Time: 10 - 12 minutes

Keywords: bake snack vegetarian oats peanut butter

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Ingredients (12 cookies)

• 1/3 c natural peanut butter
• 1 egg
• 3 tbsp sucanat (unrefined sugar)
• 2 tbsp unsweetened applesauce
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 c oats
• 2/3 c ground flaxseed meal
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 2 scoops chocolate protein powder
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Mix together eggs, sucanat, applesauce, peanut butter and vanilla.

3. Add protein powder, oats, flax meal, salt, baking soda, and pumpkin pie spice, if using.

4. Drop spoonfuls dough onto parchment-lined cookie sheet.

5. Bake for 10 - 12 minutes or until golden brown.

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Road Trippin'

During the summer, Jerry and I seem to find ourselves in the car for extended periods of time quite often. For the longer trips (2 hours or more), I like to pack snacks. The problem with packing snacks is that we're gigantic fat kids who both have a mild case of ADHD.

Sitting for extended periods of time is not something that is easy for either one us. At one time, I could happily sit on my ass for hours, watching bad reality tv marathons (you know the Housewives of New Jersey has sucked you in too!). But not anymore. And being in the car is even worse! What are we suppose to do for 3 to 4 hours at a time? Talk to each other?! Yeah. Sure.

Instead, we eat. We eat well past the point of being full. We eat until we complain about eating....and then we eat some more. We put the bag of snacks "far away" in the backseat. Only for me to climb over to retrieve the forbidden bag less then an hour later.

For one of our road trips to Virginia, I packed:

• 2 sandwiches (one of each of us)
• TJ's reduced guilt popcorn
• TJ's sweet and salty trail mix (so good)
• TJ's carmel corn (can you tell I have a Trader Joe's obsession?)
• Dried snap peas
• Box of black licorice (for Jerry)
• Kashi granola bars
• Reduced sugar dark chocolate (which I didn't realize had the ingredient that makes you crap your pants until I had already eaten half the bar)
• Fruit leathers

We seriously had to cut ourselves off. Especially me! While Jerry just feels gross and bloated, I end up with a 300(!) blood sugar because I can only take so much insulin to cover 8 straight hours of eating!

For a recent road trip, I planned things out much better. Instead of large bags of food, I brought individual bags of snacks and opted for even more healthy treats that 1) weren't be as appealing and 2) wouldn't severely impact my blood sugar. These treats include:

• Fiberful Fruit Leathers
• TJ's snack-sized bag of kettle corn
• Kashi granola bars
• 2 types of seaweed snacks (for Jerry)
• Baby carrots (good for the ol' blood sugar)
• Trail Mix Snack Cookies (need something naughty)
  

Why bring snacks at all, you might ask? Because you really can't call it a road trip without snacks. Seriously. Check wikipedia. It's there. Because of my expert snack packing, Jerry and I were able to control ourselves, thus giving us more room to be disgusting oinkers and gorge ourselves for the rest of the weekend. Awesome.

Trail Mix "Cookies"

by Bonnie Graham

Cook Time: 14 - 16 minutes

Keywords: bake breakfast snack vegetarian coconut oil nuts oats

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Ingredients (12 large cookies)

• 1 c oat flour
• 1/2 c whole wheat pastry flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon (or ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg)
• ¼ tsp sea salt
• 2 packets Truvia (or 4 tsp sugar)
• 1 ½ tbsp ground chia seeds (or 2 tbsp flax meal)
• ¼ c unsweetened shredded coconut
• 3 tbsp coconut oil
• ¼ c maple syrup
• 1 – 1½ tsp pure vanilla extract
• ½ c apple sauce
• 1/3 c almonds, lightly chopped
• ¼ cup sunflower seeds
• ¼ cup pumpkin seeds
• ¼ c dried cranberries or other dried fruit

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a blender, food processor, or magic bullet, grind oats into a flour followed by grinding chia seeds (or flax seeds).

3. Add all dry ingredients to a bowl, with the exception of the coconut, seeds, and nuts, and mix to combine.

4. Add all wet ingredients to the bowl. Mix well to combine.

5. Add coconut, nuts, seeds, cats.....just wanted to see if you were paying attention...to the bowl.

6. Scoop hefty sized scoops of dough and place them on your baking sheet. Bake for 14 - 16 minutes or until lightly browned.

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