Two Quick Recipes

What do I eat?
I talk about food and what people should or shouldn't eat all the time.  Because of that people often ask  me what I eat at home.  Because I eat a lot, (almost hourly), it is important to have healthy things in the house to choose from. 

I am including two recipes in this post that are delicious and serve as snack food and pre-workout foods.  They were recipes that I found and tweaked until they had ingredients that I liked, tasted good and were still healthy.  Try them and let me know how you like them!

Homemade Granola               Oven 300

2 cups rolled oats

1/2 cup shredded coconut

1/2 cup mixed nuts

1/2 cup shelled sunflower seeds

1/2 cup pure maple syrup

1/3 cup coconut oil (coconut oil must be heated to return it a liquid state)

dash coconut essence

cinnamon (add to your taste)

Preheat oven to 300

1.  Combine the dry ingredients.  Combine the maple syrup, cinnamon, and coconut essence.  Heat the coconut oil in the microwave for 30 seconds and then add to the other ingredients. 

2.  Spread evenly on a greased cookie sheet.  Bake in a 300 heated oven for 30-35 minutes or until lightly browned.

3.  Remove from oven and let cool.  Turn out into a sealable container.  Store at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. 

Chocolate Energy/Protein Bars

1 small banana

3/4 cup pitted dates

1/4 cup shredded coconut

1/4 cup Dark Chocolate Hemp Protein Powder (Whole Foods Markets or Amazon.com)

1/4 cup ground flaxseed

1/4 cup mixed nuts

kosher or sea salt to taste

1.  In a food processor, process all ingredients until desired texture is reached.  I blend the mixture until it is quite smooth to reduce the "chewiness" of the bars. 

2.  Remove the mixture from the processor and put it on a smooth clean surface.  Cover it with wax paper and use a rolling pin to roll mixture to your desired thickness. 

3.  Remove the wax paper and use a pizza cutter to cut the mixture into bars. 

4.  Using a spatula and your fingers (the mixture will be sticky) remove the bars and place them in an airtight container.  Alternate each layer with bars and wax paper to keep the bars from sticking together.  Store them in the refrigerator, as they dry out they will become easier to handle.

Try both the recipes and enjoy!  They are easy to make, eat, and enjoy without spending lots of money or worrying about whether you should be eating them or not.