Get your snack back on track!

To sum things up, we all get tied down with so many things going on, especially as we gear up for the holiday season. This chaotic running around can often lead to mindless eating and rifling through the fridge to throw together a mish mash of food that would make a Billy Goat sick. I speak from experience as this past weekend was so busy that we didn’t have anything to eat almost all day on Sunday. Of course, this led me to bust open the fridge and eat just about everything that wasn’t stuck to the shelves. With a small measure of prep ahead of time, you can whip together a snack bar that is not only tasty and supper easy, but actually healthy in a pinch! No more Snickers Marathon Bars to get you through a tough spot.


For the past few years I have been working on a nutritional bar that would give me the quality protein, slow digesting carbohydrates for extended energy, health fats, and not some astronomical calorie count. Remember, it is not necessarily fats that make you fat, but excess carbohydrates, especially the fast digesting type (Ex. White bread, white rice, candy, etc.). These carbohydrates cause a spike in insulin levels, which is an enzyme created in our bodies to combat sugar levels. Insulin is also a fat storing enzyme. When too much insulin is created, that food energy begins to be stored as fat. Another interesting bit about insulin is this: when you consume a ton of sugar, your blood sugar levels spike and you get that sugar rush. Insulin is then put into production and this fast acting enzyme is what brings the sugar levels down, thus causing the crash. So keep in mind carbohydrate choose. They are not all created equal, but the only fuel our brain uses to work is carbohydrates. So this other factor is important. I know what you are thinking: There is just no winning. IF I have said it once I have said it a million times, portion control and moderation are king.

Ok, enough of that. Let’s get to cooking!

The Goods
-2 cups thick cut oats
-1 ½ scoops whey protein
-1 tbs. chunky peanut butter
-1 cup mixed nuts, seeds, and raisins
-1 whole egg
-2 egg whites

The Task
-Preheat the oven to 350 (F)
-Mix all the ingredients together so it forms moist course dough.
-Butter tan oven proof baking dish so the bars will come out easily
-Spread the mixture evenly in the baking dish the size of your choosing.
-Bake in the preheated oven until the bars are firm.
-Allow the bars to cool slightly. Remove from the dish and cut into even size pieces.
-Move the cut bars to a cooling rack.

This bar makes for a perfect snack at that time between lunch and dinner when you are seriously eyeballing that leftover piece of cake to get you through. It is also great for traveling and hiking. This is quick energy to get you over the next hill.

Remember, there is no set recipe for this type of snack. You are only limited by the ingredients in you cupboards and your imagination. It has been a bit of trial and error for me. Give it a try and see what happens.

Thanks for reading and wishing you best eating.
Bon Appétit.