Tag: granola bars

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Snack Roundup for Hungry People

December already? Really? I don’t know about you guys, but over here we are busy, we are pretty tired, and my-oh-my are we HUNGRY! Personally, eating three good meals in a day only gets me so far. A well-timed and tasty snack is giving me the motivation, brain boost, and physical fuel I need to keep on being my awesome self until the day is through. That’s why today, I’m bringing you a snack roundup of some of my favorite mid-day mini-meals to spark some foodie inspiration and help you start the week prepared!

What’s in a snack? It’s important that what you eat satisfies your hunger and makes you feel great! Aim to get some protein and/or healthy fat with a carbohydrate to fuel you with balanced energy. For example, an apple is great, but will likely not keep you full for very long. An apple + peanut butter has some staying power thanks to the protein and fat in the nut butter. Layer peanut butter, sliced apple, and a shake of cinnamon on a salted rice cake, and now I have a balanced and delicious snack I eat with my pinky up while feeling fancy! (I can’t be the only one!!)

Starting with sweet and ending with savory, here is my Snack Roundup!

  1. Apple and Cheese
Could there be a more perfect snack combo??

Sweet and salty, this classic combination just can’t be improved! It’s that good! This time of year, there are amazing varieties of apples at local farms (shout out to Scholl Orchards in Bethlehem, PA and Philips Farms in Hunterdon County, NJ). I love a sweet-tart fuji or Evercrisp variety. For cheese, you could go as casual as a mozzarella cheese stick (I’m talking string cheese!!) or slice up some aged cheddar, Manchego, or Jarlsberg swiss! My #1 go-to is Cabot New York Extra Sharp Cheddar, but Seriously Sharp is of course a winner as well, and I love that it comes in individually-wrapped squares perfect for packing. Salty crackers are optional as well!!

2. Yogurt, Granola, and Berries

Filling, sweet, and refreshing

Siggi’s is what I buy on the regular, specifically the 4% fat Mixed Berry and Strawberry Rhubarb flavors. I love that Siggi’s is creamy and high in protein, but not as sugary as other brands. Top that with fresh berries and a sprinkle of any granola for crunch! If you are packing lunch or snacks for kids or have a smaller appetite, Siggi’s tube yogurts are a favorite in our house.

3. Marcona Almonds, Mandarin Oranges, and Chocolate

Marcona almonds are a Spanish variety that are sweeter and softer than classic almonds

Marcona almonds can be found in specialty stores, and if you find them you must give them a try! I love pairing Marcona almonds (or any other salted nuts) with fresh or dried fruit. Also… I eat chocolate basically every day and this is a pretty standard pairing for me! Pictured above is part of an Evolved Chocolate Cashew Cookie Dough bar, though I always have Dove Dark Chocolates on-hand, too. Also, how good are M&M’s?! Especially with pretzels? I’m getting distracted, moving on…

4. Granola Bars (and other bars)

If you’ve never made your own, try my Trail Mix Granola Bars– they are a game changer!

We keep a variety of bars on-hand for convenience. Often times, I just need easy. There are a million bars out there. I like a lot of them. Here are a few of my favorites:

5. Medium-Boiled Eggs, Cheddar, and Olives

If you can make medium-boiled eggs (slightly jammy yolks) and eat them warm, they beat hard-boiled ANY DAY!

I feel very passionately that boiling eggs in a pot on the stove is a huge pain, and the Dash Rapid Egg Cooker is the #1 best gadget to make them perfectly in minutes! This egg cooker is under $20 and has 25,000 positive reviews on Amazon… it just works, period. You will not regret purchasing it. Also, boiled eggs taste best eaten with a pinch of flaky sea salt! Yum!

Castelvetrano olives (pictured above) are the olive that turns a “no-olives” person into an olive person! I have seen the transformation with my own eyes. This variety of olives is buttery, not too brine-y, and so so delicious. I can and do eat them by the handful.

6. Hummus, Veggies, and Pita Chips

My hummus plate doesn’t always have a lion theme, but it did for my son’s 2nd birthday party!

I LOVE hummus! Do I make my own? No– that’s because I live near an incredible Lebanese deli that makes their own and I buy it there every week! If do you make your own, more power to you. Creating super creamy, fluffy hummus requires peeling each chickpea before blending, as in the method and recipe here. It makes a difference!

All veggies are great options here- pack what you like! And I’m all about a salty crunchy pita chip– currently obsessed with Stacy’s Pita Thins.

7. Spicy Tuna Cakes

The recipe calls for baking them in muffin tins, but I form them into patties using a large jar lid and bake them on parchment paper.

I have been making this recipe for years! Spicy Salmon Cakes are made with sweet potato, jalapeno, and lemon zest. They are totally delicious and I LOVE having them prepped in the fridge for a savory and filling snack.

8. Smoked Salmon with Lemon and Capers

Squeeze of fresh lemon necessary!

Smoked salmon has a ton of protein and healthy fat… that means it is really satisfying! Don’t sleep on this snack! If you have a minute to chop up a cucumber, eat the two together. If you want to take smoked salmon to the next level, make these Cucumber Cups with Salmon Whip!

Are you hungry yet?

What are your favorite snacks? And what’s your favorite from my roundup list?! I would love to know!

Happy Snacking! xo-Morgan

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Trail Mix Granola Bars

Anybody else hooked on bars? If so– the time is now to hit the kitchen and whip up these Trail Mix Granola Bars! I have always eaten granola bars- from the classic Nature Valley, way-too-crunchy honey & oat bars, to Kashi nut and fruit bars, to everything in between! A perfect granola bar is soft and chewy, thick, and full of wholesome ingredients like oats, dried fruit, and nuts.

I first made my own granola bars by following this recipe from Smitten Kitchen. I love this recipe so much, I baked and individually wrapped them to include in gift bags I delivered to guests staying at hotels for our wedding (8 yrs ago!) I’ve customized the recipe below based on the tweaks I’ve used to make them my own. Now you can do the same!

These bars freeze well, and are lovely to gift. Consider making a double batch– one for you, and a batch for a neighbor who is balancing work-from-home and virtual schooling, a college student, new parents, or anyone at all whose day you want to brighten!

A few notes on my Trail Mix Granola Bars:

  • Mix-ins: I tested this recipe using 2 cups total of mixed dried fruit and nuts. You can use all fruit, or all nuts. I used dried apricots (chopped in my food processor), mixed dried berries from Aldi (cranberries, blueberries, cherries), and combo of bagged mixed nuts from Aldi (pistachios, almonds, hazelnuts, cashews). Keep in mind that large, whole nuts will really break up the texture of your granola bars, causing them to crumble when cut. I recommend pulsing them in a food processor to cut them down first. I love a mini food processor for this job.
  • Liquid ingredients: Melted butter is a delicious fat that hardens when cools, which is why I love it in these bars. You could sub melted coconut oil, or try using a neutral oil like grapeseed or avocado oil if you prefer. Many recipes call for corn syrup, but I use all honey. Raw honey will be difficult to use unless you heat and liquify it.
  • Flavors and extras: Cinnamon can be swapped for a combo nutmeg, ginger, cardamom, or pumpkin pie spice. This recipe can handle about 1/3 cup of a coarse, dry ingredient (like shredded coconut)– you could sub wheat germ, ground flaxseed, or chia seeds.
  • Cooling: Cool completely prior to cutting to minimize crumbling! This may involve popping the entire pan in the fridge. Cut the bars on a cutting board using a sharp chef’s knife.

It’s time to raid your pantry and make Trail Mix Granola Bars!

Trail Mix Granola Bars

Morgan
Use your favorite "mix-ins" for a combination you will really love.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Servings 16 bars

Equipment

  • 8-inch square baking dish
  • Parchment paper to line dish

Ingredients
  

  • 1/3 cup oat flour (oats processed in a food processor)
  • 1 2/3 cup quick-cooking oats
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 cups dried fruit and chopped mixed nuts ex) dried cranberries, cherries, chopped apricots, raisins, dried blueberries, cashews, almonds, pistachios, hazelnuts
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
  • 1/3 cup peanut butter (or other nut butter)
  • 6 tbsp butter, melted
  • 1/3 cup honey (pourable, not raw)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1-2 tbsp water

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350. Line baking pan with parchment paper, cut to size, overlaying on two sides of the pan (to easily lift out baked bars). Lightly grease sides of pan.
  • Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl: oat flour, oats, sugar, dried fruit and nuts, coconut flakes, cinnamon, and salt.
  • Combine wet ingredients in a large glass measuring cup or small bowl: melted butter, honey, peanut butter, vanilla, and water. Add wet ingredients to dry and mix until combined.
  • Press mixture evenly into baking pan using a flat spatula or your hands. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until golden brown around the edges.
  • Cool completely in pan, refrigerating if necessary to set. Cut into squares using a large chef's knife.

Notes

To make nut-free (school/allergy-friendly): use dried fruit and mixed seeds (pumpkin seeds, sesame, sunflower, flax, etc.) and substitute sunflower seed butter for peanut butter.
Use up the crumbs! Save crumbled pieces to top a bowl of yogurt.
This recipe is adapted from Smitten Kitchen.
Keyword breakfast, dried fruit, granola bar, nuts, peanut butter, snack

Tried this recipe? Be sure to tag @dinneronthecouch and #dinneronthecouch in your post!