Healthy Snacks for the Office

Granola popsicles are something you need in your life. 

Editor's Note: This post originally ran August 24th, 2016. The Team thought it best to bring back to the forefront of our minds, as resolutions may have fallen to the wayside and mindless snacking on the rise. Office snacks are great to have on hand for any time you're so hungry you want to bite someone and too tired to do anything more than go to the vending machine. Keep nearby to stave off disaster. Xx. 

Normally my day goes something like this: I snag a filling breakfast, scarf down a quick lunch, and then it's 4 p.m., and I am so hungry, I can't decide whether to wait until dinner and know I'll be an emotional mess or eat everything in sight until I'm bloated and uncomfortable. Sound familiar?

What do I snack on at the office or on really busy days? is a question I get from almost every client of mine. The issue usually to be solved lies in being restricted to the snacks present in the office rather than what is sustaining and nutritious. It is because of this problem that settling for a candy bar or stale chips only to be hungry 20 minutes later is more common than not. Since I am going to be working with some amazing interns soon, and having snacks at creative meetings is a must for me, I wanted to group together delicious alternatives that kick boring snacks like granola bars to the curb. 

I love these snacks because of their low sugar content, mix of healthy fats and protein, and minimally, if at all, processed ingredients. Enjoy!  

The perfect savory balance between creamy and crunchy. It's a colorful treat for your eyes and a flavorful party for your tastebuds. Using carrots, celery, peppers, or whatever vegetables you have on hand is a great way to up your vegetable intake and ensure nothing you buy goes to waste. Great Vibes Tip: Buy plain hummus and stir in extras for a change of pace (i.e. olives and oregano, parsley and lemon, pine nuts and basil, hot sauce, etc.).

Whether you call them rice crackers or cakes, they usually are accompanied by horrified faces from childhood memories of plain, stale snacks. But, they've gotten quite the remix. What I love about these is the crunch factor you can't get from a simple slice of bread. I've shown you two ways here: one with avocado, cayenne, salt, and pepper; and the other with almond butter and banana. Great Vibes Tip: Try peanut butter with a drizzle of honey or hummus with a slice of tomato. Endless options. Delish!

Probably my favorite of this entire bunch and one you can only really do if your office has a freezer. That being said, it is incredibly simple. Blend up one banana, a dash of cinnamon, and three (+/-) cups of coconut milk. Divide the mixture among your popsicle molds. I used an actually popsicle mold, but paper cups, old yogurt containers, or an ice cube tray works flawlessly. Place in the freezer for ten minutes. After the ten minutes are up, cover the exposed part with granola, press down gently, and then push your popsicle stick into place. Cover and freeze until solid. Great Vibes Tip: Make your own granola! Bake 3 cups oats, 1/2 cup buckwheat, and two tablespoons chia seeds on a baking sheet in the oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 12-15 minutes. While baking, stir together two tablespoons coconut oil, two tablespoons maple syrup or honey, a teaspoon of cinnamon, and half a teaspoon of turmeric. After the dry ingredients have become slightly fragrant, remove from the oven, mix with the wet ingredients, and place back into the oven. Turn the oven off, and let sit for 5-8 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool. Keeps well in a glass container in the refrigerator. 

I could chat the benefits of kombucha for an incredibly long time, and you've seen me make cocktails with it here and here. I love this snack, because it is easy for on-the-go travel. It provides healthy bacteria and that sweet and savory element that satisfies almost all cravings. To make the roasted chickpeas, strain the liquid from one can, pat to dry with a paper towel, and mix with 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil and black pepper, salt, and cayenne to taste. Bake on a baking sheet at 395 degrees Fahrenheit for about 25 minutes, stirring every 5 or so, until crispy and crunchy. Great Vibes Tip: Don't like chickpeas? Roast cashews or almonds for a delicious alternative. 

Sometimes, nothing is going to satisfy that sweet craving except chocolate. Rather than dive into a bag of M&Ms (though that has a time and place) choose rich, dark chocolate, preferably 65% cacao or higher. The above chocolate is found at Trader Joe's with an impressive cacao content of 82 percent. Have a couple squares and savor each piece. If you still want more 10 minutes later, have another square. Repeat until satisfied. 

+What is your favorite snack here? Which one are you most likely to make?

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The Yummiest Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies (v, gf) & Forgiveness for Biting Off More than I Could Chew

At last week's gathering, the table was decorated with flowers, champagne, and three delicious treats. Whipped cream sat beside an apple tart, both behind a dish of the tastiest chocolate chip oatmeal cookies ever. Today, I'm (Emily, here!) dishing out the best cookie recipe for you to make asap. Seriously. A must-make recipe with ingredients you probably have on hand right now. 

But before we get started, I wanted to talk about biting off more than you can chew, about me biting off more than I could chew. This last year has been humbling with necessary weekends of rest, of moments of silence, of tasks not being started or completed. Some really energizing projects were finished quickly and with pride. Not everything is cake and champagne, however, and some did nothing but land me in bed and leave me feeling defeated.

I wanted to accomplish a lot of things this year, and I didn't get to most of them. Shocker. It occurred to me, though, the ones I did complete were important. To not recognize them would be dismissing key triumphs of 2015. If we forget to reflect on what we did do - even if it's watching 12 seasons of TV on Netflix - we'll never be happy. Ever. It will always be an and then or but then game. It will be a game of always chasing instead of stringing together the happy moments that make a life of happiness.

So yeah, I sure as heck bit off more than I could chew, because that's who I am, and I'll always want more of the great feeling of accomplishment. But I'm starting to realize it's okay. It's okay I didn't finish them or even start them to finish them. They will be there for next year's growth. They will be there when I'm running out of ideas. They will be there just as they are intended. I've completed what I've completed, and this is enough. I am enough. No eBook or extra program or additional client or extra photo will make me worthy. I am already worthy. I extend this freedom to you. You are already enough. You are already worthy. You don't need to complete another project, cross something off your never-ending to-do list, or lose 10 pounds to be better. You are already enough.

So bite off more than you can chew, and then be okay if it doesn't work out. Set your sights to bigger and better, but be content with whatever happens, because it's all working out regardless.

If you don't want to think any more of your to-do list, you might want to bite into more than you can chew of these cookies, so get ready and get set for some serious yum!

This recipe brings all of the Great Vibes because it's ...

super easy to make
ready to eat in under 30 minutes
sweet
chewy
rich
decadent
versatile

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients ::

+ 2 cups gluten-free rolled oats

+ 3/4 cup oat flour (process 1 cup of oats in a coffee grinder or blender to make your own and then scoop out desired amount)

+ 1/2 cup coconut sugar

+ 1/2 tsp sea salt

+ 1 tsp of cinnamon

+ 1/2 tsp baking soda

+ 1/2 tsp baking powder

+ 1 small banana, mashed

+ 1/3 cup olive oil

+ 1/2 cup maple syrup

+ 1 tsp vanilla extract

+ 1/4 cup - 1/2 cup chocolate chips or other add-ins (I did 1/2 - 1 cup chocolate chips, because I love chocolate. No shame.)

Recipe ::

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

2. In a large bowl, add all dry ingredients - except add-ins. Stir to combine.

3. In a blender, add all wet ingredients, and pulse until fully combined. Alternatively, use a fork to mash the banana, and then whisk all the wet ingredients together.

4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Stir until completely mixed.

5. Toss in desired add-ins and mix.

6. Drop tablespoon-full sized balls of dough onto the parchment paper. If crumbly, use fingers to mold into circles. They will hold once baked.

7. Bake for 12-15 minutes until the tops brown, and the edges are slightly crispy.

8. Remove from oven to let cool.

9. Devour & enjoy!

Notes::

Makes between 17 and 20 cookies.

Other add-in options include raisins, walnuts, other types of chocolate, etc.

If you're not feeling bananas for health reasons or otherwise, try subbing equal applesauce or sweet potato puree at your own risk.

All ingredients are vegan and most are organic.  If these things are important to you, I encourage you to do the same. Finances, availability, and personal consumer choice can impact purchase decisions. My hope is that you closely follow the recipe, but make allowances where necessary -- my feelings won't be hurt, and your taste buds will still have a party. Promise!

+ What are your favorite cookies?

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Mexican Cold Chocolate

Chocolate with a bit of a twist courtesy of yours truly (Emily, here!). I've been free from sugar for the last couple of weeks (read here, here, & sign up for the free teleseminar here), and man oh man, were the cravings hitting me hard for delicious chocolate. But, nixing the sugar habit has brought on a desire for richer, more complex flavors, and I wanted something yummy that still made me do a happy dance around my room. So I started mixing a little of this and a little of that, added a dash of this, messed up the recipe, started all over again too many times, and was left with a creation that filled all of my requirements.

The recipe is worthy of honor because it's ...

less than 10 ingredients
rich
chocolatey
high in nutritional goodness
sweet
spicy
filling

With a frosty-like consistency, this is spoonable greatness. In only the best way possible, spices take over the initial sweet spoonful with enough of a kick to keep you coming back for more. The high nutritional profile gives you all of the body-revving benefits within a sinfully delicious bite of chocolate. Really, could it get any better? I've really outdone myself with this one - see my smoothie of love, the training wheels smoothie, & smoothie bowls - so take down the ingredients & get to whirling this goodness up. If you don't, I promise you'll be missing out. Why take that chance?

What is it we love so much about this recipe? There are so many bennies, it would be exhausting, so a quick recap. Bananas are added for potassium, fiber, and the sweetness addition. Mangos are high in vitamins A, B6, C, E, and K, a great source of others minerals like thiamine and magnesium, and contain antioxidant phenols and beta-carotene. Cinnamon, turmeric, nutmeg, and cayenne come together in a sickness-fighting power team. Cinnamon is a great manganese source and good holder of calcium, contains antioxidant anthocyanidins and is no stranger to cold and flu remedies all over the world. Tumeric is high in manganese, iron, a good source of vitamin B6, potassium, and has been attributed to it's antiseptic and antibacterial, medicinal properties. Since turmeric has been touted for it's efficacy in helping digestive disorders, I pop it into a lot of my recipes - more to come to the site - and it has been a surprising yet awesome find. Cayenne comes in for the one-two punch, neutralizing acidity in the body, stimulating circulation, and acting as a great anti-agent for inflammation, colds, and other illnesses, besides just adding a whole other dimension to my new favorite recipe.

Recipe and steps after the jump ... 

Mexican Cold Chocolate

+ 1 Banana (frozen)
+ 1/3 c. Mango (frozen)
+ Almond Milk (1/2 c. +)
+ 2 tbsp - 1/4 cup cacao or cocoa powder (to taste)
+ 2-3 Dashes of Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Tumeric
+ 1 Dash of Cayenne (a little goes a long way)
+ Featured: Coconut Butter (recipe coming next week) and Hulled Hemp Seeds
+ Optional: replace part of liquid with coconut water or if neither is on hand, just use water; add 1/3-1/2 c. of spinach; if you need more sweetness, try adding honey or maple syrup

Throw all of your ingredients, minus the liquid, into a blender. Fill with your choice of liquid to just below your ingredients - this helps with the frosty consistency, but if you accidentally add too much liquid, just toss in more frozen banana or mangoes, and it's all fixed. Give it a whirl, pour it into a bowl or big mug, and top with your choice of additions. Some that I like that aren't featured above: granola, toasted buckwheat groats, chocolate brown rice cereal, i.e. the options are endless. Enjoy! Xx.

+ what's your take on spicy foods that are 'supposed' to be sweet?
Tell me your thoughts in the comments below or on Facebook. 

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