What's In Your Lunch Box?

New fall routines & back to school mean busier schedules and nutritional challenges. Am I right? I believe in prepare, prepare, prepare and always encourage my clients to pack their "nutritional survival kit".  Grab one of the cooler totes out there and pack it with your favorite foods/snacks.

Wouldn't it be great to have control over what you eat when the complications of life get in the way of easily finding healthy options? You know how it goes - you work late or through lunch, and delays and complications prevent you from running out to your favorite haunts, etc. Next thing you know, that candy dish on a co-workers desk and "something" from the vending machine is what's for lunch. 

You and your beautiful body deserve better than that! 

• Afternoon energy slump?  Not anymore!
• Need a bit of chocolate without ruining your dinner? I've got you covered! 
• Need a vegetarian option for one of the kids? 

These No-Bake Energy Bytes can substitute for a lunch/breakfast or afternoon treat! With quality carbs, vegetarian protein & healthy fats they will fill you up and help you power through the day!

Prep Time: 10 minutes, Total Time: 10 minutes, Yield: About 2-3 dozen, depending on size

Ingredients

• 1 cup (dry) oatmeal
• 2/3 cup raw coconut flakes
• 1/2 cup raw, non-hydrogenated, organic almond or peanut butter
• 1/2 cup mix of milled pumpkin seeds, hemp  seeds, chia seeds, flax seeds (your choice)
• 1/2 cup 88 % dark chocolate (Endangered Species Brand is AMAZING) OR cocao nibs 
• 1/3 cup honey or maple syrup
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract – pure, no sugar added

Method

Stir all ingredients together in a medium bowl until thoroughly mixed. Cover and let chill in the refrigerator for half an hour.
Once chilled, roll into balls of whatever size you would like. (Mine were about 1" in diameter.) Store in an airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to 1 week.

Substitution ideas - Feel free to substitute in your favorite nut butter (almond butter, sunflower seed butter, etc.) for the peanut butter. I would caution, though, against substituting agave nectar for the honey, as the honey’s thickness helps hold things together.  If you feel like your energy bites are too dry, add in extra honey or nut butter. It’s also not required that you refrigerate these, but I find it helps them stick together much better. Enjoy!!
Some other fun substitutions for the chocolate chips (or an addition to them) could include:

• chopped dried fruit (apricots, dates, raisins, etc.)
• dried berries (cranberries, cherries, etc.)
• chopped almonds, pecans, walnuts, or sunflower seeds
• other grains (different kinds of oatmeal, rice cereal, etc.)

Next time - Afternoon chocolate fix, plus quality, healthy/tasty pre-packaged options. Nutritional tools for the modern world - enjoy!

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