Quick Bean Burritos

With a little help from your panini press or my personal favorite Cuisinart Griddler, yummy bean burritos can be in your tummy in minutes!

It just takes 4-6 organic flour tortillas, 1 15oz. can of fat free re-fried Beans (you'd think you'd want the vegetarian beans, but those usually contain oil, which you don't want) and a little Nutritional Yeast, salsa optional.

Simply divide the beans evenly among the tortillas, sprinkle with Nutritional Yeast, roll like a burrito.  Cook using your favorite sandwich press until browned.

So simple, I'm mad that I didn't think of this sooner!

Keep it healthy!

Baby Japanese Sweet Potatoes

Between 2-3 pm, I require a snacky snack.  Instead of hitting the vending machine, I prefer to make my own snacks.  Most recently, I have been delighting over baked, baby Japanese sweet potatoes to satisfy this period of hunger.

If you are unaware of the gloriousness of these gems, check out my post dedicated to them.

How did I find baby Japanese sweet potatoes?

Simple.  I asked the produce manager of my local grocer to start carrying them (it never hurts to ask).  But, instead of stocking the regular size, which I am used to gorging on for dinner, they stocked the baby ones.  At first, I was like, is this a joke?  What the hell am I supposed to do with these little things?  Then the light bulb went off - a couple of these would make the perfect snacky snack.

So, I grabbed three packs, which gave me roughly 20 potatoes.  Once home, I scrubbed them up, forked each one a few times and baked right on the rack at 400 degrees for about 30 - 40 minutes.  The long, thin potatoes require less time than the short, stocky fellows.  What resulted was pure bliss - the skins caramelized just so and their small stature make them the perfect finger food.  Off to work I went with my four potatoes a day allotment; the jealousy dripping from my co-workers faces. These taste just a good cold as they do warm.

You know you want to try them...

Keep it healthy!

Almond Yogurt Snacky Snack

Since going vegan, I have been missing yogurt.


Luckily there has been a mass flood of plant-based yogurts hitting the market.

Which brings me to my latest snack obsession - Almond Dream Yogurt topped with Uncle Sam's Cereal.

It delivers the perfect combination of sweet, creamy goodness with a hint of crunch.

The perfect mid-morning snack, 3pm pick-me-up or after dinner dessert.

Personal Crudités

Ignore the onions, they were for another project.

My latest snack obsession centers on veggies & hummus.  Something about spring just makes my tastes buds crave raw food.

The solution...my own personal crudités...

As I am not a fan of the processing of baby carrots (treated with chlorine), I start with one bunch of organic carrots with the greens still intact (I hear they taste better that way).  I cut those into smaller pieces and leave the skins on.  Next, I chop two orange bell peppers.  I typically cook with red peppers, but found that the orange were sweeter and juicer when consumed raw.  Lastly, I quarter baby cucumbers - you may know them as pickling cukes.

I may be obsessed with nut milk...

All these veggies are divided up into five sandwich bags, so I can easily stash them in my lunch bag as I'm dashing off to work.  I found storing the pre-made bags in a meatloaf dish helps to keep the fridge tidy.

Add a scoop or two of oil-free hummus and you have yourself one tasty mid-afternoon snack!

Keep it healthy!

Snack Attack: Fresh Figs

I love fresh figs! That's why from June to October my go-to snack is 4-8 fresh Figs paired with and 4-5 Brazil Nuts.

Keep it healthy!

Enjoy Life: New Gluten-Free Vegan Cookies!!!

Before I begin, full disclosure - Enjoy Life approached me and asked if I would try their new line of cookies.  They sent me all four flavors for free and here is my honest opinion of these cookies...

They ROCK!

To clarify, I have tried a lot of gluten-free products, most of which flat out sucked.  But these babies hold their own again their gluten laden counterparts.

Triple score bonus - they are Vegan & contain no trans fats (Snoopy happy dance)!!!

They do unfortunately contain oil; palm oil to be exact.  So if you're sensitive to oil or avoid it for health or weight issues, these aren't the perfect cookies.  However, for those who can tolerate a little oil here and there, these are the perfect treat (notice I said treat and not a part of a daily regimen).  I will confess, that I have been chowing down on these cookies daily, in obscene amounts since they arrived on my doorstep - yeah, they are that good!

I mentioned four flavors, they are Double Chocolate, Chocolate Chip, Vanilla Honey Graham and Sugar Crisp.  Double Chocolate is hands down my ultimate favorite, followed by Chocolate Chip.  The Vanilla Honey Graham is a unique flavor and isn't bad.  The Sugar Crisp is very similar to the Graham and isn't something I would typically buy.  Then again in any cookie arena, I'm always going to go for chocolate, but if someone handed me either one of these non-chocolate cookies, I wouldn't turn my back on them.

These cookies are thin & crispy and about the size of a soft ball (flattened of course).  They taste so awesome, that you would seriously question if they were in fact Vegan or Gluten-free.  While I am no longer sensitive to gluten, I would buy these cookies in a heart beat, as limiting one's exposure to gluten, can reduce the chances of one becoming sensitive.

They are sold both online through various retailers and in grocers and natural food stores (check the gluten-free aisle).

Check'em out!
The Hoff

Good Greens!

So, what does Good Greens have to offer you?

A vegan, oil-free, gluten-free yummy snack bar packed with 100% of your daily fruits and vegetables and loaded with antioxidants.  While the ingredients lists is pretty extensive at least you can pronounce everything listed & Google Dictionary is not required.  They are also all-natural, mostly organic and GMO-free!

Bars come in an array of different flavors: Chocolate Peanut Butter (not oil-free), Chocolate Mint, Chocolate Chunk, Chocolate Raspberry, Chocolate Coconut (not oil-free), Wildberry (not oil-free).  (I'm liking the chocolate theme.)

Priced at $2.49 per bar, you can find them locally at various Marc's, Heinin's, Dave's Markets, Hobart's, and Chuppa's Grocery Store.

If you can't find Good Greens near you (Northeastern Ohio), you can score some online!  Spend $50 bucks and you get free shipping!

Best of all, Good Greens is an Ohio born & raised business - headquartered right here in Shaker Heights!

For those with peanut allergies, read the ingredients carefully because some of these bars contain peanut paste.  The Chocolate Chunk is safe - thank goddess!

So how are they?

Unfortunately, Chuppas only had the Chocolate Peanut Butter & Chocolate Coconut bars and since I'm allergic to peanuts, I could not personally try these out.  My boyfriend on the other hand was more than happy to be a test subject and inhaled them promptly.

His conclusions:

Chocolate Peanut Butter: Very chocolatey, definitely taste the berries, but the peanut butter was barely noticeable.  Overall, he'd eat this chewy bar again!

Chocolate Coconut: This one had a mild chocolate flavor with a hint of berries & a heavy coconut taste.  Softer, not as chewy as the Peanut Butter bar.  As he does not care for coconut, he would not consume again.

I on the other hand cannot wait to get my hands on the Chocolate Chunk!

Snack Healthy!
The Hoff

Update 10.13.12:

Finally tracked these bars down at the store and they all contain peanuts in some form - either in peanut flour or peanut paste.  Sigh.

Roasted Soybeans, mmm...

Not all good things at the grocery store reside on the outskirts.

While snooping through the Asian section recently, I came upon a unique snacky snack - Feng Shui's Lightly Salted Dry Roasted Soybeans.

Why so good?

Well, they taste good, but beyond that - no oil, no artificial colors, cholesterol free, MSG free, gluten free and contains a mere 3 ingredients: green soybeans, maltodextrin (naturally derived thickener) & sea salt!

These green jewels are a little high in fat, so treat as a snack and not an essential part of your diet.  Roasted soybeans pack a nice little fiber & protein punch!

Nutrition
Serving: 1/4 cup

Calories: 130
Total Fat: 4g
Saturated Fat: 0g
Trans Fat: 0g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 230mg
Total Carbs: 9g
Fiber: 7g
Sugar: 1g
Protein: 13g

Roasted soybeans are the perfect snack when you're craving a crunchy, salty treat.  They also travel very well.

Snack Happy!
The Hoff

Snack Attack: Frosted Shredded Wheat

Believe it or not, I recently found a frosted cereal that did not contain high fructose corn syrup or artificial sweeteners.

Instead, Post Frosted Shredded Wheat relies on sugar & brown sugar - whole foods, what a concept!  Aside from those two ingredients, this cereal contains whole grain wheat, resulting in 6 grams of fiber for one cup - nice!  I have to say the last and final ingredient is BHT, a preservative (almost perfect).  Not too many cereals you can pick up with only four ingredients & you can pronounce them!

For me, this is a snack because at 12 grams of sugar per cup, that's a little high to chow down on every morning.

Thanks Post!
The Hoff

P.S. I like the Kellogg's dig on the packaging, get it together Kellogg's!

Dr. McDougall's Right Foods

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One question I get asked the most - "what do I snack on?"

Since adapting a whole-foods, plant-based diet, I have found myself relying less and less on crackers, cookies and chips and more and more on "mini meals" for snacking.

Typically, I will dish out a much smaller portion of last nights leftovers and take that to work for my afternoon snack attack. I enjoy having a warm, home cooked afternoon snack!

But when last nights leftovers aren't possible, I turn to my latest obsession: Dr. McDougall's Right Foods!

Think cup-a-noodle and you'll get the concept - a cup of dried ingredients that you add hot water to and let stand a few minutes.  But, unlike cup-a-noodle, Right Foods are healthy!

I am usually turned off by "doctors" who have their own "product lines."  But, I have been a longtime follower of McDougall and happen to adhere to his theory for optimum health after reading many of his books.  For a guy treating cancer, heart disease, diabetes, etc. through diet, his food can't be all that bad.

So, when I discovered his line of low-calorie, vegan, gluten-free, oil-free, convenience foods, I had to investigate!  I knew I could trust McDougall and that scrutinizing the labels would not be necessary (although, I still do).  I was not disappointed, these "meal cups" are my number one go-to convenience food now!

I like that I can rely on Right Foods to have minimal, all-natural, vegan ingredients, no oil and no preservatives.  Plus, only non-GMO ingredients are used!

McDougall is also into Sustainability - so he uses minimal packaging, that is BPA free!

My personal favorites are the noodle cups - Teriyaki Noodle, Soy Ginger Noodle and Miso Soup with Organic Noodles.  Besides that, McDougall makes a mean Masala Lentil Pilaf and Lentil Couscous.  

I have yet to try the soups and oatmeal, but plan to.

I have found a few McDougall products at Giant Eagle, but no more than a couple cups at a time. Instead, I buy in bulk from the Right Foods website as I tend to go through these yummy cups pretty fast and never, ever want to be without them!

My next plane ride, I'm definitely loading up my carry-on with a couple of these cups!  Just ask the stewardess for a cup of hot water and you'll no longer be reliant on mystery airplane food!

So, if you're in need of a quick, convenient and healthy snacky snack, look into Right Foods!

Check It Out!

LARABAR: Another Great Snack Bar

LARABAR: Apple Pie

Check out these ingredients (rather lack thereof)!!!!

Ingredients: 

1. Dates
2. Almonds
3. Unsweetened Apples
4. Walnuts
5. Raisins
6. Cinnamon

That is one hell of an impressive ingredients lists - no preservatives, no artificial colors/flavorings and you know what each of those ingredients is.

And these bars are: Gluten Free, Dairy & Soy Free, Non-GMO, Vegan and Kosher.

Lets run the numbers:

Calories: 190
Total Fat: 10g
Saturated Fat: 1g (wish it were zero, but at least it's naturally derived from the nuts)
Trans Fat: 0g (nice!)
Poly Fat: 4.5g
Mono Fat: 4g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 10mg (not too shabby)
Potassium: 280mg (excellent)
Total Carbohydrate: 24g
Fiber: 5g (not bad)
Sugar: 18g (naturally derived)
Protein: 4g

So what do these bars taste like? 

Well, it's kinda hard to explain.  You definately know you're eating something healthy.  They are soft but with some density.  They are fruity and they smell great.  You really need to try it for yourself.

The only downside to this snack is the cost, it's about $6 for five bars.

LARABAR also comes in 19 different flavors.

So keep it on hand as a healthy snack in a pinch.

Yum!
The Hoff

A Yummy, Healthy Granola Bar

I'm talking about Nature's Path USDA Organic Pumpkin -N-Spice Flax Plus Chewy Granola Bars (that's a mouthful!).

I just discovered these at the local Walmart.  I was looking for a granola bar that was organic and contained minimal ingredients.  This one jumped off the shelves.

The Stats (1 bar):

140 Calories
.5g Saturated Fat (I'd prefer zero)
1.5g Polyunsaturated Fat (good)
.5g Monounsaturated Fat (not bad)
80mg Sodium (could be worse)
65mg Potassium (good)
2g Fiber (wish it were more)
10g Sugar (ok)
3g Protein


The Ingredients:
Granola* (Rolled Oats*, Evaporated Cane Juice*, Soy Oil*), Tapioca Syrup*, Brown Rice Flour*, Pumpkin Seeds* (Pumpkin Seeds*, Salt), Invert Cane Syrup*, Flaxseeds*, Acacia Gum*, Soy Oil*, Evaporated Cane Juice*, Sea Salt*, Spice*, Molasses*. *Organic. Contains Peanuts, And Soy. Produced In A Facility That Uses Dairy, Peanuts, And Tree Nuts.

The Verdict:
Good wholesome "snack!"  I like that I somewhat know what each ingredient is and nothing sounds like a science experiment.  I wish it didn't contain soy oil, but you can't have everything unless you make it yourself.  Don't expect this to taste like pumpkin, it only contains the seeds (sigh).  Overall, this is not a bad little snack and it's certified organic!

Enjoy!
The Hoff

Snack Attack: Be My Clementine

I've always written off the Clementine, scoffed at it if you will while passing it by in the store for larger, more appealing fruit.  I never felt that it was worth the time and effort for such a small offering.

Fortunately, my friend, Das Baldwin recently corrected this grave oversight, when she implored me to give the little guy a chance and forced one upon me while at work. 

I will admit that I was smitten with it's mini pumpkin-like appearance (adorable!).  Then she told me that it's also known as a mandarin orange.  What!?!?!  I have eaten those for years, I just thought they naturally came in cans or little tiny plastic bowls (hmmm).  Add to that the fact that it's easy to peel, no mess, no seeds (usually), comes in bite size pieces and travels well - I was sold!

The Clementine is my new work snack and anytime snack for that matter.

Hurray!
The Hoff

Snack Attack: Cucumbers & Salsa!

Not sure who passed this one onto me, but I finally got the guts to try it and it's awesome!

Just chop up some cucumbers, top with any type of salsa (I used Lime & Garlic, I was going to try Peach, but chickened out) - and enjoy!

I'm always on the look out for quick, healthy snacks to bring to work and this one fits the bill.

Happy Snacking!
The Hoff

Update: If preparing ahead of time, I would remove the seeds or use a seedless cucumber.  The water from the seeds thins out the salsa if allowed to sit too long.