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Permalink Reply by GOPI KANTA GHOSH on May 4, 2010 at 9:00am

Great...

Permalink Reply by Sydni Moser on May 4, 2010 at 9:31am

“Ants on a Log”
No, I’m not advocating eating ants. This has been one of my favorite snacks since childhood. Simple, easy to make, and deliciously crunchy, the old celery + peanut butter + raisins standby can be spiced up a bit by trying different nut butters and other dried fruits, such as cranberries or blueberries.

"Shoe Leather" (really Fruit Leather)
A snack that requires some advance preparation is fruit leather. It’s basically just pureed fresh fruit flattened and dehydrated, but it tastes like candy. Here is a recipe for making it in your oven... (I buy this ready made at Trader Joes and Organic markets - no fuss...)

Crackers with Nut Butter
Crackers are truly one of the greatest foods invented. They’re portable, crunchy, and completely versatile. I like topping mine with sunbutter (made of sunflower seeds), almond butter, or peanut butter. Sometimes a little jelly helps, too. Try adding a few slices of banana, it's yummy.

Spring Rolls
The beauty of spring rolls is that you can stuff them with just about anything. Try stuffing it with marinated tofu, mung bean sprouts, finely chopped cabbage, fresh mint and cilantro, grated carrots, and itty bitty broccoli florets. Check out this recipe, it looks yummy. Thai peanut sauce has got to be the best spring roll dipping sauce ever invented.

Permalink Reply by Sydni Moser on May 4, 2010 at 10:13am

"Sold Out" Fruit & Nut Bars (too good to last)
These bars contain no oil and no sugar; they get their sweetness from dried fruit. They are also chock full of walnuts, which contain lots of those fabulous omega-3 fatty acids. These bars are wheat and soy-free -- great for those with allergy concerns.

makes 16 bars

1 cup whole wheat or spelt flour
1 cup rolled oats
¼ cup prune purée or one 2.5 oz container baby prunes
½ cup currants or finely chopped raisins
½ cup dried apricots, chopped fine
1 cup walnuts, chopped
⅓ cup water

Preheat the oven to 325ºF. Lightly coat an 8-inch x 8-inch pan with nonstick spray and set aside.

Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and knead with your hands until a good, stiff dough forms. Add a tablespoon of water if the mixture is too dry. Press dough firmly and evenly into the prepared pan. Cut into squares with a sharp knife before placing in the oven.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until baked through but still soft (don’t overbake them or the bars will be tough). Store leftover bars in the refrigerator.

Some good reader comments can be found HERE:

Permalink Reply by Sydni Moser on May 4, 2010 at 10:52am

Sweet, simple and EASY. I love yogurt and fruit, but I'm trying to stay away from dairy... Anyone know a good vegan substitute for yogurt? Couldn't stand the rice yogurt I recently tried.