Knowing that the holiday season is hectic, I make a point to
have healthy snacks (for me that means Gluten Free) around so that I provide
myself with nutritious options when I am hungry and in a hurry. One thing I do
that takes no cooking is keeping a small (snack size) Ziploc bag of walnuts and
dried cherries (w/o sulfur) or almonds and raisins or dried apricots in my car,
purse, and gym bag. This provides me with quick fuel and tides me by until I
get home to have a proper meal.
A simple snack to cook and have on hand for the holiday
hunger pangs (or anytime for that matter) is my Simple As 1-2-3 Oatmeal Bars (which
I originally posted January 16, 2015). Since I posted the recipe I shared
samples with others, as people asked what was in the bar I found myself
replying, “It’s as simple as 1-2-3. One cup of apple (or other fruit) sauce, 2
cups of dry oats, and 3 ripe bananas is the base of this recipe. Anything else
you add is up to you.” Now people refer to this recipe as the “1-2-3 Recipe”.
The Simple as 1-2-3 Oatmeal Bars can be made large like a
scone and eaten for breakfast or they can be made snack size. They are easily
digestible so are great for fuel pre or post workout. From start to finish the
recipe will take 30 minutes of your time. A fast, healthy, portable, and
versatile snack is important when you are not a time millionaire.
I hope you enjoy this quick to prepare healthy snack. You
can add a 4-5-6 to the recipe by adding a few extra ingredients and customizing
the recipe each time you make it!
During the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, spend a
few minutes preparing and you can have healthy snacks all week….it’s as simple
as 1-2-3! Grab a bar, and perhaps a handful of nuts and a piece of fruit and
you are ready to go.
Enjoy the holiday season. Eat healthy without spending
much time in the kitchen. Spend the extra time with family and friends!
Enjoy this recipe and find others featuring Nuts at nuts.com and their Healthy Snacks Page.
Base Recipe:
·
1 Cup of Apple Sauce (I make homemade … with and
w/o cinnamon. This recipe works well with cinnamon or plain applesauce. I have
also made pear and guava sauce and both work well in this recipe)
·
2 Cups of Dry Oats
·
3 Ripe Bananas
VARIATIONS…Optional
4-5-6 Ingredients
·
1 TSP Vanilla Flavoring, 1 Cup Diced Dried
Fruit, 4 TBSP Nut Butter (any variety)
·
1 Scoop Protein Powder, 1/4 Cup Diced Walnuts,
1/3 Cup Nutella (NOTE: I use GLUTEN FREE protein powder. You can buy it plain
or flavored.)
·
1/2 Cup Flaxseed Meal, 1/4 Cup Diced Nuts, 1/4
Cup Diced Dried Fruit
·
1/4 Cup Slivered Almonds, 1/4 Cup Diced
Apricots, 1/4 Cup Shredded Unsweetened Coconut
