One of the greatest dilemmas I face when I teach
classes that don’t mesh with my natural body clock’s ideal exercise time is....when
do I eat!? The answer always involves a
small snack - either pre or post workout.
Often times it’s something blended, but when I feel like something
chewy, here are a few of my favorite Go-To’s.
I made these for the last day of camp this summer, and often have
them around home. They keep well in the
freezer so they can be called upon for a quick energy boost. They don’t do that well when warm or at room
temperature, so don’t count on taking them along on a hike or a long bike
ride.
Although I received numerous requests to post the recipes a few
weeks ago, it’s taken me a while because, well, I've been making them by
memory for years and couldn't recall their origin.
After searching though my cookbooks I found that the date snacks
were inspired by a recipe from Alicia Silverstone’s The Kind Diet. However, I
never once followed the recipe exactly, always modifying to match what I had
available.
The peanut butter snacks on the other hand, have been morphed so many times and have so many opportunities for modification that the origin is a moot point.
With either snack below, experiment and see what works for
you. Please note, though, that they are
both very calorically dense and should be eaten with caution! It could be very easy to consume triple the
calories in your pre-workout snack than you burn during your workout if you
aren’t responsible with portions!
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| Keeping these staples on hand makes it easy to whip up a batch of snacks whenever the mood strikes. |
Date energy snacks
(this is my variation on the original recipe)
-1/2 cup chopped walnuts
-1 cup raw carob powder
-1/2 cup maple syrup
-1 cup nut butter (almond or sunflower seed work well)
-t tsp vanilla extract
-1/2 tsp salt
-1/2 cup chopped or slivered almonds
-optional throw-ins: tablespoon or two of ground flax seeds, chia
seeds, sunflower seeds, unsweetened shredded coconut.
Everything goes in the food processor! Shape into balls. If mixture is too sticky, roll the balls in coconut or the seeds, which will make it easier to handle and shape. Store in parchment-lined airtight containers in the fridge or freezer.
Peanut butter energy
snacks
-1 cup natural peanut butter.
I like to use half crunchy and half smooth. (Almond or sunflower seed butter works as well but
you might need to add more honey)
-1 cup honey
-1 cup quick rolled oats
-1-1/4 cup crispy brown rice cereal. I use Nature’s Path organic.
-optional throw-ins: raisins or other dried fruit, ground flax
seeds, chia seeds, sunflower seeds
In a pot on low heat, mix peanut butter and honey. Remove from heat and immediately stir in rice cereal. Then add oats and stir, followed by any optional throw-ins. Shape into balls or press in a pan to cut into bars. Store in parchment-lined airtight containers in the fridge or freezer.
Happy Snacking!
