Easy Eats

Food is a weakness for me - and I work in an Italian restaurant. How convenient. My resolve to eat healthy is strong until I walk through the kitchen doors, bombarded with the scent of sizzling garlic and heavy cream. I think the key is to plan ahead. Sometimes I go to work thinking I won't get hungry, or I'll just eat something healthy at work (denying the fact that there is nothing healthy at work). But if I bring in items that are healthy and taste good - tasty food is important when tempted with alfredo sauce - I'm a lot more likely to stay on track.

One snack that I love is Planters NUT-rition trail mixes. They come in small snack bags, and they are the perfect mixture of sweet and salty. Their energy mix is my favorite (http://www.planters.com/varieties.aspx), but they can get kinda expensive - I guess eating two packs a day can do that.

So I decided to make my own trail mix inspired by the Planters mix. I headed over to Trader Joe's and filled my basket with the following: raw walnuts, raw almonds, whole grain pretzel bars, and dark chocolate covered soybeans. To add flavor you can change out roasted or cinnamon almonds, honey wheat pretzel bars or add honey roasted peanuts. I mix them up into separate ziplock bags, so I can take one each day. The almonds and walnuts were pricey, but those bags will last me for months.

What are some creative healthy snacks that you make to keep the junk food cravings at bay?