Balanced Living

Healthy Snacking & Some Yummy Granola Balls!

Posted by Arja on May 20 in Snacks

Whether you’re trying to lose weight, gain more energy, or just adopt better eating habits in general snacking is an important part of your day!  A lot of focus is put on what we eat at our main meals - so much so that snacks become an afterthought and many people are left stranded without food while on the go.  Snacks don’t have to be elaborate in either their ingredients or in planning, but they do need to be balanced in order to do their job.

A New Year – Start Things Right, and An Easy Trail Mix Recipe

Posted by Arja on January 9 in Snacks

It’s a New Year and my Facebook and Instagram newsfeeds are clogged up with words and images showing people tackling their New Year’s resolutions.  Were you one of them?  Have you resolved to lose weight, quit smoking, sleep more, or just generally be happier and healthier?  If so, you’re not alone.  The majority of people use the end of one year and the beginning of the next as a catalyst for change.  The trouble is, there is an equally high number of people who fail to meet the goals that they’ve set for themselves.  So, if you’ve decided that this is the year you make changes that result in a better you, where do you start, and how do you set yourself up to succeed? 

Another Granola Recipe

Posted by Arja on August 15 in Breakfast, Snacks

Although it is often chock full of really healthy ingredients, granola has received a bad reputation for being a high fat, high sugar food choice.  People who are trying to lose weight often avoid it like the plague, fearing the caloric hit their daily intake will take.  To add insult to injury, store-bought granola, especially those brands that use high quality ingredients, tends to cost a small fortunte!  The truth is, granola can be relatively inexpensive and very good for you but it all depends on the ingredients, and how much you use.

Got the Munchies?

Posted by Arja on May 8 in Snacks

In order to keep your blood sugar levels stable throughout the day it’s a good idea not to go more than 3 hours without eating something.  The goal is to keep your brain and body fueled so that your blood sugar levels don’t come crashing down causing you to feel irritable, unfocused, and so hungry that you reach for anything – including the wrong things.  Keeping snacks on hand is critical to staving off this blood sugar drop, but if you’re reaching for the wrong kind of snack you could be doing yourself more harm than good.

Finally!  A Yummy Whole Grain Muffin!

Posted by Arja on October 31 in Baking, Snacks

We all know that we are supposed to be eating and cooking with whole grains, but many people find baking with 100% whole grain flour yields a finished product similar to a hockey puck.  I have been playing around with baking with whole grains for awhile now with varying results.  I’ll be totally honest with you and say that using 100% whole wheat flour has not often provided satisfying results.  But, and this is a BIG BUT, since I started using 100% whole grain spelt flour I’ve baked up all sorts of moist, yummy goodness.