10 Healthy Snacks for On-The-Go Moms!

Every time  I open my email, I swear it is another email on healthy snacks or lunches for the kids.  But what about moms?  As the school year begins, moms spend more time in the car and away from home.  This can add an element of difficulty to maintaining that healthy diet you have been working on so hard this summer.  But it does not have to.  The most important thing is to be prepared!

The worst thing to do is to let yourself become hungry.  Not the hunger that is subtle, that you could wait out, but that hunger that creeps into your body and takes over, forcing you to eat whatever is around.  Kids sporting events and dance recitals usually have bake sales and other “not healthy” snack options and can be any easy place to let the diet go hay wire.  The trick is to keep healthy snack options on you at all times so you can satisfy your hunger and not derail your diet.  Also, remember to eat something every three to four hours.  This will not only keep your metabolism fired but also will keep your energy high and your hunger at bay.

So what are some snacks that are easy to keep in the car or in your purse. Here is a list of my 10 favorite snacks for moms!

1. EAS protein shakes – Now these are the 100 cal ones, that have 17 grams of protein and will keep you satisfied. The trick is to not refrigerate them. Throw one in your purse and when you find the hunger pains starting, pour it in a plastic cup with ice.
2. Think Thin Bar Bites – These are 100 cals, taste great, have no sugar, and have 6 grams of protein! Also are Gluten Free!
3. Slice an apple and place it in a Ziploc. Then take two tbls of peanut or almond butter and put in the smallest container. When your watching your kids play sports you have a great healthy snack option.
4. Gnu flavor & fiber bars – These are fantastic. 7 different flavors and 12 grams of fiber. I often eat half as a snack in the am and the other half as an afternoon snack. You have to order them online but they are worth every penny!
5. Trail mix– Make your own. This way you control the ingredients and customize it to your tastes. Start by picking 3 foods you enjoy. For example, almonds, dark chocolate, and 365 rice chex cereal. Divide it into small baggies and take one when you head out the door!
6. Dried Fruit – Apricots, apples, or raisins. Make sure you buy the pre packaged small bags or as soon as you get home divide them up. Dried fruit is fine in moderation.
7. Soy Crisps – They have a higher protein content than normal chips plus are very low in fat and calories.  Before you leave, grab a handful and place in a Ziploc bag. They are great to munch on when the hunger strikes.
8. Veggie or turkey jerky – These can be high in sodium but some brands offer lower sodium options. Buy the small bags. This snack offers lots of lean protein!
9. Fruit – I always have an orange, apple, or banana in my bag.  It is the best snack for when your blood sugar is running low and you need something to just hold you over until you get home.
10. Homemade Protein Bars – Yes my favorite! They are so easy to make and the kids will enjoy them as well. Wrap one up and throw it in your bag, it will do just the trick!

The main thing is to be prepared.  Even if you are not hungry when you leave the house, please take something with you.  It is so easy to get side tracked when the school year starts.  Do something for yourself and start snacking right! Enjoy

MomAgenda to the rescue!

Recently, as I have been taking on more things, my life was starting to get a little, lets say, chaotic!  Over the summer I have started a blog, a business, plus some other side ventures.  I kept going to the store and searching around online for something to keep all my appointments and notes, plus, all of Stella’s social activities.  This was turning out to be a harder task then I had originally thought. I wanted something sheik and cute but also functional.

So, I continued to send myself emails with ideas and appointments, so I could write it on the calendar, by my fridge, hoping I did not get side tracked when walking from the office to the fridge.  I know it is only a couple of rooms over  but let me tell you, a lot can happen in those steps, and if so, the appointment was lost!

Yesterday, I had a coffee date on the downtown mall in Charlottesville.  After I thought I would let my daughter run and do some window shopping.  As I was walking and Stella was running ahead of me, she all of a sudden veered left and ran into Rock Paper Scissors.  Slightly panicky I ran after her before she could do too much damage.  As I walked in a remembered what a fabulous store it is! I had not been in one since we lived in Miami.

So as I tried to control my 21 month old from destroying the lovely and well-kept store, I started to browse around.  I needed some birthday cards anyway.  As I searched the shelves filled with elegant but simple stationary and the most sweetest hand-made cards and journals, I tried to keep m daughter under control and occupied with my cell phone.  It really is worth the trip just to check everything out.  Oh my, I am getting side tracked!  So I happened to look to my right, as my daughter so nonchalantly knocked over some stamps, and saw zebra print staring at me in the face.  It was love at first sight!  I found exactly what I was looking for, for so long, but could not find…….the MomAgenda!  This desktop agenda has it all.  A monthly calendar and a weekly planner that has room for up to four kids activities, plus space for yourself.  It has space for vacation planning/ideas, birthdays, party planning, and so much more.  In the beginning it has two pages full of wonderful family websites and some great shopping ones for moms!! It really is wonderful.  It fits in my bag which is great, so I can never be without it.  If you are one that likes smaller bags, there is a size for that as well.  It really is fantastic for any mom or mom to be!!

Usually I am so nervous when Stella is running free in stores like this, but this time she was a step ahead of me!

Delish High Protein Banana Bread

Everytime I am in the food store I walk by the bananas and debate whether I should buy them or not.  My daughter usually takes one, maybe two bites and then hands the quarter eaten banana back to me. However this does not stop me and  I always feel compelled to buy them, hoping one day she might decide to actually eat the whole thing.  Since I seem to acquire a plethora of ripe bananas, I have been playing with a bunch of different banana bread recipes, to ultimately find the mix that is low-fat, higher in protein, and delish! Well I think I have found the mix and I am ready to share it with you.

Recipe:

3 ripe bananas, (mashed)

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1 large egg (lightly beaten)

1 egg white(beaten separately)

1/4 cup sucrant

3/4 cup soy flour

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup Egg White Protein Powder (vanilla if flavored)

1 tbls melted corn oil margarine

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
2. Lightly spray a 5 x 9 inch loaf pan with organic cooking spray
3. Combine the bananas, vanilla, egg and sucrant in a large bowl
4. Combine the flours, protein powder, and baking powder in a separate bowl
5. Mix the flour into the wet ingredients.
6. Fold in egg whites
7. Fold in margarine
8. Pour batter into pan and cook for 45 mins to an hour.  You can do the knife test to make sure the center is done

I hope you enjoy. This bread is great for a on-the-go snack, breakfast with some eggs or yogurt, or for a healthy desert option. Heat it up with a scoop of frozen yogurt for the kids!