Avoiding sweets needs more than Jedi mind tricks. Maybe you keep sweets on the top shelf because leaving them at eye level is just too much for you to handle. Maybe you put them in a jar or cabinet. Maybe you have others hide them from you. But whatever you do, it’s hard to stay away from delicious sweets. It’s not impossible though! All you have to do is to know what type of healthy snacks you can make. Healthy treats that will keep you from The Dark Side.
For a lot of people, myself included, it’s easier said than done. Healthy snacks are expensive and sometimes hard to find. To save on those pricey alternatives for sugar, you can whip up a healthy and filling dish that can indulge your craving using everyday ingredients you can find in your cupboard. One recipe that can satisfy this urge is vanilla hazelnut granola mix with strawberries! This recipe has hearty ingredients such as rolled oats, almonds, yogurt and coconut oil.
Raw coconut oil is a known health magnet. It contains lauric acid, which has antimicrobial effects on bacteria and germs. It also increases good cholesterol (HDL) while lowering the bad cholesterol (LDL) in your bloodstream. The fatty acids in coconut oil actually encourage burning fat while also boosting your energy.**
In a nutshell, this recipe is a delicious and nutritious mixture that you and your family can enjoy.
Ingredients:
- ¼ cup raw coconut oil
- 3 cups rolled oats
- 1 cup rice cereal
- ¾ cup chopped hazelnuts
- ¼ cup almond flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon of hazelnut extract (optional)
- 4 cups plain yogurt (based on your own preference)
- 1 cup chopped strawberries
- (Optional) Nutella for drizzling
- Preheat your oven to around 162ºC. Stir together all the dry ingredients and set them aside.
- Use a separate bowl to combine the hazelnut extract, vanilla extract, and maple syrup. Pour this slowly over the dry ingredients and mix until smooth.
- Pour your raw coconut oil over the mixture and evenly coat your rolled oats.
- Cover a baking tray with a cookie sheet and spread the mixture evenly on top. Place the tray in your preheated oven. Bake for around 35-40 minutes, checking consistency every 10 minutes.
- In the meantime, prepare your chopped strawberries and put them in the refrigerator.
- Once the granola mixture is golden brown, remove it from the oven and cool for 15 minutes.
- For each serving: Use ½ cup of plain yogurt, ⅙ of the granola mix, and ¾ cup of chopped strawberries into a bowl. If you’re feeling frisky, drizzle with Nutella.
**Makes 6 servings. To store: keep your granola mix in a dry, reusable container in the refrigerator. Stays crunchy for a week.
Staying healthy is not impossible if you’ve got the creativity for it. There are dozens of wonderful and healthy snacks you can make with some coconut oil and a cupboard of simple, everyday ingredients.**Statements have not been evaluated by FDA
