Snacks-to-Go, Vol. 3: Nutella Granola

Happy 30th Birthday to my big sister, Sarah!

We are celebrating Carribean style in the Dominican Republic. 

In honor of her, I packed along some Nutella Granola.  She loves Nutella! I would normally make this recipe with peanut butter, but since it's her birthday, this one is for her.

Nutella Granola

ingredients:

4 cups old fashioned oats
3/4 cup Nutella
1 tsp vanilla

directions:

- Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

- Mix all ingredients in a large bowl.

- Line a baking tray with parchment paper.  Spread oat mixture onto baking tray.
- Bake for 45 minutes, stirring every 10 to 15 minutes.

- Allow to cool and store in airtight containers.

How did/do you plan to celebrate your 30th birthday?

Snacks-to-Go, Vol. 2: Roasted Chickpeas

If I had to guess, I would say right now, I am probably laying on the beach, basking in the sun, with a margarita in one hand, snacking on some of the roasted chickpeas I brought along. 

Don't you wish you were those chickpeas and I had brought you along?

Roasted Chickpeas

ingredients:

2 cans chickpeas
spray canola oil
1/2 tbsp garlic salt
1/2 tbsp onion powder
1/2 tbsp salt
1/2 tbsp black pepper
1 tbsp chili powder
1/2 tbsp smoked paprika
1 tsp smoked chipotle
2 tbsp lime juice

not pictured: lime juice.

directions:

- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

- Rinse chickpeas throughly.  Rub dry between paper towels, removing skins.

- Place chickpeas in a bowl.  Spray with canola oil and toss to coat.

- Add all spices/seasonings and lime juice to the bowl.  Toss to coat.

- Spray a baking sheet with canola oil.  Spread chickpeas on baking sheet in thin layer.

- Bake at 400 degrees for about 50 minutes or until crunchy, stirring every 15 minutes.

Bon Appetit!


Go Pokes!
 Today is the McNeese Cowboy's first home game of the season. 

If I could be at two places at once, I would be with my Ponkies tailgating the day away.  I will drown my sorrows of not being there in another pina colada. :)

Snacks-to-Go, Vol. 1: Carrot Cake Granola

I am on vacation in the Dominican Republic, and I didn't want y'all to miss me too much.  So I scheduled a series of posts while I'm gone.

I plan on drinking lots of calories in the form of margaritas, pina coladas, daquiris, mudslides, etc.  My prefence is to waste empty calories on boat drinks rather than food, so I made and packed some nutritious snacks. 

Over the next week I will post my recipes for these easy to go snacks.

First up:

Carrot Cake Granola

Carrot cake is my favorite cake of all time!  My mom has the best recipe with a rich, cream cheese frosting that is full of pecans.  My mouth is watering thinking about it.  She makes it every year for my birthday cake, and I always look forward to it!

So when I ran across this carrot cake granola recipe on Chocolate & Carrots blog, I was ecstatic!  I made a few revisions to reduce the fat and sugar, so below is my version of Carrot Cake Granola:

ingredients

2 cups old fashioned oats
2 cups Kashi GoLean cereal
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 cup carrots, shredded
1/4 cup honey
1 cup pecans, chopped
1 cup unsweentend coconut
1 cup raisins
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp cinnamon
1/2 tbsp nutmeg
1 tbsp salt

directions

- Preheat oven to 300 degrees

- In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients (except nuts & coconut): oats, cereal, raisins, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.

-In another bowl, combine wet ingredients: applesauce, carrots, honey

- Mix wet ingredients into dry ingredients.

- Spread mixture onto baking pan.  One with sides makes the next step easier.

- Bake for 30 to 40  minutes, stirring every 10 to15 minutes.

- Stir in pecans and coconut, bake for another 20 minutes.

- Let cool and store in airtight containers.

The result is a chewier granola that has all the flavors of my beloved carrot cake!


What is your favorite cake flavor ever?
Does your mom still make you a birthday cake?

What I _______(blank) Wednesdays, Vol. 6

I am leaving for vacation today!!! I am going to Punta Cana, Domincan Republic to celebrate my sister's 30th birthday with her and 4 of her friends.  We are spending tonight in Houston because our plane leaves from there at 6:00 AM, which means getting to the airport by 4:00 AM. 

In honor of my vacation, today is:

What I Packed for the Dominican Wednesday

1. swimsuits & cover ups

2. hats

3. dresses, dresses, & more dresses; one romper; & a skirt and a bunch of shirts

4. sandals & accessories

5. gym clothes

There is a gym at our condo.  I am going to take advantage of having a treadmill available and try to get in some incline running to prep for the dreaded bridge. 

6. Pajamas

7. Festive Island Jewelry

8. peanut butter, oatmeal, nuts, coffee, snack bars & homemade snacks

We opted not to go the all inclusive route, but rather rent a private condo.  This way, we can experience more of the country's culture and dine at some local spots.  We will also try to cook at the condo some to save money.

Since I won't be blogging from vacation, I have scheduled some posts for y'all! :)  I will be posting all my recipes of the snacks that I packed.  They are great, healthy snacks that are easy to take along, even internationally!

Check out this FitSugar article about how to prevent weight gain on vacation. I will be using some of these tips over the next week!

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and could only pack one thing, what would it be? (Of course you would want to bring loved ones/pets, so let's assume they will be there)