Summer is wrapping up for me this week as my classes start one week from today. This is my last week working full-time at WIC but I’ll still be working on Monday and Wednesday evenings after class.
It will be interesting to see how I adjust from working full-time to being a student full-time. I’m looking forward to a little more free time. As much as I have enjoyed working at WIC, it reinforces how much I want to have my own business. I want to have flexibilty and set my own work hours. I want to do things my own way. Not the government’s way. My ultimate dream is to have a business based around my interest in nutrition, education, and cooking/baking. It would be a mix of nutrition counseling, nutrition education classes, and teaching people how to cook/bake healthy meals. I’ve got the business plan down, now I just need to finish school, find an internship, and get that RD credential 
Speaking of starting classes, I’ve been thinking of quick and portable meals/snacks I can pack with me. Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays are going to be busy so I’m going to need to pack enough food to keep me full until dinner.
I found this awesome lunch bag at SAM’s for $14. It has a big container for a sandwich or entree and two smaller containers for sides and snacks. I’ve already been using this for work this week. I love it.
Fit N Fresh is a lifesaver for packing lunches and snacks. They have so many cool containers! I bought the salad shaker a few years ago- it makes packing salads a breeze.
I really want this one next: it has 3 containers for cereal, milk or yogurt, and fruit.
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Moving on…I was playing aroud with a bar recipe that would fit the following criteria a) keep me full; b) taste good; and c) be healthy! I intend on using these for snacks but I think they would be great as a quick breakfast when you need to grab something as you’re running out the door.
Trail Mix Bars
Ingredients:
- 2 cups dry oats
- 1/2 cup whole grain flour (all-purpose works too)
- 1/2 cup vanilla protein powder
- ¼ cup sunflower seeds
- ¼ cup pumpkin seeds
- 1/4 cup dried cherries, cranberries, or raisins
- ½ cup chocolate chips
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup (or honey)
- 1/3 cup apple sauce (unsweetened)
- ½ cup almond butter, peanut butter, or sunflower seed butter
- splash of milk if needed
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Mix together dry ingredients . Add wet ingredients. Mixture should just pull together. If it is too dry add a splash of milk — just enough for the ingredients to stick together.
Spray baking pan and press mixture into the pan using the back of the spatula/spoonula.
Bake for ~25 minutes. Let the bars cool and then cut into squares.
I may tweak the recipe a bit, but I think this is a great start. You can change the ingredients to fit your preferences so feel free to play around with it. Also, it’s not necessary to add the protein powder. I just added it to increase the protein and keep me full longer.
(Side note: I had the day off from work on Friday so I decided to go buy my books for the semester. The grand total was $1,082.10. The girl at the register said she had never seen anyone spend that much. I shed a few tears as I authorized the charge to my student account. I have never paid even half of that amount in my 6 years of college.)