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food
By Jodi Brown, the Ultimate Kitchen Commando
Road Fuel Healthy On-The-Go Snacks
I remember on a recent trip from Pensacola to New Orleans stopping to get gas somewhere in Mississippi. After filling the car up, I went inside to grab something to eat ‘cause darn it, I was hungry. I walked around the store about four times looking for something that was remotely close to being good for me, when finally one of the clerks asked me, “Ma’am, can I help you find something?” “No, thanks. I’m good.” I ended up with a small bag of plain pretzels and a side of anger with myself for not packing food for the road trip. Usually, I’m a schlepper, and now that I’m spending more time driving back and forth between Pensacola and New Orleans, I’ve become a master of having food ready to go
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when I land in either location. I hate being caught unprepared, I really do, but on this particular trip I dropped the ball and I paid the price for it. Now that my food lifestyle has changed to include so many more healthful choices, I’m more diligent than ever about trying not to get caught with my pants down, so to speak. People tell me all the time how hard it is to eat healthy and I say “poppycock.” You just need to be prepared. If you open the bag I carry on any given day or the small cooler I tote around, you’ll likely find a smoothie or some leftover food in it. When I cook, I usually cook enough to have leftovers. Always make extra salad, quinoa and salsa when you are preparing them. It’s
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amazing what you can toss together if you have those few things on hand. I always keep fresh cut up fruit in the fridge. Melons, mango, pineapple or papaya are my favorites. You can always toss a few of those into a smaller container and put them in your mini cooler along with some raw nuts and you’re covered if you need a snack while you are out. I almost always have nuts, dried mango and some easy to carry fruit that doesn’t require refrigeration with me like oranges, apples or cherries. I try to never leave my house without food and water, and 95 percent of the time I succeed. More often than not, when I’m out with a friend and I pull a snack out of my bag, I’m a hero. It’s how I spread my seed. People learn by
Raw Brownies 1 1/4 cup — raw nuts and/or seeds, finely ground. (cashew, pecans, walnut, pumpkinseeds, sunflower seeds). 3 tbsp. cacao powder 1 tbsp. cacao nibs 1/8 tsp. sea salt 1 cup of medjool dates, pitted (start with seven and add more as needed) Raw local honey 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional) 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon (optional) Grind the nuts/seeds finely (coffee grinder, Bullet, Vitamix) and place into a food processor fitted with an “s” blade. Add everything except the dates and honey and blend well. While the machine is running drop the dates in one at a time (pits and stem top removed) until completely integrated. You’ll see the mixture start to turn from powdery looking to a more cohesive pulled together grind. Open and pinch some together. If it sticks, great, if not, add another date or two until it holds together. When the mixture is finally sticky, drizzle honey into the top while it is running and watch it pull together quickly (about 2 tbsp.). Turn into a glass casserole dish and evenly press into the bottom of the pan. Cover and refrigerate for a few hours. Slice into bite sized pieces. Brownies are best kept stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks but travel pretty well for the day without refrigeration.
example, not by brow beating. Actually, they learn by brow beating too, but it’s a method I find to be not so welcoming, so I avoid it like the plague. My favorite on the go travel foods are nuts and fruit. My fruit changes with the season, and right now I’m up to my eyeballs in watermelon. My go to quickie is PBJ on sprouted grain bread with nut butter and sliced bananas because it travels well and with the protein and grain, fills me up. Do yourself a favor and get a small cooler and some small freezable ice packs. You won’t regret the investment.
Make Your Own Trail Mix Always use raw nuts and seeds with this for maximum nutrition. If you have a dehydrator and can sprout then dehydrate them again, even better. Try to be sure to include walnuts, pumpkin seeds and flax seeds as they are higher in Omega 3 fatty acids than Omega 6. We get plenty of Omega 6s, but have difficulty getting enough Omega 3s. I also like dried unsulfured fruits like apricots, mango and golden raisins. If you are inclined to enjoy a little chocolate flavoring, toss in some raw cacao nibs. Nuts and seeds have fat in them so don’t get carried away with eating a lot at once. Have a handful or two and wait a few minutes before having any more. Give the fat a little bit of time to register with the body and the brain and fairly quickly your hunger will be satiated. About the Author: Jodi Brown is the Ultimate Kitchen Commando and loves to turn people on to delicious and healthy foods. She assists people with food transitions and teaches healthy cooking classes. She shares her time between New Orleans and Pensacola. To learn more, visit www.ultimatekitchencommando.com.
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