I love to snack.  I am a nibbler.  I love sweet.  I love salty.  I love crunchy.  I love creamy.  You get the point.  But, there is always a but, I need to eat healthy.  How does a snacky nibbler who loves sweet and creamy, salty and crunchy good stuff satisfy the urge to snack without sabotaging a healthy diet?

I’ll tell you.  We call it Rocky’s Concoction.  We came up with it when he was diagnosed as a diabetic a few years ago.  He needed a snack that would not raise his blood sugar, so we combined some of his favorite elements.  I do mine a little differently, actually a couple of differently’s,  so you are going to get one snack, three ways. This is a way to get a little crunchy, creamy and sweet together with a little chocolate.  Did I forget to mention chocolate earlier?  Forgive me.  Chocolate is always necessary. Especially for snacky nibblers.

1.  Combine peanut butter (we use all natural), walnuts, almonds, and a few semi-sweet chocolate chips in a cup and stir.  You can also add in cheerios.  He doesn’t always include the almonds or the cheerios. He used to do a few unsalted pretzels, but they are basically flour laden, so we quit adding those.

2.  Combine walnuts, chocolate chips, raisins and cheerios in a cup.  Shake to combine and enjoy.  I don’t always do the cheerios and sometimes I leave out the raisins.  Even though raisins are natural, they do add a little extra sugar.

3.  Or, combine peanut butter, sliced banana, walnuts and the chocolate chips and warm in the microwave for 10 – 15 seconds, stir, then enjoy.  Bananas too can add a little more sugar than you may want on a regular basis.  I think this may be my favorite version.

Note – combining in a cup, does not necessarily mean you should eat a cupful.  A little goes a long way.  The walnuts are filling – they are also a good source of fiber and omega 3 fats. I did not tell you how much of each item to include, that is up to your discretion based on nutrition labels and your dietary needs. As with any recipe, if you are diabetic or have other health issues, check with you doctor for approval if you’re not sure.

This may not be a 100% perfect snack, but it does satisfy a craving for something to munch while watching TV and the semi-sweet chocolate chips give a little indulgence.  We have jars on our counter for walnuts, chocolate chips and raisins, so they are always ready when a snack attack hits.

Don’t tell anybody, but I have been known to add marshmallows which I think makes them no longer on the healthy snack list. So be careful!

Nibbling in Grace,

Teresa (Sadie Grace)