Homemade Fruit and Nut Protein Bars

I’ve been doing a pretty good job of keeping on my diet. I usually try to consume between 1400 to 1600 calories a day, as this is the best way for me to maintain and lose weight. Any more than that, and I’ll gain weight if I’m not active enough. Kind of a shame, really, since I love eating.

The game plan, as of late, is to keep breakfast and lunch as low carb and low fat as possible. I tend to stick with anything that has natural sugars, such as fruit, and almost eliminate starches for this part of my day. Yogurt and fruit smoothies, canned tuna or chicken sans mayo, raw veggies, and small amounts of nuts as a snack tend to be the daily food items. If I’m really hungry, I’ll supplement with a protein shake.

Often times, when I forget to pack a lunch or I’m in a hurry, I’ll try to find a high protein bar, such as a Clif bar or Powerbar. The problem that I run into, however, is I feel that they don’t have enough protein, and they often have ridiculous amounts of sugar. Many of these bars range from 230 to 300 calories, versus a standard granola bar being no more than 160 calories. And, these high calorie bars are no more filling than the latter. The calories seem to mostly come from sugars, which would explain why they never keep you full.

 

Homemade Ricotta Cheese

I’m sitting here trying to think of all the reasons why I put so much effort into cooking, but I’m actually having a difficult time narrowing it down. I enjoy it, but I can’t name why. I guess it’s something that keeps me involved and moving. After all, what would I do when I get home from work if it wasn’t for having to put a meal on the table? I’d probably just veg out and stare at the tv.

There’s something about the creative process of cooking that I absolutely love. I rarely use a recipe, and if I do, it’s more for inspiration. The exception, of course, is with baked goods and pastries, which require very specific measurements, or you’ve likely got a disaster on your hands.

Cooking, for me, is just a collection of processes, and I get to fill in the blanks. Sometimes I find this exhilarating, especially if I’m trying something new. The most recent example of this is the creme fraiche I made earlier this week. It was delightfully simple, yet yielded a product so delicious and amazing that it put its grocery counterpart to shame! Even more satisfying is the fact that a $4.00 quart of cream yields far more creme fraiche than the $5.00 8 ounce packaged stuff in the cheese section! Imagine what it would be like if I could get my hands on fresh cream . . .