Swapping Junk Food For Healthy Homemade Treats

I think most of us are hip to the fact, that the majority of store-brand snacks are filled with artificial flavors, colors and preservatives that are harmful to our health. But something that is rarely talked about, is the irresistible cravings people have for these highly processed products, like chips, soda, cookies and candies. It probably won't be surprising to learn, that there are actually key ingredients in commercial snack foods that are in many ways, more addictive than tobacco.

Was, No one can eat just one, merely a clever marketing slogan? Researchers have found that highly processed foods with no significant nutritional value, hit our system faster than say, eating an orange, even though the orange is full of sugar. This is because nutrients, like vitamins, minerals and fiber, slow down our digestive process. Super processed foods, are packed with carbs (like simple sugars) and added fats, which are two ingredients that do not naturally occur together in nature. By design, this artificial combo rapidly slams our system and spikes our mood, thus we want to keep devouring them, even when we're full. Of course, the more we eat, the more we buy, and who actually benefits? The manufacturers. Yeah, it's all about the Benjamin's, baby!

Just as sugary cereals have always been geared toward children, and displayed low on shelves at the grocery store so they can see them, currently, the age-demographic advertisers are targeting for high-processed junk food, are young teens. Hmmm... this reminds me of the old cigarette ads back-in-the-day, turning young kids into lifelong users. Well, guess who owns many of the brands that make the most popular, highly processed snacks today? That's right, the big tobacco companies.

Hopefully, we all can see how detrimental this is to our health and that of our children. So to end this on an uplifting note, I'd like to share just how easy it is to make healthy snacks in the comfort of our homes. We can even get our kids involved in the process. Creating our own delicious treats, not only allows us to select wholesome, high quality ingredients, but we know exactly what we're eating and feeding our family. As with every recipe I share, I encourage modifications, such as the type of chocolate and nuts preferred. I used this particular brand of chocolate chips because they are readily available, and the cleanest I have come across.

Chocolate Nut Clusters Recipe

Ingredients

1 package of dark semi-sweet chocolate chips
(If using unsweetened chocolate add sweetener of your choice - honey, maple syrup, etc)
About 1/2 cup of cashews
About 1/3 cup of raisins
About 1/3 cup of pumpkin seeds

Directions

1. Pour chocolate chips into a sauce pan and slowly melt over med-low heat stirring continuously.
2. Remove from heat and add nuts, raisins and seeds.
3. Stir until all is well-coated with chocolate.
4. Feel free to add more nuts, raisins or seeds until reaching desired thickness.
5. On a baking pan, drop spoonfuls of the mixture creating the size clusters preferred.
6. Place in refrigerator to harden (about 1 hour).
7. Using a spatula, transfer clusters to a food container with lid. Keep stored in fridge.

Enjoy! 😋