Fall Baking Extravaganza--Part III

Boot camp (or any 60-minute complete body conditioning/toning/weights class with cardio intervals between sets) and I have a love/hate relationship. Every week, I go to the class, and during the workout, I wonder what could possibly have possessed me to take such a torturous class. Every week, at the end of the workout, I feel fantastic. I feel so fantastic, that I decide to stay in the room and attend the 60-minute Zumba class that follows boot camp.

It's a vicious cycle that I cannot seem to break. 

And then I go home and proceed to eat everything in sight. 

For those of you who think you don't have enough time to cook, please refer to your oven. It is the best appliance that has ever been invented. 

I've made some really quick/healthy snacks/meals with my oven in the past 24 hours. 

Crunchy Snacky (Semi-Sweet) Chick Peas

This took me five minutes to prepare. It also took me 30 seconds to eat in its entirety (there is an actual reason as to why this occurred).

Mix a few teaspoons of coconut oil, some arbitrary amount of honey, and two teaspoons of whole wheat flour in a bowl. Add half a can of chick peas and coat in the mixture.

Spread out on a baking sheet.

Bake at 400 for no more than 15 minutes. Otherwise you'll end up with this:

Crunchy burnt chick peas. Delicious, nonetheless. But probably not safe to eat when they are burnt to a crisp. So there were about 7 unburned chick peas that I got to eat. Oh well, lesson learned: check the oven after 10 minutes, not after 30.

Assorted Roasted Veggies II

Not to be mistaken with the Assorted Roasted Veggies I've previously made, which featured asparagus.

Chop up cauliflower, carrots, and red bell peppers. Add several squirts of soy sauce, mix around, and put in the oven at 350. Check after ten minutes, stir them around, and put back in the oven for another ten minutes.

A good snack or a side to a meal. I ate mine with some feta cheese on top. (Who says soy sauce and feta can't mingle?)

Homemade Apple-Oat Bars

I literally threw in whatever I felt would mix well in the bowl. Whatever floats my boat in a granola bar. 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup oats
• 3/4 cup applesauce
• 1/2 cup egg whites
• 2 tablespoons SunButter
• 1/4 cup shredded coconut
• 1 teaspoon cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• drizzle of honey
• sprinkle of cinnamon
• handful of pecans

Combine everything except for honey, cinnamon, and pecans. Mix well, and then add the rest of the ingredients. Spread into a non-stick-sprayed baking dish.

Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

Tasty and guilt-free. :)