Wednesday, August 1, 2007

Tracybar

Honey , coconut , almonds , kosher salt , peanut butter.

Looking back over my training and food journal this past year I can see the progressive changes that I've made toward the ultimate goal, which for me is to have good quality, good tasting, healthy, nutritious, convenient food for life. The only way to maintain weight is to find these types of foods that fit into your lifestyle, everyday, forever! A diet is not something you "go on", it a way of living, a way to nourish your body.

I've changed the way I eat sugar, or foods with sugar dramatically, in my opinion, over the past year. I used to start my day out with a little sugar, like cocoa in my coffee, and before that I even binged on candy pre-workout. Although I do still eat at least one salad everyday that has a dressing that is sweetened with honey, my other meal, usually soup/stew or main dish salad, purposely, does not.

Sugar / sweetness, comes in quite a few forms, from fake sugars like high fructose corn syrup, splenda, etc. to white sugar, to more natural sugars like, cane sugar, raw sugar, honey, maple syrup, etc. I don't have anything against sugar, just like I don't have anything against fat, but I do try and control the types of sugars, fats, carbs and proteins I eat. I guess that's everything!

I tend to reach for the honey first. I buy honey from bee keepers in my area whenever possible, stocking up as much as I can. So I even try to control the quality of honey we consume.

The picture above is, what I call, my own candybar. I know, it's not really a bar, but it reminds me of a candy bar that you eat with a spoon, because of the ingredients. I came up with it because I felt I needed something to give me a little boost before my afternoon workouts. I don't eat in the late morning, that will start me digesting fiberous foods (like veggies) during the afternoon, and I didn't want to eat something that was going to make me feel "icky", or drink anymore coffee, I get up too early already, I need my sleep!.

I started with just a tablespoon of honey (65 cal.), that was fine, but I thought a little fat in the form of nuts would give me a little more staying power, so I added almonds (10-12, 100-120 cal.), at that point I added a pinch of kosher salt, for that sweet/ salty flavor I like.

I liked the effect that I got from this little snack and I thought it would be nice to take to work, to eat in between meals for those times when I wasn't really hungry, but I knew it would be a long time before my next meal break. I added 1 tbl. raw coconut (45 cal.), and sometimes 1-2 teaspons of PNB (35-70 cal.). I portion out a few of these snacks in advance in small containers ready to go, and for me, it does exactly what I need it to do. Which is, to give me a little something pre-workout, carry me to my next meal, or help me feel as if I can have a "candybar".

Of course there are many more things you can add to this, different nuts or seeds, but be careful not to turn it too "junky" with chocolate chips, that defeats the purpose!

PS Fawn, and you thought you had a big ego! I promise no more naming things after myself, and if I start talking in the 3rd person, bitchslap me!

17 comments:

  1. More food posts! I love it. This is great stuff Tracy. Good pics too. I feel a cookbook comin' on. That'll do your ego up, eh?

    So do you use a food processor for this blend or just leave it au naturale - chunky?

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  2. Aki,

    This is just stirred together. I rarely ever do any cooking that requires a food processor. I don't use cheese, so I don't need the grater tool, and I used to make my pastry exclusively in it, but I don't dare make pastry now!

    I have killer knife skills, because I get so much pratice, and it easier to clean up, (just one knife). I use the same knife for everything, including boning meat, (8 inch chef's knife).

    I do have a "secret method" for making salads that I'm not quite ready to reveal. Maybe I'll call it the "Tracy method of salad making", LOL

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  3. Understood. A chef must have their secrets. I have mine...(grin)

    Killer knife skills, huh? That sounds good...what brand do you recommend? I'm fresh out of good kitchen knives.

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  4. I guess im weird, i have never had much of a sweet tooth, I did'nt even like candy as a child ;) my weaknesses in past were w/ chips, and pasta's and buffet's.

    I like the Warrior diet, right now and im starting to see abs after only 3 weeks. I agree w/ AikiBudo more recipe's please.

    Do you ever juice veg or fruit by the way ( i have a LaLane juicer ) ? How much H20 do you consume daily Tracy?
    Any thoughts on Green tea?

    Thanks for all the great work.

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  5. I have 2 sets of Racel Ray's knives and i think they are killer! I got rid of alot of knives when i got them at christmas.

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  6. This is all just making me hungry! The bar sounds delicious. I think I'll try it with a food processor though. I'm either too lazy to chop everything up with a knife or just don't have the skills!

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  7. Lauren,

    It's a Zen thing "Guns for show...KB & Knives for a Pro ;)

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  8. HEY!

    just remember who came up with the original version of this: ME!LOL.
    except I add figs and more honey and tahini and.....

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  9. Tracy, if you didn't call it Tracybar, someone else would (like me)... that is how we know what it is! Sounds super yummy! We will have to cook together one day, you sound like a blast in the kitchen, plus I like your style.

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  10. loki,

    A good friend/chef of mine taught me a very important lesson, which is to reduce stress by BUYING readymade QUALITY food items! For me, that includes fresh juices, and desserts.

    I make most everything, but I can;t do it all!

    Maybe when I quit my part time job, I can take on the job of Martha Stewart!

    And as far as knives go, I think mine is a Wustof? I wouldn't buy anything with Rachel Rays name on it, she's already the luckiest bitch in the world, she doesn't need my money!

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  11. Lauren,

    It's eaten with a spoon! One almond at a time, coated with honey and coconut, the pinch of salt gives it the taste of a Mounds bar without the chocolate!

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  12. Mark's original version is about 800 calories! Let's see;

    1/2c. peanut butter (at least)
    1/4c. tahini (at least)
    1/4c. honey (at least)
    1/4c. coconut
    dried figs, etc....

    All mixed up and eaten by the spoonful!

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  13. Fawn, Someday, for sure! I'm sure I could learn alot!

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  14. Cool Tracy, only I will be the one learning from you... you have a natural pallet!

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  15. So content rich -- where to start?

    Easiest is that I also have a Wusthof chef's knife and I love it.

    Mixture sounds great, but I'd have to portion it out at this point. Still don't have a healthy relationship with sugar, so we're broken up at the moment.

    And I think in general we are too "if it's not sweet I don't like it", so purposefully keeping sugar and sweet tastes out of a few meals seems like an excellent idea.

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