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I’m not much of a snacker. I love a pre-dinner nosh on something crunchy some days, but other than that, I like hearty meals and fresh juices and that makes me happy as a pig in sh*t…is it just Australians that use this awful expression?

But boy did I used to be one. If there was a Snackers Anonymous, I think I could have been an honourary member. It used to go something like this:

Breakfast at home or office desk

MId morning snack at office desk

Lunch (probably also at office desk or at a lunch meeting)

Afternoon snack at office desk

Pre-dinner snack at home

Dinner

I look at that now and it makes me feel heavy just thinking about eating all that food all day long. Zero digestive rest in that line up! No wonder I didn’t feel so great without the help of stimulants no matter how good my food choices were.

Now I like to focus on long stretches between meals where my body can be free from digesting, or at least fully digesting the last meal I ate. You see, it’s estimated that around 70 to 90% of our body’s energy is spent on digestion alone. That’s a whole lot of energy and I am more than happy to help my body out to conserve some of it so I can have more energy for the things that really matter to me – relationships, my work, having fun, moving my body, learning, doing new things, being creative and nourishing my spirit.

I’ll make it very clear here that I don’t force myself to not snack. I simply eat enough at meals to satisfy me (almost all the time). During the day – my busiest hours – I find I have way more energy and get up and go if I have a light diet. It energises me and I get a lot more done while feeling much more clear and focused as I do it.

If and when I do snack, it tends to be on fresh juices, a smoothie, some carob-avocado pudding, some nuts, or most often, my snack attack crack.

Snack Attack Crack

This snack is so very simple but totally hits the spot for me. It offers serious crunch, sweetness and depth of flavour from the spice. I eat this “crack” (named for it’s addictiveness…for me anyway!) before dinner at home some nights, or I take some in a zip lock bag if I am on a road trip or going to be out and having a late dinner.

Ingredients:

2-4 carrots

1 teaspoon of mixed spice (also known as pumpkin pie spice)

Stevia to taste

Directions:

Cut the carrots into crudités and place in a bowl. Add the spice and some stevia and toss the carrots.

When evenly covered, taste a carrot for sweetness and add more stevia if you like. Eat with a fork or with your fingers!

Cinnamon-Coconut Pana Cotta

I saw this recipe recently and knew I had to try it. Who doesn’t love creamy sweet coconut with hints of cinnamon and ginger? The recipe had my name all over it. So I made it with a few adaptions and replaced my name with my tongue.

Ingredients:

2/3 cup shredded coconut

1 cup of water

3 teaspoons of agar agar

1 teaspoon of cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ginger powder

Pinch of clove

Pinch of nutmeg

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Stevia to taste

Directions:

Place the water and coconut in a blender and blend until combined. Strain the blended mixture through a nut milk bag and put the coconut fibre aside for another use. You just want the liquid. You can also use pre-bought coconut milk but I prefer to make my own.

Place the coconut milk in a pot and add the other ingredients. Stir on low heat until the agar agar has dissolved properly.

Taste the milk for sweetness and add more stevia to taste.

Pour the milk into little bowls and chill in the freezer for a half hour. You can also pop it in the fridge but it will take longer to cool and thicken. I’m far too impatient for that .

This tastes so yummy and rich, but without the heaviness of traditional panna cotta and it is a super clean recipe too. Enjoy as a snack or after lunch or dinner for dessert. Make this one soon!

Mmmmmm.

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