Healthy Candy

Posted: August 10, 2011 at 7:00 am

Earlier this week a certain someone (cough Katy cough cough) divulged that you can now find fall candy in stores. That means candy corn, people. I’m not a huge candy eater. I will occasionally nab a box of Hot Tamales when going to a movie in the theater. And I won’t turn down a good piece of chocolate if its around. Nevertheless, I will still choose a mountain of ice cream, a hunk of frosting, or a slab of brownie over candy. Except for candy corn. It does something to me. It triggers this monster of a sweet tooth and I can visualize my hand trying to grasp as many of those smooth little triangles as possible to nibble away on until I reach the oblivion of sugar ecstasy. Yea, Katy. Look what you did. 😉

Despite my appreciation love preference full-blown-obsession with the stuff, I know I can’t gobble candy corn to my heart’s content and honor my health in the process. So instead of hunting down a bag in early August (stores just turn stuff out earlier and earlier, huh?!), I decided to ease my candy woes with healthier choices to dull the longing. Who says healthy eating can’t be fun and taste like candy? Okay, the tasting like candy thing may be a bit of a stretch…but healthy food sure can taste amazing and satisfy just as much as candy in its own right. I present you with  my healthy “candy” filled day!

Peas and Crayons

Breakfast: Mounds / Raisinets / Reese’s Oatmeal

choco coco oats 1

Or, more simply, chocolate oats with some coconut, raisins, and peanut butter tossed on top. 😉 I don’t care what you say, though. This bowl was epic! And I would probably choose it over the above in candy form.

choco coco oats 2

To make the oats chocolate, I used unsweetened chocolate almond milk instead of vanilla and added a spoonful of cocoa powder to the oats. Other than that, I prepared them as normal and piled on the coconut, raisin, peanut butter goodness when done. It’s a new obsession.

Lunch: Starbursts

lunch plate

Fruit = nature’s candy. Perfect mango chunks and grapes = better than any Starburst I’ve ever tasted candy. Each bite bursts with such juicy, fresh flavor. Y-U-M. Oh – there was a sandwich and some carrots there too. They were good…but they weren’t starbursts.

Snack: Chocolate Covered Strawberries

choc cover sberry smoothie 1

Would you believe me if I told you that the above chocolate pudding look-alike actually contains spinach? That it’s actually a green smoothie masquerading as pure decadence? Well, it is. Trust me. This Chocolate Covered Strawberry green smoothie started as a bunch of things thrown in a blender -

  • 1 cup unsweetened chocolate almond breeze
  • 2 handfuls spinach
  • 1 frozen banana
  • a few large frozen strawberries
  • a spoonful of cocoa powder
  • 1/2 tsp xanthan gum

Then, it became the best green smoothie I have ever tasted. I discovered the one and only downfall to smoothies in a wine glass with this blend – you can’t lick a wine glass clean.

choc cover sberry smoothie 2

Dinner: Errrm…Green M&Ms???

Alright…dinner doesn’t really have anything I can call candy. But I do love me some Brussels sprouts (favorite veggie besides spinach in smoothie form) and so I shall call them Green M & Ms. Work with me. We can’t allow an entire post’s theme to fall in a shambles now ,can we?

bbq tofu wrap 1

Dinner brought back one of my favorites – BBQ Tofu Wraps! These make healthy eating fun and irresistible…like Ryan Reynolds. Hey, what do you know? I did find a way to tie in the candy theme. Eye candy at its best!

Oops. How did that get in there? So – dinner. BBQ Tofu Wraps with a side of Brussels sprouts. There’s your description of dinner. I’m currently mildly distracted and have no more words. Plus, I don’t want to short circuit my keyboard with my drool. Purely from my candy delicious eats today. Purely. Happy What I Ate Wednesday, friends!

  • Are you a candy fan? Any healthier options you use to satisfy cravings?
  • Who would be your eye candy?

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84 Comments to “Healthy Candy”
  1. I am SO with you, Tina. Candy doesn’t do it for me…but candy corn?! Especially with some salted peanuts..mmmm 🙂

  2. Great spin on candy!! I’d much prefer that fresh fruit to candy and that breakie looks awesome!! However, I wouldn’t mind a little bit of that eye candy….. Happy WIAW!!

  3. Carly says:

    I’m so with you on the candy corn – so simple, yet so delicious 🙂 I never buy it though because my husband doesn’t like it – which means when the bag is gone it was ALL ME! So, when fall rolls around I usually mooch handfuls off of my mom who always has some.

    P.S. Roasted brussels sprouts are my FAV veggie too! Does your daughter eat them too?

  4. Candy isn’t one of my favorite things, although I love sweets so much. I’d prefer the brownie, a chocolate chip cookie, a s’more to eating any candy any day. The only candy that gets me are Red Vines. But not Twizzlers, there’s definitely a distinction and I am a Red Vines snob.

  5. Love this post!! Any post with Ryan Reynolds in it is a winner. Shh…don’t tell anyone but I would choose a perfect bowl of mango, pineapple and strawberries over candy anyday

  6. I’m not much of a candy fan either; however, if I had to choose one candy corn is my fave hands down! The stores really rush the holidays. I couldn’t believe (well, I could but think it’s ridiculous) that candy corn was already out when I heard it the other week.

    Your breakfast looks absolutely delicious. I need to recreate it…SOON! 🙂

  7. Just found your blog via WIAW and I am so excited! It sounds like you have a great outlook on health – which is exactly the type of blog I like to read. + delishh food!

  8. Thanks for the RR picture. I can’t seem to close that blog window….I guess at least you’ll get a lower bounce rate? lol

  9. I wish I didn’t love candy, but I do! Swedish fish and sour patch kids tie for first place… yum. And pink starbursts, but I blame you for that. 🙂

  10. You’re funny. Eye candy- Paul walker. Is he still even around? Ha! Candy- anytihng chocolate nad peanut butter! I mean anything! I discovered some protein bars that sometimes foold me into thinking they’re candy. Thank goodness! 🙂

  11. MMM I am loving that eye candy 😉 haha

    I love breakfast that taste like dessert! I’m totally a sweet over savory breakfast person.

    For lunch I usually like to cram it with veggies!

  12. Karen says:

    What a cute post! I love when I see the candy corn in the stores – it’s one of my favorites! Love the picture of Ryan Reynolds too – such a hottie : ) I think Jared Leto is some pretty great eye candy too!

  13. Candy corn is out?! Oh gosh, I should probably avoid candy aisles until September at the very least. Candy corn is my FAVORITE!

    I haven’t tried the chocolate almond milk, I’m so hooked on the vanilla – is it worth a try?

    • Tina says:

      I remember bonding over our candy corn addictions last year 🙂

      And I much prefer the vanilla but like the choc when doing things with cocoa powder. It definitely adds to the choc flavor but isnt quite strong enough for choc flavor on its own if that makes sense.

  14. Amy Lauren says:

    Okay, so I actually do like candy, but I also love fruit, oats, and smoothies :). But hey, candy has its place too, sometimes! Nice seeing your eats today, and I’m definitely going to make oatmeal with some almond milk. I got dark chocolate flavored one today and it’s amazing!

  15. As much as I try to respect other peoples’ tastes, I have to admit that two things in this post made me go BLECH. #1: Candy corn. I seriously cannot tolerate the stuff. I got sick off it it in preschool and absolutely cannot eat it anymore. I suppose that’s a good thing, because they’re so perfect for nibbling that I’d probably go into a candy coma every October if I did like them, but no worries. Those pumpkin things made out of the same stuff are even worse. Gag. #2: Brussel sprouts. Easily my least favorite vegetable. Smelly and funky tasting? No thank you.

    I can definitely get on board with the rest of your “candy,” however. That oatmeal in particular looks ah-mazing.

  16. I love fall candy too! Ryan Reynolds is definitely my favorite flavor of candy though 🙂

  17. Gina says:

    I’m a sucker for candy! I love me some Reese’s & Butterfinger!
    But I would def choose Ryan Reynolds over both of those 😉

  18. […] on a Weeknight By Leah @ Why Deprive?, on August 11th, 2011 Yesterday Tina posted about healthy candy, and was kind enough to throw in some eye candy in the form of Ryan Reynolds. Her post solidified […]

  19. Adrianne says:

    OMG, the oatmeal and smoothie look to die for! Guess I’m partial to that over the other food. I’m going to try to recreate the oatmeal this morning. I love my morning oats… while watching Ryan Reynolds of course. 😉

  20. I cant remember if I commented yet… there are like 80 to look through.. so i’ll leave you with this:

    “OH NO SHE DIDN’T!!!!!!!!” =) yes. yes you did

  21. Karla says:

    I’ll have the last thing on the menu please!

    😉 😉

  22. Does your site have a contact page? I’m having a tough time locating it but, I’d like to send you an e-mail.
    I’ve got some creative ideas for your blog you might be interested in hearing. Either way, great site and I look forward to seeing it expand over time.

  23. gush says:

    So, say hello to a diluted body that will fit into the dimension nothing
    dress, but you might want to pick up some make-up to encompass the pale,
    sickly face you’ll be generous as well. Gone are the heavy deep-fried, lard -based cooking.
    When I was in Afghanistan, I used to have the same type of breakfast as listed below.

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