Healthy Candy
Posted: August 10, 2011 at 7:00 amEarlier 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!
Breakfast: Mounds / Raisinets / Reese’s Oatmeal
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.
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
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
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.
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?
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?
Tags: breakfast, dinner, lunch, snacks, what i ate wednesday
I love sneaking in my spinach into decadent smoothies. I do it often too. Eye candy would be Taylor Hitch (Tim Riggins) from friday night lights . yum! 🙂
Ahhhh I love fall- the weather, the foods…PUMPKIN! I’m not ready to go back to work (i’m a teacher) but I do love autumn…
haha Ryan up there is defs one of my eye candies as well! I love the coconut ring on the oatmeal btw 🙂
I can’t believe it’s time for fall!!! Although, now that we’re living in the south again, I have a feeling it’s going to take a *little* longer to kick in than up in PA!
It felt like Fall when I left for work this morning – I couldn’t believe it. It was just 95 degrees last week!
I’m not a big candy fan, but I’m a HUGE fan of Ryan Reynolds!! Ow!
HAHA can I just say that I saw the photo of Ryan Reynolds on Jenn’s WIAW collage and when I clicked and saw it was you I was SO proud 😀
Get it, girl!
love BRUSSEL sprouts – so good! 🙂 Not to sound cheesy but my eye candy is my husband – he gets more handsome ever day! xoxo
Yummy eats and cute idea!! Ooh and thanks for the added eye candy haha, good Lord Ryan is so dang fine 😉
Yumm eats! I recently discovered the deliciousness of brussel sprouts roasted and I’m obsessed! I’m glad I’m not the only who thinks healthy food can pass of as ‘candy’- my cousin laughed at me when I said medjool dates are like fudge!
Bradley Cooper is my eye candy- YUM! 😉
I am going to try your oatmeal combo! Yumm-o! I had cinnamon oatmeal made with soy light milk and added fresh apple slices = better than apple pie! Uh-mazing!
Saw your link on Peas & Crayons and was waiting to figure out Ryan’s connection! 😉 A tablespoon or two of avocado would make that smoothie even more amazing, trust me!
sadly, i hate candy corn…can we still be friends? i did however recently make bbq tofu tacos and they were a big hit with the hubby!
I’m partial towards Easter candy. Kind of ironic since I’m Jewish but I love Cadbury Mini Eggs and Jelly Beans!
Eye candy – Alexander Skarsgard (Eric from True Blood).
That’s a good eye candy choice. And Easter candy is like crack.
Ahh you are too funny girl, Ryan is healthy eye candy indeed 🙂
I love candy corn but I used to hate it as a kid! It’s actually a rather dangerous thing for me to have around, I can’t seem to stop my hand from going back for more!
Your breakfast looks like true perfection, thank you for showing this wonderful combination 😀
My eye candy… well Ryan for sure, Bradley Cooper is among those as well!
Oh my goodness, you are soooo funny Tina! Reading these posts make my day and I am such a goofball that I LOVE funny things…ie: eye candy.
Also I love this thinking! And it’s so true that our taste buds totally receive these other combinations as acceptable treats! Thanks!
i actually don’t love candy corn (gasp!) or really a lot of candy for that matter, EXCEPT for the sour punch bites that i think they discontinued. i can eat a whole bag of that stuff!
I am totally recreating that bowl of oatmeal. Looks amazing! Happy Hump Day! 🙂
I am not a big candy fan because I find it all to be too sweet. I am salty girl through and through but last Halloween we went to a party and the hostess had bowls of candy corn mixed with salted peanuts laying around. Holy mother of candy…that was amazing!
I was TOTALLY pulled over here by the Ryan Reynolds photo (at the WIAW Peas and Thank You)…but I am so glad I came over BECAUSE that smoothie looks divine…almost better then Ryan (although I don’t want to get ahead of myself here :)).
haha! Ryan is quite eye catching. And thanks for visiting and saying hello. 🙂
I’m not a big fan of candy, all that sugar is too much for me. I prefer chocolate and cookies. Whenever I’m craving something sweet I try to fill my plate with fruit, like bananas, apples, strawberries, etc. Smoothies with cocoa powder and frozen fruit also do the trick.
I know I’m totally cheesy and boring but my favorite eye candy is actually my own man. He’s such a handsome guy. 😉
I love how veryvery sneaky you are– sneaking spinach into smoothies and Ryan Reynolds into your post. Does it get any better than that?
This was a really cute post Tina. Great theme.
Why do Brussels Sprouts have such a bad rep? I agree, they’re one of my favorite veggies too.
That RR picture is the background on my phone. I may be slightly obsessed with every movie that he’s in, and not just for the plotline.
Dark chocolate is really the only candy I eat on a regular basis! Every once in a while I’ll throw in some coconut m&ms to shake things up, but the sugary and sour stuff I can’t shove down my throat.
I’m with you on sweet preferences- I’d so rather have a cookie or something than candy. But I’d still eat it mindlessly if it’s around…
When it comes to seasonal (such as Christmas or Easter Candy) I wait to indulge pretty much on Easter and then buy some stuff later (on sale). That usually does the trick…
OMG you are a riot, Tina!! LOVED this post…and it was that particular green smoothie that has me convinced I NEED to give it a shot. I don’t know why I’m totally afraid of them!!
You really really really cannot taste spinach at all in this chocolate one. You can’t taste it in others either if you don’t overload the spinach…but this one masks even a ton of spinach completely!
My grandpa LOVED candy corn. He would stock up and try to make them last as long as possible. I love your healthy “candies” roast brussels sprouts with some balsamic and they are pretty darn close 🙂
Your oatmeal is so pretty! It’s almost too pretty to eat… Thanks for the eye candy. Ha!
I love this post. Ryan Reynolds looks like the tastiest piece of candy featured…I mean, the smoothie looks ok too 😉
I’ve never been much of a candy fan, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have a sweet tooth–I would just prefer a cookie or slice of cake over candy anytime! : )
Eye candy…LOL!
I love the harvest mix candy corn. The chocolate ones are so tasty. I do love your candy fair. Reminds me that natures candy is a better choice.
Fall candy already? Gosh, where is the summer going?!
I’m more of a chocolate girl than a candy girl but every now and then I can’t resist some gummy bears and sour patch kids.
Oh and that’s great eye candy right there!
Haha love this post, especially the lovely picture at the end. 😉 *swoon*
I refuse to believe that fall candy is already being sold now, even though I’ve seen it in my local CVS. Sure the fall means cooler weather (yay!) but I still want my summer to last as long as it can thank you very much! 😉
YUM that green smoothie with chocolate looks SO GOOD! Might be the first green smoothie I try. They scare me for some reason!! I love the pic of Ryan Reynolds, lol! too funny. Yummy 😉
I think you and Jess need to set a date together with a blender. 😉
I bought 7 bags of candy corn last year..I stockpile so I can have some in May if I want to 😉
Eye candy? Hmmm, Ian Smolderhalder (LOST, Vampire Diaries)
I LOVE LOVE LOVE swedish fish and jelly beans. Eye candy? The korean guy from lost or Alexander Skarsgaard. yummmm
I have to say that if there’s peanut M&M’s around, or any form of M&M, my waist line is going to have a bad day! But I am definitely going to make that oatmeal… the chocolate almond milk substituting the vanilla version is such a great idea!
I love this post! I think fruits and veggies are definitely my candy, blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries, YUM! Oh and I am totally making chocolate strawberry smoothie later 🙂
I need to hop on this smoothie train. Question, do you use a tofu press or do it yourself? I dont really have the money to spend on a press right now, and I LOVE tofu but I cant seem to ever get it pressed well. :-/
I use a press, but before I had that I just put it in a bowl with a bajillion paper towels around it and stacks of plates or anything heavy on top. It worked well enough. I have also heard that if you freeze and then thaw tofu it presses better.
Thanks 🙂
Ooooh, Ryan Reynolds is my eye candy for sure!!! Haha. I take pride in the fact that he’s Canadian ;). And I think I’m more of a baked-goods person rather than candy. I try making healthy substitutions like subbing applesauce for oil in brownies. But sometimes you just have to have the real deal!
First of all, I totally forgot what I wanted to say because Im all distracted by Ryan Reynolds. He’s so hot. A friend of mine emailed me a few months ago to tell me he was just at the Starbucks across from her work. Im still upset that she didnt find him and give him my number.
Oh yes, candy corn – I LOVE candy corn. Thats all I can remember right now. I think I was going to say something about having watermelon yesterday to keep myself away from the candy bowl, but I just looked back at that picture. He’s so hot.
Those oats looks fantaastic! & Ryan Reynolds isn’t so bad either 😉
What a cute idea! I love it!! The oats sound especially amazing. I’m not a huge chocolate girl- I love sugary candies!
thats funny- I JUST posted that same picture of Ryan Renolds on my blog yesterday 😛 I love me some eye candy!! This was a really cute post, and your oats looks amazing. I have drool all over my laptop now 😛
Ha love this post! My eye candy is definitely Bradley Cooper…but I’m biased to that since I think he looks like the hubby 😉
And I’m the same way with candy…I’ve never ever really been a huge candy person at all (except for Kit Kats – fav childhood candy bar), but give me some ice cream or fro yo and I’m allll over it 🙂
Cute theme (although the Brussels sprouts were a bit of a stretch)! I like candy, but would take chocolate over it any day. Sour keys and licorice are probably my 2 favs though. My eye candy? I have a crush on my dentist (too bad he’s married), and Michael Buble’s not bad to look at either.
I do like candy, but I love all of your “healthy candy” too 🙂
Mmmm, eye candy. I like Chris O’Donnell, Charlie Hunnam & Prince Harry, haha.
Just made that smoothie (minus the chocolate almond milk- I had regular). Delicious!!! Thanks for the inspiration 🙂
Oh, yay! Glad you liked it! 🙂
LOVE your oat concoction!! Super fabulous 🙂 And totally agree that fruit = nature’s candy!! Aaaand that picture was totally distracting haha!!
candy – YUM! i have to have 2 squares of dark chocolate every night to keep the sweet tooth in check. thanks for the eye candy 😉
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