Who's got a sweet tooth?  I love a little something sweet, but I have all but given up processed sugar.  (Have you seen That Sugar Film?) To get my fix, I search for healthier versions of my favorites.  This snack hits the spot in all the right ways.  I sliced it, cut the slices in thirds, and froze them. 

I have been trying a technique from Jill Coleman that involves strategic snacking-- she recommends taking a bite or two of your treat and then walking away.  (We all know that the first bite is the best anyway, right?)  The idea is that it will there if we want more, and that eating a few bites here and there will prevent over-indulging later on.  (Read more about her eating philosophy here.) So if I want something sweet, I take a third of a piece from the freezer and eat it mindfully.  Sometimes I put PB on it and it is even more delicious.  I may even go back and get a second piece if I feel like it.  Very rarely do I go get the last third of a piece in one sitting, but I know if I still want it, it is there.  ​

I have been practicing this kind of snacking for a couple of months now.  It has been so interesting!  When I first started, I took advantage of my new-found food freedom.  I had something sweet after every meal--including breakfast.  But as I practiced, the need for the sweet taste seemed to wane a bit.  Now, I don't even have a sweet snack every day.  Just knowing it's there if I want it makes it somehow less appealing and/or powerful.  

In conjunction with mindfulness, this strategic snacking strategy is a game-changer!  Let me know if you have tried it or if you want to learn more about it!

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EMOM stands for "Every Minute on the Minute," and it is a fun way to mix your workouts up a bit. 

The idea is that you begin each exercise at the top of each minute.  When you finish the designated number of reps, you can rest until the next minute begins.

I did a 5 minute EMOM here, but you can repeat it to make a 10, 15, or even 20 minute workout.  This one requires no equipment-- just your body weight.  You can  add some weights if you would like to make it more challenging-- I mention it when I talk about modifications for each exercise.

Don't forget to warm up before and cool down after!

I love crunchy chickpeas as a snack.  I love to make a little trail mix with some nuts and pieces of dark chocolate and pumpkin seeds.  Or I will eat them by the handful by themselves.  

Over the years I have tried to roast my own chickpeas, but they never stayed crunchy for very long.  I don't know if it was because I was using canned chickpeas, or because I didn't dry them enough, or I didn't peel them.  Or maybe I was using inferior recipes.  I don't really know.  All I know is that it worked this time,  so I thought I would share.

First of all, I cooked my own chickpeas for the first time ever!  I never realized how easy and how much better they taste when you cook them yourself.  (Shout out to my SIL, Kel, who recently sent me an Instant Pot, which makes the whole deal so flippin' easy.)

I rinsed them after I cooked them and let them drain for a long time-- like all morning.  I forgot about them, to tell you the truth.  That was good, though, because they were nice and dry when I decided to roast them.  

I used this recipe.  The author recommends peeling the chickpeas, which I didn't notice until after the fact.  They crisped up nicely anyway, but next time I will take a few minutes to take the skins off if I have the time.   She also recommends leaving the chickpeas in the oven as it cools down.  I didn't do this because it was late afternoon and I didn't want to open my oven door and heat up the house any more than it already was.  

Anyway, if you are a fan of cinnamon, you have to try these!  Use this recipe, and don't skip the steps that I did.  I bet yours will come out even better.