Homemade & Healthy

February 10, 2013


(by Nathan Sayers)

Energy bars are one of the easiest snacks to toss in your dance bag, but it can be tough to find one with all the right ingredients. So why not make your own? We enlisted Marie Elena Scioscia, a registered dietician and sports nutritionist who works for The Ailey School, to help us find the perfect recipe. It’s time to invite your dance friends over and have a party in the kitchen!

Ingredients

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup peanut butter

2 cups uncooked quick oats

2 cups Rice Krispies cereal

1/4 cup ground flax seed

1 tbsp wheat germ

1 cup (total) dried cranberries and blueberries, walnuts and dark chocolate chunks

Scioscia says:
“I love this combination because it’s packed with antioxidants!”

Directions

In a small saucepan, mix honey and brown sugar. Stir over medium-high heat until sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from heat and quickly add in peanut butter. In a bowl, mix the oats, cereal, flax seed and wheat germ. Pour honey mixture over the dry ingredients and mix well. Stir in chocolate chips, dried fruit and nuts. Press mixture into a 9”x13” pan that has been greased or lined with wax paper. Let cool and firm up. Cut into bars and store in an airtight container.

Scioscia says:
“This recipe contains no saturated fat, preservatives or refined sugar. Plus, it has extra fiber and healthful oils from the ground flax seeds and peanut butter.”

 


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Dance Yourself Happy

Feeling down in the dumps? Head to dance class! Researchers in a new Swedish study found that teenage girls who attend dance classes on a regular basis are happier and less likely to be depressed than girls who don’t dance. They even claim that stress, fatigue and headaches are alleviated by dance classes. The next time you’re dragging your feet on the way to rehearsal, remember there’s a good chance you’ll be leaving on cloud nine.

 

The Five-Second Myth

You’ve heard it a million times: It’s OK to eat food you’ve dropped on the floor if you snatch it up before five seconds have passed. But don’t do it! According to a study published in the Journal of Applied Microbiology, researchers at Clemson University found that bacteria were transferred from tabletops and floors to spilled food within five seconds, making it much too germy to eat.


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A new study in the journal Emotion found that people who think about a sentimental moment—like the time you nailed that tough Aurora variation—actually feel warmer.