It’s been a while since I shared a project with you. Enjoy!

Update: I’ve been really good working on my fitness level, an area of growth from my clarity project.

My pants fit better, my attitude is up and my skin has a natural glow.

When Barrie said, “Stop eating a Western diet and start eating real food,” I got to thinking about the groceries we buy.

Take our recent vacations. Before each trip, I bought all sorts of convenient foods – potato chips (my personal weakness), Cheetos, granola bars, sugary cereal. Some items were healthier than others, but the bottom line was, I knew better. I knew these items weren’t healthy, but I bought them anyway because it was easy.

I know my kids will eat them. When we need a snack in a hurry, there’s no fuss – just grab the bag and go. I needed an alternative to these snacks, which is just the inspiration I got on our last vacation to Wisconsin Dells.

Cue heavenly music. It happened at a spa.

My lovely mother-in-law (really, she is!) treated me to a spa day – a pedicure, lunch, wine, the works. What a change from the water park menu! Instead of fried cheese, breaded chicken patties and onion rings, we enjoyed fish tacos, berry salads and whole wheat veggie wraps. I felt like an angel in Healthy Heaven. Nothing on the menu was fried. It was all real food.

Even the snacks were real food – the meditation room featured a mixture of spa nuts. I’m not sure the brand or exact ingredients, but I recreated the mixture at home.

Good news: spa nuts are delicious, easy to make and frugal, too.

The total cost to recreate the mixture was $6.76. I’m guessing it will last over a month. I love this snack because it’s:

• Filling! I don’t have to eat handful after handful to feel satisfied. Just a small scoop really fills me up.
• Sweet and salty.
• Easy to grab and go - just pour a few scoops into a container.
• Non-perishable. I keep mine in a candy dish with a teaspoon scooper.

Spa Nut Recipe

1 jar peanuts (or nut of choice)

1 bag sunflower seeds

1 container dried papaya

1 container banana chips

Crush peanuts slightly using a rolling pin. Break up dried fruit. Add seeds. Stir and enjoy!

Any suggestions to improve the recipe? Please leave a comment below.

If you like this recipe, please share it. Thank you! Melissa

Top photo by lucyfrench123