A well-rounded diet should include some grab-and-go treats that will keep you moving. Hearty homemade granola bars are delicious, healthy addition to your diet. Free of artificial preservatives and sweeteners, these chewy bars offer a filling energy boost that can’t be beat. Best of all, they couldn’t be easier to make!

Oat Mixture

The core of any homemade granola bar is an oat mixture. To make a 9” x 13” pan of granola bars, you’ll want to combine 2 1/2 cups of old-fashioned rolled oats, 1 cup of whole-wheat flour, 1/3 cup of toasted wheat germ and 1/3 cup of raw sunflower seeds in a large bowl. If desired, you could also add up to 1/4 cup of whole chia seeds or organic flaxseed meal for an extra nutrient boost.

Binding Agent

A sticky binding agent is essential for solid granola bars that don’t fall apart when they’re cut. Combine 1/3 cup of light brown sugar, 2/3 cup of unsweetened nut butter, 3/4 cup of honey, 2 tsp. vanilla extract and 1/4 cup of jam or apple butter in a small bowl. Pour the binding agent over the oat mixture and stir the dough with a rubber spatula until it’s well-mixed.

Mix-Ins

Finally, customize your homemade granola bars by stirring in 1 1/2 to 2 cups of mix-ins. Add your favorite dried fruit, nuts and chips to the batter for a truly unique treat. One good combination is raisins and chocolate chips or carob chips. Goji berries and chopped raw Brazil nuts add some serious superfood power. For a tropical twist, try dried mango, dried pineapple and roasted macadamia nuts.

Baking and Serving

Press the granola bar dough into a lightly greased 9” x 13” baking dish, making sure that the top is even and all the pan crevices are filled. Bake the granola bars at 325 degrees Fahrenheit until they’re golden brown, about 20 to 30 minutes.

Remove the pan from the oven and slice the granola bars immediately with a very sharp knife. Allow them to cool completely in the baking dish; they’re far too soft to scoop out intact when they’re warm. Store them in an airtight container for up to a week.

Cutting back on less nutritious dietary components is a great way to lose weight and boost overall health, just in time for summer. Soda is one of the most popular items to give up. However, you can replace it with something that gives you the caffeine boost you crave, plus the good stuff that’ll keep you going strong.

Green tea, which is the least-processed type of caffeinated tea, is made from the dried leaves of Camellia sinensis. Black, red and oolong teas also come from this plant, but they are dried, crushed and fermented. Green teas are processed simply by quickly steaming the leaves, which better preserves the beneficial elements of the plant. The resulting brew is lighter in color and flavor than other types of tea.

Green tea is available in many forms. Japanese sencha green tea is a basic green tea with a pure flavor. Jasmine green tea has a sweet, delicate scent that pairs well with Thai food. The leaves of gunpowder tea are rolled into tiny balls that unfurl as they soak in hot water and produce a darker brew. Young hyson tea is picked before the rainy season to impart a bright, sunny taste to the leaves.

Green tea has quite a few health benefits. First off, studies have shown that the brew can help people lose weight and stay thin. Doctors aren’t exactly sure why, but they suspect it has something to do with phytochemicals called catechins that are found in the leaves. Catechins may encourage weight loss by stimulating the body to burn calories and drop fat.

Green tea also contains polyphenols, which some researchers think can help prevent cancer. Some studies have shown that consuming four to six cups of the tea daily can cut your risk of gastric, skin and esophageal cancers. Polyphenols can also help to lower cholesterol levels and prevent clotting.

For those who are trying to take in less caffeine, green tea can be a lifesaver. A cup of brewed green tea has 40 milligrams of caffeine, while a cup of coffee contains 85 milligrams.

Given all the great benefits that green tea offers, it’s worth giving it a whirl. Try sipping a cup instead of your usual coffee or soda and let the warm, mild drink’s soothing powers wash over you.

Allergy season is ramping up, and with it comes sneezing, coughing, runny noses and tickly throats. If your symptoms are starting to take over, don’t despair! You can take steps to lessen the effects of the symptoms by tweaking your diet.

The sniffly, stuffy sensations that you get this time of year are traced to the immune system’s inability to eradicate allergens as they enter your body. At first, your body produces relevant antibodies to combat the allergens. However, it’s common for the body to overproduce IgE antibodies, leaving an excess of them in your system to bond with vulnerable cells. New allergens attach to the IgE antibodies. The buildup of allergens over time causes your body to release histamine into the bloodstream, which triggers an allergic reaction.

There are quite a few foods that can quell inflammation and nasal congestion, as well as boost your immune system so that it’s ready to take on allergens!

Here’s a list of our five favorite allergy-alleviating foods:

1)  Antioxidant-rich foods: Antioxidants help to reduce inflammation and neutralize free radicals that can wreak havoc upon your cells and your immune system. They give your immune system a serious boost, helping it combat the allergens sneaking into your body. Certain berries, vegetables, teas and nuts are the best sources of antioxidants. Try adding berry mix or antioxidant mix to your diet.

2)  Ginger: This spicy rhizome is a natural decongestant. The zest that ginger brings to the table really helps open up clogged nasal passages and quell coughing. It can also numb sore throats. Chow down on crystallized ginger as a snack, or drop a piece into your favorite hot tea to give it a kick.

3)  Citrus: Fruits like lemons, oranges and limes all contain huge amounts of vitamin C, which naturally blocks histamines and reduces inflammation. This can be of particular value to allergy sufferers who have coughs or breathing issues. Try adding some organic dried oranges to a hot drink, or even munching on them as-is, to increase your vitamin C intake.

4)  Omega-3 fatty acids: Foods with a high concentration of omega-3 fatty acids contain a natural anti-inflammatory that can also aid in fighting congestion and wheezing. In fact, doctors often recommend that people with asthma consume omega-3 fatty acids for this reason. Though many types of cold-water fish are often seen as the primary food source of these acids, they can also be found in walnuts and flax seed.

5)  Spirulina: This blue-green algae reduces the number of IgE antibodies in your body. This allows the body to flush out the allergens that are causing histamine production to increase, thereby alleviating your symptoms. Adding a teaspoon of powdered spirulina to juice or a smoothie is a great way to work this food into your diet. However, you may need to adjust to the algae’s strong flavor.

Now that it’s nearly April, we think it’s time to celebrate spring! As you begin to shake off the dreary winter weather, you may feel like shaking up your eating habits. Clean up your diet and boost your energy levels by indulging in some superfoods!

Superfoods are items that contain exceptional  nutritional value. Often, these foods promote heart health by lowering cholesterol levels. Many superfoods also offer powerful antioxidants that some experts believe reduce your cancer risk, bolster your immune system and even punch up your good mood!

There are quite a few superfoods out there. Not sure which ones to pick? Here’s a list of some of our favorite superfoods here at NutsOnline! Try them on their own or paired with yogurt, salads, smoothies, cereal or trail mix.

• Dark chocolate: Who doesn’t love the rich, semi-sweet flavor of dark chocolate? This treat may seem like a naughty indulgence, but it’s actually quite good for you in reasonable amounts. Dark chocolate is high in flavonoids, a compound that increases blood flow, improves memory and hydrates skin. Cocoa phenols in the chocolate also help lower blood pressure. The darker the chocolate is, the more phenols it contains. Studies have shown that dairy products may interfere with absorption of these helpful phenols, which is one reason why milk chocolate is not effective in the same manner. Get your fix with some dark chocolate covered almonds.

• Goji berries: These fruits, also known as wolfberries, are usually sold in dried or juice form. Goji are packed with antioxidants that can lower your risk of serious diseases, including cancer and heart disease. In ancient times, goji berries were also touted as anti-aging. Some modern scientists do agree that the fruit appears to at least slightly slow the aging process by minimizing the effect of free radicals that injure cells and damage DNA. Dried goji berries are delicious, or you can combine the power of two superfoods with dark chocolate covered goji berries.

• Walnuts: This is the member of the nut family with the highest amount of omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids, which cannot be produced by the body, lower cholesterol, promote better cardiovascular function, contribute to better cognitive function and aid joints, skin and muscles as an anti-inflammatory. Walnuts also contain melatonin, an antioxidant that helps you sleep more soundly. Get these benefits in their purest form by munching on raw English walnuts or organic mixed nuts.

• Figs: This fruit is chock full of potassium, a mineral that can help control blood pressure. Figs also are a great source of dietary fiber, which can help you lose weight and feel full longer. They’re packed with calcium as well. Sweet dried Turkish figs will relieve sugar cravings naturally, without loading you up on preservatives and chemical sweeteners.

• Chia seeds: These tiny seeds are rapidly rising stars in the superfood world. Chia seeds were a staple energy food for the Aztecs, who carried them on long journeys because of the seeds’ ability to provide them with strength and endurance. Chia seeds are crammed with protein, fiber, calcium and fatty acids. When soaked in water they can absorb up to 30 times their weight in liquid, which will help you feel full, remain hydrated and lose weight.

March is almost over, but it’s not too late to celebrate National Peanut Month! National Peanut Month, which began as National Peanut Week in 1941 and expanded to a 31-day blowout in 1974, recognizes this mighty legume’s place in the American diet.

Peanuts are a great source of nutrition. A 1 oz. serving of roasted peanuts contains 6 grams of protein and 3 grams of fiber. Peanuts, though high in fat, offer heart-healthy monounsaturated fats that can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. They are naturally cholesterol-free and include vitamin E, niacin, folate, phosphorus and magnesium.

There are many different ways to work a dose of peanuts into your diet. Start simple with a helping of unsalted, roasted Virginia peanuts. Jumbo roasted peanuts in the shell work wonderfully as appetizer items at a barbecue or snacks at a ball game. Spanish peanuts, which are served with the skin on, are a rich, salty addition to salads, soups and stir-fry.

If the natural peanut flavor gets a bit boring, branch out. Honey roasted peanuts are wonderful for those with a sweet tooth. Wasabi peanuts have an incredibly hot kick that will shake up your taste buds. Sweet and spicy buffalo peanuts and tangy ranch peanuts are delicious on their own or mixed together.

Organic smooth peanut butter, which contains no added sugar or salt, really showcases the natural goodness of peanuts. However, if you have a food processor handy, you can just as easily make your own peanut butter!

Pour about 2 cups of unsalted, dry-roasted peanuts and 1 to 2 tablespoons of peanut oil into a food processor. Process the nuts and oil continuously on high speed for a few minutes, until the mixture turns into a smooth paste. Add salt to taste, if desired, and store your homemade peanut butter in an airtight container in the fridge.

Peanuts are incredibly versatile, not to mention tasty! Make sure to mix up a peanut-based treat or indulge in some homemade peanut butter to celebrate National Peanut Month before the last few days whiz by!

With that rough wintry weather melting away into our memories, spring’s sneaking up on us more quickly than we could’ve imagined! Easter is less than two weeks away, and we know you’ve got some snuggle bunnies and sweet buddies who will require some cheerful treats on this special holiday.

You can pack up an Easter basket with any combination of candy and non-edible gifts. Fill the bottom of a colorful basket with plastic Easter grass, shredded paper or bunched-up cotton fabric. Place games, toys, books and other large items in the basket before filling in the cracks with loose and packaged edible items.

There are plenty of different types of candies that will fit right in on Easter Sunday. Jelly beans, of course, are among the traditional offerings and are small enough to fill plastic eggs. Assorted gummy sweets, including traditional gummy bears and more off-the-wall gummy fruit salad and gummy fried eggs, are also general crowd-pleasers. If chocolate and nuts are more your speed, try some pretty pastel Jordan almonds and bright gourmet chocolate mints.

You could also opt to fill your baskets with some savory treats. Supreme roasted mixed nuts are a decadent delight appropriate for any holiday. Carrot chips are a light, healthy alternative to heavier snacks.

If you don’t have time to fill your own basket, we’ve got you covered with treats that become available especially for Easter! Bunny’s Bucket of Sweets features classic goodies like chocolate-covered sunflower seeds, white chocolate cherries and Swedish fish. The Easter Sweets ‘n Treats Basket is packed with even more treats, including Swiss petite fruits, ice cream sundae malted milk balls and cappuccino cocoa cordials. These packages both contain more than enough for several people to share.

If you’re feeling adventurous, you can make traditional vanilla-nut candy eggs to top off your baskets. These chocolate-covered treats are time-consuming, but are a quite special once-a-year sweet!

To make vanilla-nut candy eggs, you’ll first want to line cookie sheets with either wax paper or silicone mats. Use an electric mixer to beat two egg whites in large bowl until soft peaks form. Measure 2 ½ cups of white sugar, ½ cup of light corn syrup, ½ cup of water and ¼ tsp. of salt into a medium saucepan and place it over medium heat. Stir the mixture until the sugar dissolves and it comes to a boil. Raise the heat to medium-high, clip a candy thermometer to the side of the saucepan and continue cooking the mixture (without stirring) until it reaches 260 degrees Fahrenheit.

While the sugar mixture is heating, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Pour the hot mixture, along with 2 tsp. of vanilla extract, into the egg whites, beating constantly. Continue to beat the candy on high until it turns from a glossy mixture to a rough, dull mixture. Add 1 cup of white or semisweet chocolate pieces and 1 cup of chopped walnuts to the candy.

Shape the candy mixture into eggs, placing each piece onto the cookie sheet. Slide the cookie sheet into the refrigerator until the candy is firm, then dunk each egg in melted chocolate and allow it to harden.

Got a craving for something sweet? Do you ever have a reason to celebrate: Today is National Chocolate Caramel Day!

This classic combination is often showcased in candies, ice creams and other treats, and for good reason: The smooth richness of caramel pairs perfectly with the creamy, occasionally bitter flavor of chocolate. Though this holiday may not have quite reached the status of other, more well-known celebrations, we can’t think of a better way to recognize a toothsome twosome that brings such joy to so many people!

Celebrate this delicious duo by indulging in some sweets. Milk and dark chocolate sea salt caramels provide the perfect combination of savory saltiness and delicate sweetness. Goetze’s chocolate caramel creams offer a vintage take on the pairing that you might remember from childhood. Mini milk chocolate caramel cups feature rivers of liquid caramel oozing from a chocolaty shell. Bear crunch popcorn is a sweet treat with a delightful, light crunch that’s sure to please.

If sweets aren’t your cup of tea, try some chocolate caramel coffee on for size. This brew incorporates the flavors of chocolate and caramel into freshly roasted coffee beans, providing a treat that is distinctly decadent without all the sugar.

If you’re in the mood for a special treat, you can whip up some pretzel turtle bites in your kitchen at home. These candies, which consist of a chocolate-covered caramel and a pecan half pressed on top of a pretzel, will disappear as quickly as they cool. To start, preheat your oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Place about 20 mini pretzels in a single layer on the paper. Layer either a milk chocolate caramel or a dark chocolate caramel on top of each pretzel. Slide the cookie sheet into the oven and bake the treats for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the chocolate appears slightly melted. Remove the cookie sheet from the oven and immediately press a pecan half onto the top of each chocolate caramel, flattening the candy. Allow them to cool completely before serving, as the hot caramel can burn your mouth.

How will you celebrate National Chocolate Caramel Day? Anything goes, as far as we’re concerned! Have a sweet day, and don’t forget to treat yourself to something special!

Here at NutsOnline, we love to provide our customers with opportunities to get exactly the treats they need to fit their lifestyles. That’s why we’re proud to offer a new series of 10-item sampler packs specially aimed toward specific dietary needs and personal preferences. To celebrate the release of these packages, we’re hosting a competition to see who’s the nuttiest of all our specialty eaters!

Wanna get in on the fun? Hop on over to the Munch Madness page starting Friday to vote for your favorite package and enter to win a free specialty sampler pack!

Here’s how it works: We’ve pitted teams (representing the starter packs) against one another in a bracket-style competition. Browse the starter packs, choose your team, and register for a NutsOnline.com account to vote for them up to one time per day. The teams that receive the most votes advance to the next round. In the end, one lucky team will be named champion!

Of course, we want to reward you for your efforts by sending some goodies your way! After each round, we’ll draw names of voters who will receive a complimentary sampler pack for their team.

Not sure who to root for? There’s a sampler pack for everyone! Options for those with dietary restrictions include Team Gluten-Free, with snacks like veggie chips and chili-lime pistachios, and Team Raw Food, which includes Turkish figs and Acai Blueberry Superfood Cereal. For those who prefer a gourmet touch, we have Team Indulge, packed with yummy sweets like chocolate-covered pretzels, and Team Foodies, which offers premium products such as jumbo Medjool dates. Check out all eight options to find the team that deserves your support!

Munch Madness will run from March 19 through April 5, so don’t waste any time! Explore the sampler packs and choose your favorite today!

We all know that getting enough protein and calcium is important. Many people get these vital dietary components from milk, cheese and yogurt, but what’s a non-dairy lover to do? Nut milk may be the answer!

Nut milk is a fantastic source of vitamins and nutrients for vegans, raw foodists and those who are lactose-intolerant. The beverage has a mild, slightly sweet flavor that won’t overpower dishes. Besides beneficial calcium and protein, nut milk also offers the same healthy fats, fiber and potassium as the nuts themselves. Best of all, nut milk is incredibly easy to make at home.

You can make nut milk from just about any raw nuts and seeds. Popular choices include almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds and sunflower seeds. Try different combinations of nuts and seeds until you find the one you like best!

Before transforming the nuts into milk, you’ll need to soak them overnight. Pour them into a bowl, add enough water to completely cover the whole batch and leave them in a cool spot for at least eight hours. Soaking the nuts activates the enzymes that allow them to sprout. These enzymes make digesting the milk easier on the body. The soaked nuts will also be softer and easier to blend.

Pour the nuts into a strainer and rinse them under cool water. Transfer them to a food processor and add 3 cups of water for every cup of nuts. This will produce a nut milk that has the about the same consistency of 2 percent milk. If you like it a bit thicker or thinner, adjust the amount of water accordingly.

Process the nut milk until the nuts are ground into a fine paste and the liquid is milky white. At this point, you can strain the milk if you desire. Strained nut milk has none of the pulp (or fiber) left in it, but it more closely resembles cow’s milk and is easier to substitute in recipes.  Unstrained nut milk is best used in smoothies.

To strain the nut milk, pour it through a fine mesh sieve positioned over a large bowl. The liquid will take some time to drain from the pulp, so you may want to leave it alone for an hour or so. Most people discard the pulp, but you can also use it to make nut flour, raw cookies, cereal or body scrub.

Nut milk is great as-is, but if you desire you can flavor or sweeten it. The best thing about making your own nut milk is that you can adjust it to your tastes! Try adding some vanilla or almond extract or some raw cacao powder to the milk. Whole cinnamon sticks or dried ginger root can be steeped in the milk while it chills in the fridge (about 12 hours) to give it a spicy taste. Sweeten the milk with real maple syrup, raw honey, agave syrup or liquid stevia extract.

Store homemade nut milk in a sealed glass jar or pitcher and refrigerate it for about three days. The milk’s shelf life varies, but if it begins to smell sour or unusual, discard it.

St. Patrick’s Day is just around the corner, and with it comes special treats that reflect the season. However, you don’t have to stop at traditional corned beef and cabbage and Irish soda bread. NutsOnline makes it easy for you to expand on the traditions and put a unique spin on your St. Paddy’s Day in style.

Even if you aren’t Irish, green goodies can help you get in the spirit on St. Patrick’s Day. Why not share some Leprechaun’s Delight with your friends and family? These kelly-green, chocolate-covered sunflower seeds are sure to bring a smile to everyone’s face!

If chocolate isn’t your cup of tea, don’t fret! You may have more luck with green apple licorice twists, Jelly Belly green apple jelly beans or, if you crave a more savory option, green bean chips. Top some lamb (or even just a sandwich or some ice cream) with some gorgeous mint jelly to give a meal a special touch.

Pistachios, of course, are the ultimate St. Patrick’s Day snack. These green gems are deliciously healthy. One ounce of pistachios contains 10 percent of the Recommended Daily Value for dietary fiber, vitamin B-6, thiamin, phosphorus and copper. They’re also a fabulous source of protein, potassium and monounsaturated fats.

Want to make a special, but simple St. Patrick’s Day dessert? Try some Luck O’ The Irish Ice Cream Sandwiches on for size! Dump two quarts of softened pistachio ice cream into a bowl and mix in about one cup of chopped pistachios and a few drops of green food coloring. Scoop the ice cream in 1/3-cup servings onto chocolate or pistachio cookies. Top the sandwiches with the remaining cookies, line them up on a baking sheet and slide them into the freezer for two to three hours before gobbling them down.

These treats aren’t just reserved for March 17, of course. They’re great anytime you need a goody that’ll make your friends and family turn green with envy. Happy St. Patrick’s Day from NutsOnline!