With the inception of 2010, many people have jumped on the eat healthy and exercise bandwagon of New Years resolutions. Eating healthy doesn’t have to be a negative experience and often there are ways a person can integrate healthy food into their normal diets. For instance, the Morningstar Farms brand makes Veggie Bacon strips which are actually created using soy beans. This is a great substitute for bacon bits on your salad. Simply follow the directions to cook the veggie bacon in the microwave and then crumble the strips onto a salad and enjoy!

Using soy products has many health benefits and no longer means that you have to sacrifice the taste of the food just to have a healthier lifestyle. Experts believe soy products can help to ward off certain types of cancer such as breast and prostate when consumed starting at an early age. It has also been proven to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease and lower cholesterol. Soy based products contains vitamins, minerals, fiber and protein and it comes in a variety of foods that kids like, such as chocolate soy milk, frozen pizza, taco “meat” and “chicken” nuggets.

Popularity: 28%

Foodenator has searched Far and Wide to uncover the BEST CHEX MIX RECIPE ever. Yeah, there are alot of people that claim theirs is the best – but this is the actual best, best, best. Its got bacon fat – therefore, it is the best.

Ingredients

SEASONING MIX

• 1 lb bacon
• 1/2 cup butter – aka UNO sticks
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon celery salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground sage
• 1/2 teaspoon Lawry’s Seasoned Salt, to taste
• 4 dashes Tabasco sauce, to taste

THE DRY MIX

• 2 cups dry roasted peanuts – though honey roasted may be better
• 1 cup busted-ass cashew pieces
• 2 cups small pretzels – any format
• 5 cups Corn Chex
• 3 cups Rice Chex
• 1 cup Wheat Chex (or not – might be too healthy)
• 2 cups Cheerios toasted oat cereal
• 1 cup cheez-its or other cheesey snack

Directions

1. Fry up the bacon until it’s nice and crisp.
2. Then place the cooked bacon in a container and save for later – it’s the leftover drippings you want, fatty!
3. Pre-heat the oven to 250 degrees F.
4. Melt the butter and bacon drippings together in a saucepan, then stir in the seasonings to make a nice, spicey – bacony – buttery goop.
5. In a very large bowl or cauldron, combine the mix ingredients.
6. Gradually stir in the buttery seasoning mix until the dry mix is evenly coated.
7. Spread thinly on cookie sheets and bake for 1 hour, messing it up every 15 minutes.
8. Spread on paper towels to cool.
9. Store in airtight container.
10. Makes about 14 cups Chex mix snack.

Popularity: 28%