Scavenger Hunt Snack Mix

You know how sometimes you want something to crunch – just a handful of something  (and a handful of walnuts doesn’t quite do the trick)? It somehow seems that when you blend a few things, it’s all of a sudden a touch better! A person can use anything and sometimes the ingredients are not quite as healthy as others, and we don’t even (nor need to) regret it.  I put together this healthy snack mix recently from things I found in my cupboard. At least it’s better than marshmallows or M&Ms (not that there’s anything wrong with that).

Don’t measure. Just put in a handful. Okay! If not measuring gives you hives, my best guess is to use 1/2 cup of each, give or take. 🙂 Here are the ingredients I used, but you might take on the challenge and toss in some things from your own cupboard! Happy healthy snacking!

Scavenger Hunt Snack Mix

Pecans

Pepitas (a type of pumpkin seed), roasted and salted.  You could use either a pumpkin seed or pepita, I suppose, but the pepita will blend in a little more easily. I bought mine at the grocery store in the aisle with all different types of nuts and dried fruit. I had them in the cupboard because I bought them for my dog who was having intestinal issues, and pumpkin can sometimes help with that. He loves pumpkin. I thought they would be interchangeable with pumpkin seeds, but he didn’t care for these.

Dried Cranberries

Dried Figs, chopped into bite-sized bits

Banana Chips

Dried Ginger Chunks, chopped into bite-sized bits   I bought a bag at Costco. It’s sugared, and do you know what? That doesn’t take away its zing. But I read somewhere that ginger is an ingredient that helps clear your arteries. I don’t know whether that’s true or not. But I testify that if you chop these up and throw them in a snack mix, it tames them down a bit.

Chocolate Chips

Swassy Roast Beef Sandwiches

 

I made an attempt to marry sweet with sassy in one word: swassy! Whether I accomplished it remains to be determined, but these sandwiches benefit from a touch of hot and sweet and it’s a great combination if I do say so, myself! I am not including specific amounts here because that’s not the way I cook, and I think this won’t be too challenging. It’s a sandwich, after all. Enjoy!

 

Cut King’s Hawaiian rolls horizontally and lay the tops aside.

Put the bottoms in an 8 x 11.5 cake pan.

Spread with thin smear of horseradish sauce, then fig spread on top of that.

Top with cut slices of white cheese and sliced roast beef.

Drizzle a little pineapple juice on top of beef.

Now put on the tops of the rolls and brush with melted butter, then sprinkle lightly with poppy seeds.

Cover with foil and bake at 350 until the cheese melts.

Nephee

He was two people ahead of me in line at the Dollar Store. Some people avoid places like that. I don’t. I just don’t have any extra left over for incidentals like peanuts, and I’m not rich enough to frequent this place because I have such good character that I’m frugal. My arms were full, the result of running in for one thing and ending up with five.

It was hard to miss him. He was taller than most people I’ve seen, and the thought flitted through my brain that a Nephilim might be that size. A small one. He had to be easily over eight feet tall, maybe nine. Probably. Maybe more. I’m not good at visual assessments. He turned and looked at me briefly. Maybe he felt my eyes on his back. If they’d been on his head, I would’ve gotten a crick in my neck. Wimp that I am, I automatically looked down. I shouldn’t have, because when I looked up again he was gone. Well that was a quick check-out. I didn’t even see what he’d bought!

I saw him again as I was unlocking my car. He slid into a Toyota. Don’t ask me how he fit. I lost track of him as I exited the parking lot and thought nothing more of it. As I drifted off to sleep that night, though, I saw his face, big as all get out, right in front of me. Just great. Why does your mind do things like that when you’re all cozy and sleepy and ready for dreamland? By the time my heart had slowed to its usual rhythm and I’d counted more sheep than a border collie, I’d lost half the night.

I was a little jittery the next day – maybe from the coffee I drank to replace my poor sleep or maybe from fear. Yep. I’m admitting it. I couldn’t shake the sight of him though I hadn’t seen him since the Dollar Store parking lot.

I started calling him Nephee to dissolve whatever mysteriousness I was feeling about the whole thing. If he popped into my thoughts, I fell into the habit of thinking, Oh there you are, Nephee. Where’ve you been? You missed that big snowstorm we had the other day!. Like that. It helped.

I’m not saying I was avoiding the Dollar Store, but I hadn’t been back for awhile. I finally worked up the courage to return. I know this sounds ridiculous. But you didn’t see him nor did his face pop up in front of you when all you wanted was to sleep. It was becoming a thing, and it needed to be nipped in the bud! I coached myself as I scanned the parking lot for Toyotas. Just go in and get some Blue Dawn and check out. Easy peasy.

Well you know how it is in those places. Before I knew it, I’d picked up a gift bag,  light bulbs, and an eight-pack of pens. That’s when I saw him. His tall self was two aisles over and heading to the check-out. Why was the Blue Dawn in absentia today of all days, now of all times!!! I finally found it and got in line. Of course. My place was right behind Nephee. I could feel him start to turn before he actually did, but decided I would NOT back down no matter how tall he was. I had as much right to be here as he did. In fact, more. I’d lived in this town forever. Interloper!

“Hey there!”, I said when he turned. We were fast friends. His lip curled and he grunted. I craned my neck to see what he was buying. Nothing! He grabbed a candy bar at checkout. I don’t know why I felt so angry, but I did. His presence was messing up whatever peace I thought I had in my life to begin with which, let’s be honest, wasn’t as pervasive as one might hope.

“I hear the weather’s nice in Miami this time of year. Maybe you should visit.” I mumbled.

I haven’t seen him since.

Image: baptist-standaert-mx0DEnfYxic-unsplash; beverage-black-and-white-black-coffee-2360894.jpg; Genesis 6:4; Numbers 13:33; https://youtu.be/dxZGbsP6ZeM?si=VYr3uBM5z5RFC22-; https://youtu.be/ERx-sP-Aezk?si=6VZFIX-3Nka6AW_i; https://youtu.be/1zz8_MxcnzY?si=aTNi73bVR_y5angJ