**The craving: muffins**

Normal muffins are densely packed with refined sugar and flour, making them the exact opposite of the kind of thing you want to start your day with. However, there is a way to get your fix without compromising the integrity of your ingredients and without settling for fiber-filled, brick-hard rock cakes.

_Pumpkin Oat Muffins
1 cup unsweetened pumpkin puree
1 cup of oat flour (blended up dry oats)
4 tbsp brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice (optional)_

1. Combine all ingredients.
2. Bake at 350 for about 15-17 minutes.

_Yields about six muffins._

**The craving: Popsicles**

While there are some pretty decent store-bought popsicles that don’t have copious amount of sugar in them (try Outshine’s No Sugar Added Fruit Bars), sometimes it’s nice to see exactly what’s going into your food. If you’ve got a little extra time, popsicles have plenty of variations you can try at home.

_Fruit and Cream Pops
3 cups of your choice of pureed fruit
1 can full fat coconut milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
3-4 tbsp honey_

1. Puree fruit and set aside.
2. Thoroughly combine coconut milk, honey and vanilla extract.
3. Into popsicle molds, pour 2-3 tablespoons of the coconut milk mixture, followed by 1-2 tablespoons of fruit puree, alternating the mixtures until the mold is full.
4. Allow popsicles to freeze completely for about 6 hours.

_Yields about 12 pops._

**The craving: granola**

Although it’s emerged in the past few years as the pinnacle of health foods, a majority of granola is made with heaps of added sugar, fat and preservatives. The good news is, you probably already have all the ingredients you need to make it yourself in your pantry.

_Homemade Granola
3 cups of oats
1 ½ cup nuts (almonds, pecans, walnuts, etc)
1 ½ cup of seeds (chia, pumpkin, sunflower, etc)
3/4 cup sweetener (agave nectar, honey, or maple syrup will work)
1/3 cup oil (olive, vegetable, or grapeseed will work)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg white (essential for crispy granola)
1 cup dried fruit (optional; add AFTER baking)
1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional; add AFTER granola is baked and cooled)_

1. Combine all ingredients (except for optional fruit and chocolate) in a bowl, making sure all dry ingredients are completely covered with the wet ingredients.
2. Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes until golden, giving the granola a stir at around 20 minutes (if you want your granola to be in bigger chunks for snacking, do not stir).
3. Allow to cool and add chocolate or fruit if desired.

**The craving: popcorn**

Popcorn is a surprisingly decent snack to eat: it’s full of whole grains, fiber and antioxidants. Sadly, any pre-made popcorn you buy (even the “94 percent less fat” kind) is likely going to be pumped with fat and salt. Instead, try popping your own!

_Homemade Popcorn
3 tbsp coconut, peanut, or canola oil
1/3 cup popcorn kernels
1 tbsp butter (optional)
Salt to taste_

1. Heat the oil in a saucepan on medium-high heat.
2. Add a few kernels to the oil, cover and wait for them to pop before adding all of the kernels into the pan in an even layer.
3. Allow all of the kernels to pop, keeping the lid slightly ajar to allow moisture to escape.