Do you know where you can find the best deal in New York City? It’s not in Manhattan—it’s sure as hell not in Times Square—, it’s at the C-Town grocery chain where you can get 36 corn tortillas for 99 cents. Less than 3 cents a tortilla—how can you go wrong?

I couldn’t make enough tacos and quesadillas to use these up so I decide to make nachos instead. I’ve made hint of lime chips before and these were just as easy. They have a nice subtle flavor to have on their own, but pack a real spicy punch dipped in salsa or guacamole.

The trick to getting these irresistibly crispy is leaving plenty of room for them to bake on the trays. Overcrowding a tray will make some of them chewy and others burnt, so break it up into two baking sessions if you have to.

Baking these means they’re free of the unhealthy frying fats, which makes them perfect for smothering in healthy fats like avocado and shredded cheese(just kidding(sort of)).

Seasoned Baked Tortilla Chips

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Ingredients(Makes about 6 servings):

• 10-12 corn tortillas
• 3 Tablespoons oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line two baking trays with non-stick foil or paper.
3. Cut a stack of the tortillas with a long, sharp knife across and then perpendicular, then two times on the diagonals to make 8 stacks of equally-sized chips.
4. In a large bowl, toss the soft chips with the rest of the ingredients until they’re evenly covered.
5. Spread the chips out in a single layer on the baking trays.
6. Bake the chips for 10-15 minutes until slightly browned and crisp.
7. Remove the chips from the oven. Let them cool slightly before serving.
8. Serve with salsa, guacamole, sour cream, or dip.

Surprisingly for all the sweet teeth I have and my love of chocolate I’ve never been a fan of the fancy drinks at Starbucks. I love the occasional bitterness of black coffee but more often than not I’ll choose green or herbal tea, and if you try swirling chocolate syrup and whipped cream into your green tea you’ll get a few odd looks.

Chocolate covered coffee beans and the like, however, are a different story. They’re right up there with chocolate covered almonds, chocolate covered raisins, and chocolate covered everything else. I’ve never found chocolate covered hazelnuts but something tells me if I did I’d love them, too.

This trail mix hits just about every note that a good cup of coffee should. It has bitterness from the coffee beans, sweetness from the white chocolate and raisins, and a rich nuttiness from the hazelnuts and almonds. I think that hazelnuts pair great with chocolate and coffee but if you find yourself lacking them you can easily double the almonds in the recipe.

Hazelnut Mocha Trail Mix

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 0 minutes

Ingredients(Makes 3 cups):

• 3/4 cup hazelnuts
• 3/4 cup roasted almonds
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup chocolate covered coffee beans
• 1/2 cup white chocolate chips

Method:

1. In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients and mix well.
2. Store at room temperature when not enjoying.

I don’t believe that things always taste better when they’re homemade; there are plenty of things that I’d rather just buy at the grocery store because it’s easier or tastier that way.

These thankfully are one of those things that taste better made yourself and the recipe couldn’t be easier. They’re slightly soft and chewy—a perfect snack in the afternoon or something to nibble on before a workout. And because you make them yourself you can adjust the flavor to be whatever you like. Personally I’m a fan of almond butter and chocolate chips.

To make these gluten-free make sure you’re using oats that are certified gluten-free. Make sure to mix the ingredients evenly and well to prevent them from falling apart in the oven.

Homemade Granola Bites

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Ingredients(Makes about 14 bites):

• 1 1/2 cups oats
• 1/2 cup natural almond or peanut butter
• 3 Tablespoons honey or maple syrup
• 1/4 cup chocolate chips or raisins
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 250.
2. In a large bowl, mix together all of the ingredients until it starts to form a dough. If there isn’t enough moisture to hold the oats together, add almond butter by the tablespoon until there is.
3. Roll the dough into 1-inch balls and place them on a non-stick baking surface.
4. Bake for 20 minutes until the outsides have browned.
5. Let the granola bites cool and store them at room temperature for up to 2-3 days.