I have determined that I am the world's greatest snacker. I could snack all day and be a happy camper. I have sat down with a bag of crackers and an hour later realized I have eaten the half of it! Luckily I also love to eat crisp veggies and I allow myself to eat as many of them as my little heart desires.
Snacks can be great, but shouldn't replace our meals. It is important that we have 4-6 small meals a day, and only a couple snacks in smaller portions in between those smaller meals. I have decided starting today I am going to put a pre-determined amount of the less healthy snacks that I enjoy (crackers, cheese, etc), in tupperware for each day of the week. Once it's gone, it's gone and that is all I get for that day. I will still allow myself to snack on as many delicious and heart heathy vegetables as I can. Here are some of my favorite snacks of all time:
Snacks can be great, but shouldn't replace our meals. It is important that we have 4-6 small meals a day, and only a couple snacks in smaller portions in between those smaller meals. I have decided starting today I am going to put a pre-determined amount of the less healthy snacks that I enjoy (crackers, cheese, etc), in tupperware for each day of the week. Once it's gone, it's gone and that is all I get for that day. I will still allow myself to snack on as many delicious and heart heathy vegetables as I can. Here are some of my favorite snacks of all time:
Sugar Snap Peas
These are awesome you guys and they are my absolute favorite! They are full of vitamins, have no fat, are a good source of roughage, and are so satisfying. They are a great replacement for crackers/chips because they still give you that crispy texture we look for when we crave the unhealthy alternative.
These are awesome you guys and they are my absolute favorite! They are full of vitamins, have no fat, are a good source of roughage, and are so satisfying. They are a great replacement for crackers/chips because they still give you that crispy texture we look for when we crave the unhealthy alternative.
Apples
I LOVE peanut butter so I will eat it with my apples every now and then. I adore the fresh, churn it-yourself peanut butter you can get at Whole Foods Market. Almond butter is also a good option if you need to eat your apple with a side.
I LOVE peanut butter so I will eat it with my apples every now and then. I adore the fresh, churn it-yourself peanut butter you can get at Whole Foods Market. Almond butter is also a good option if you need to eat your apple with a side.
Here is where I get weak when it comes to portion control:
I am now going to only allow myself 10 multigrain crackers OR 20 pistachio crisps a day. I am also going to eat no more than 1/4 cup of raw nuts at a time.I am also going to cut back on my cheese intake. I usually eat one string cheese every day. That isn't horrible but in order to achieve my health and fitness goals this is something I feel I need to cut back on, so ONE every 2-3 days it is.
I will be putting 7 of these together at the beginning of every week. This way the healthy choice will have already been made ahead of time when it comes to snacking. Now I won't skip a meal, and then snack for two hours because I am starving.
Some other great snacking vegetables and fruit that take little to no prep work are:
- Bell peppers
- Cellery
- Baby carrots
- Bananas
- Kiwi (excelent source of fiber!)
- Oranges
What are your favorite healthy snacks?
Remember: when you're healthy, you're happy!
Courtney
Courtney
Mmmmm. I LOVE to snack. And I have recently fallen in LOVE with Bell Peppers! I like the container idea--PORTION CONTROL! Im not as good as you, I snack on unhealthy stuff! I will be joining the tupperware club now! Also, my bro ammon does this (has for a while) and apples are GREAT because they are the lowest cal fruit etc but still yummy & filling--so try those over other fruits. (i guess I just believe him because he is in great shape I should probably look it up!)
ReplyDeleteIf you need to indulge in a sweet try these!
ReplyDeleteBrainy Brownies
February 21, 2009 by fabrecipes
These brownies are taken from “The Sneaky Chief” by Missy Chase Lapine. I made with one small alteration.
These brownies are good for you and your family will love them! Just don’t mention that they are made from whole wheat, wheat germ, oatmeal, spinach and blueberries. They change I made in the recipe is they are sweetened with Xylitol, a natural sugar. Xylitol is actually good for your teeth and wont spike your blood sugar.
The recipe is:
Fist mix a flour blend:
1 cup white flour
1 cup wheat germ
1 cup whole wheat flour
Just mix by swishing together the ingredients ina zip-lock plastic bag. ( That way you can store the remainder in the bag for future use. )
Make Purple Puree:
3 cups raw baby spinach leaves or 2 cups frozen chopped spinach.
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (NO syrup or sugar added)
1 teaspoon lemon juice
3-4 tablespoons water
Fill the bowl of a food processor with the blueberries and cooked spinach along with the lemon juice and 2 table spoons water and puree on high until as smooth as possible. Occasionally push down contents to the bottom. Add the 3-4 tablespoons of water as needed.
Save the unused portion in a snack bag or other containers for future use. This puree can be added to spaghetti dishes, tacos or any hamburger dish to add extra nutrition.
Makes about 30 kid-sized Brownies.
Preheat Oven-350 degrees
6 tablespoons of butter
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2 large egg
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 Xylitol
1/2 cup purple puree
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour blend
1/4 cup rolled oats, ground in a food processor
1 tbs unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 tsp salt
cooking spray
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Melt butter and chocolate chips int he microwave (checking ever 15 seconds). Allow mixture to cool in a separate bowl, stir together eggs, vanilla, zylitol andpurple puree. Combine with chocolate and butter and blend thoroughly. Add walnuts if you are using them. Pour the mixture in to a baking pan. Bake 30 to 35 minutes, until tooth pick comes out clean. Allow to cool completely in the pan before cutting. Use a butter knife to cute with. Cover tightly-Keeps in the refrigerator for a week.
~kellie
Snap peas are yummy eaten with hummus too! And the pre measured snack idea is the greatest! I do that sometimes too. If you eat out of a bag, it's impossible to portion control! But pulling out a small portion and putting the rest away works!
ReplyDelete