Who doesn't love a snack. Snacks are what make the world go 'round. Between meals (or in place of large ones), snacks are what keep our bodies and brains going. They are what give us the energy to get through the day and all of the draining tasks that face us. Let's face it, just getting out of bed is a feat in itself some days. Add to that the whole breakfast-getting ready-getting kids ready-cleaning kitchen-paying bills-walking dog-getting to work-actually working-getting home-dinner-dishes-conversation-thing, and whew! WE NEED SOME SNACKS HERE!
Which can be problematic. For me, I have to have snacks at a certain time or I start to get a little weird. First I feel peckish, irritable, and then...even panicky? Some kind of icky anxiety comes over me when I haven't eaten anything healthy in a few hours, and suddenly it becomes highly likely I might reach for something unhealthy. And once I've done that, it's kind of over. I definitely have a food addiction, and if I'm not careful about what I snack on it rears its ugly head and I just want more and more bad snacks. Which leaves me feeling all kinds of bad - physically, emotionally...and this I really don't need! Not from a simple snack!
A couple of years ago I found my answer to staying on the right side of healthy snacking. Every single day (ok except for my birthday and xmas and those those beer-n-veggie burger-dates with the Mr.). My answer is to always, always have healthy (and delicious, they must be delicious!) snacks on hand. Do not run out. That is where the trouble starts. If I don't have anything healthy ready to go, I start to reach for bread, for sugar, for...whatever else there is, and that will derail the day.
My everyday snacks include:
- peanut butter or almond butter, and maple syrup. (organic). These are my chocolate-and-sugar-busters. When I am craving something sweet, creamy, with a little salty crunch, I have a tablespoon or two of crunchy peanut or almond butter, and a tablespoon or two of pure maple syrup. In a tea cup, and I eat it with a spoon, taking a little of each in every bite. I swear to god it's like candy. Totally clean, and only around 200 calories (or less) depending on how much you eat. It cuts my cravings instantly.Totally satisfies my desire for sugar. Wow!
- GREEN (or fruit) SMOOTHIES. These really are the Big Guns in my snack arsenal. When I started drinking at least one and sometimes two or even three green smoothies a day ( I make a big pitcher in the morning and then just drink from it throughout the day) I lost weight. A lot of weight. AND I felt amazing, and it's been years now since I've had even a cold. I make the same green smoothie every day and here's what goes in it: Kale, baby spinach, juice, frozen bananas, frozen blueberries, frozen strawberries and mangos, almond milk and chia seeds. It comes out sweeeet, frosty, and absolutely satisfying. And it's the best food in the world going straight into your system with all of the incredible antioxidants, fiber, vitamins, and cancer-resisting properties you can find. It makes it totally easy (and even delightful) to eat a large amount of kale, spinach and fruit every single day!!!
- Non-dairy yogurt. I love the Almond Dream vanilla yogurts. Sweet, creamy and just plain almond dreamy. :)
That's it. Those are my everyday, go-to snacks that see me through my day with plenty of energy, no guilt, no bloating, and keep me not only from sliding down the slippery slope of bad snacks, but keep me from getting sick. You can't say that about a snicker's bar.
Yesterday I added a new smoothie to my roster: THIS AMAZING TURMERIC SMOOTHIE. Turmeric is an ancient spice that has been used for centuries to fight inflammation and other diseases, at the molecular level. In several studies, its potency has compared favorably to anti-inflammatory pharmaceutical drugs… except without the side effects. Read this article for more about its incredible disease-fighting properties.
I had been meaning to make a turmeric smoothie for a long time and I am so glad I finally did. It is delicious!!! So now I'll basically be drinking smoothies one kind or another, all day long. Which is no hardship, actually. As I said before they are so creamy and frosty and filling, it's kind of miraculous, and it makes me want to share with the zeal of an evangelical. :)
So from me to you, happy snacking, happy spring (almost), and happy Monday everyone!
xoxoxoxo DR
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