Tuesday, January 06, 2009

Snacks! I love 'em!


I don't know what it is, but there is something about a little treat in between meals that is always appealing. My body is truly regulated to eat about every 3-4 hours, so like clockwork...I begin to feel a little rumbly in my tummy (for my Winnie the Pooh fans) right around 10:30-11 am and 3:30-4 pm. Since these cravings tend to come a hour or more before my next scheduled 'meal' time, then a snack is just what the body needs.

Of course, when you're trying to eat right (and particularly when you're trying to lose weight), then this can also be a wonderful (or treacherous) opportunity to fall right off the wagon. I mean, even things that seem small and harmless (like some trail mixes or a muffin) can be packed with calories, fat and carbs. I tend to try to go for a 100 cal pack or a piece of fruit, which works pretty well. However, if you're looking for a way to mix things up with a balance of healthy, filling, and tasty treats, then check out THESE options! Below are two of my favs!









Edamame
Grab a handful of frozen shelled soybeans and run them under steaming-hot water for a quick thaw. For a tangy twist, add a spritz of lemon.

HEALTH BONUS: Contains 8 grams of fiber and lots of cholesterol-lowering soy protein.



Cashew-Strawberry Crunch
Think of this as a gourmet cook's PB & J. Spread 1 tablespoon of cashew butter on a slice of Ryvita Fruit Crunch. (Or substitute peanut butter and Triscuits.) Drizzle with 1/2 tablespoon honey and top with sliced strawberries.

Health Bonus: Nut butters are full of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats.


3 comments:

T said...

It's crazy that we were so on the same page with the snacks (via blog and fb). Great post.

P.S. Do you ever think of tagging your posts. I was trying to find something you wrote a while back and realized there were no tags. :(

You've put up a lot of great info over the years, so I'd love to be able to find archived posts to healthy info.

ThummyB said...

Ummm...tags? What are these tags that you speak of?

T said...

Ok, if you look at the sidebar on my page it says "labels" and it's all the tags that I've given my posts. For example, today's post was tagged "public service announcement."

So if someone wants to see all of Tea's Tangents or all of Tea's Top 10, they can click on that label and read them at the same time.

When you're in your drafts is says "post options, tags" then you just enter the appropriate tag (recipes, exercise, snacks, funnies, politics, etc) in that box and blogger will sort your posts.