Tag Archives: quick snacks

3 Delicious, Healthy Fats that Keep You Lean

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01 Jul

Even the healthiest diet needs to include a small amount of healthy fats! Believe it or not, fat actually has a number of health benefits – as long as you choose natural fats instead of man-made, processed ones!

Fish

fish2

A great source of good fat is fish. Fish, especially cold-water fish such as herring, tuna, salmon, trout, or mackerel, is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids. There’s a reason so many people take fish oil supplements! Incorporating these oily fishes into your diet can provide excellent health benefits, including better heart health with decreased risk of heart disease, increased cognition and brain development, and improved mood. They may also improve insulin and blood sugar levels, which is great news for people who have type 2 diabetes.

Avocados

Avocados

Avocados are an excellent source of good fat, especially omega-9 monounsaturated fat – not to mention that they’re chock-full of antioxidants as well! Monounsaturated fats are a great way to help your heart, as they reduce the risk of heart disease. These fats are also memory enhancers. Avocados are one of our favorite fast foods – they are practically a meal on their own, and a healthy, satisfying snack!

Nuts

nuts

Nuts are also a great source of good fats. Different nuts provide different benefits as well! Walnuts, like fish, are an excellent source of omega-3s. Almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, peanuts, pecans, and pistachios are all great sources of omega-6 and omega-9 fatty acids, which are other great fats for help with heart health, blood sugar and cholesterol maintenance. A bonus is that nuts are an excellent source of protein!

The Secret Behind my Favorite Fast Food

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If you’re anything like me, you’ve found it pretty difficult to deal with hunger cravings, the desire to snack, giving up junk food, etc, right?  Especially when you’re busy at work, running errands, doing chores around the house, and all of the various other things that keep us busy each day, even on the weekends!

I really thought that getting rid of all the junk and convenience food would be super hard, but I’ve discovered that lots of healthy stuff is actually just as fast to throw together in a pinch.  The key is really to just keep a few great ingredients on hand all the time.  For example, I’ve gone from stocking my pantry with crackers, chips, noodle packets and the like to stocking my fridge with lemons, limes, and avocados (among other things).

And that brings me to what has become by far my favorite “fast food”:

avocado-fast-foodAvocado with lemon juice, Spike, and citrus sparkling water

1 Avocado
1 or 2 fresh lemons and limes
sparkling water
Spike (also comes in a salt and gluten free version)

This literally took me 5 minutes to throw together!  For the avocado, simply slice open and sprinkle some fresh lemon juice on top, to taste.  I usually like to make sure that the indentation in the center is at least half full of lemon juice.  Then sprinkle Spike, a fantastic all-purpose natural seasoning full of great herbs and spices, on top.  Then eat with a spoon!  I also like to make a quick pitcher of sparkling water and sliced lemons and limes as a refreshing, healthy and virtually zero calorie drink.

Here’s the secret behind why this is such a great fast food snack, especially when you’re feeling hungry and having cravings:

  • Avocados have only around 250 calories each – so even though they seem like a rich indulgence, they really aren’t!
  • They are rich in healthy fat and fiber, which means your cravings for rich, fatty foods will be satisfied and the fiber will help you feel full too
  • They are also rich in potassium, magnesium and iron as well as VItamins A, B6, and C
  • The citrus gives an extra boost of Vitamin C

Personally I’m thinking the whole phrase about an apple a day should’ve been about avocados. :)  Enjoy!