Eating Healthy While Dreaming of Cupcakes~

Eating healthy is challenging (as are the 7 pounds that I’m trying to shake) and ANY product in this world that makes eating healthier easier- be it on the road or at home, while still tasting good is a must in my book/kitchen/car.

So because cupcakes have been on my mind as of late (shout out to my cupcake twitter crew!) I decided to make a list of kitchen staples that make my world easier and healthier- while still appealing to my epicurean side.

Legumes (BEANS)

Beans are a great source of protein and fiber, and are inexpensive to make.

Beans are our friends and we should treat them as such. They reduce inflammation of the heart lining and valves- at least according to my dietitian/ CDE, who told me I MUST consume 2 servings a day.

Beans such as Black; Kidney, Baby Whites, lentils (which require no over night soaking and cook in under an hour) and Soybeans make my world easier.

I’m a lover of humus and spicy black bean dip with sliced up veggies. I love the fact that bean dip takes less than 5 minutes to make. I also love the fact that my friends always ask me to bring my bean dips to parties.

I make wicked black beans and brown rice loaded with garlic, cilantro, jalapeno, red onion, and sweet peppers. Like I said, beans are my friends.

Edemame: Soy Beans take 2 to 4 minutes to make and whether you serve them hot or chilled, they taste great. I serve mine with a sea salt, cumin, and turmeric blend.

FYI- Turmeric is also good if you have inflammation and joint issues.

Tofu: I’m a HUGE tofu fan and make a mean Chili Lime Stir Fry with mushroom and Broccoli. Once you figure out how to cook tofu (you need to actually squeeze the water out) tofu really will become one of your favorite things.

Soy Milk: Silk Vanilla and Chocolate Soy Milk ROCK my world daily. So easy to get my 2 servings a day by drinking them.

FOODS THAT TRAVEL WELL

I'm in my car for work, A LOT. Foods that are "Driver Friendly" are KEY.

Apples: Seriously high in fiber and super easy to eat while driving. Plus, unlike most fruits, the “sticky” factor is low. Most varieties only contain between 15 to 20 grams of carbs (more like 12 to 16 when you minus the fiber,) so according to Diabetes Math, they really are the perfect snack. Plus, rumor has it they keep the Dr away.

Cheese Sticks: I could eat the whole bag- but normally stick to one or maybe two, tops.

Trader Joes FIBERFUL Handmade Dried Fruit Bar: Thank you Fran Carpentier for introducing them to me! Super easy and light to carry around (and they are bendy so they fit in the smallest of handbags) to treat a blood sugars that a little low. 14 grams of crabs, 6 grams of fiber and 45 cents a pop!

Trader Joe’s "Just A Handful of Raw Almonds": The bag contains 13 individual bags (with 32 nuts in each) of raw almonds to go. You get a perfect portion of almonds and the individual servings make it super easy to toss one in your bag or briefcase you can read all about the many benefits of almonds HERE.

Larabars: LOVE THESE rawfood snack bars that come in flavors like Banana Bread, Key Lime Pie, Cinnamon roll, Cherry and Apple Pie- just to name and few! Larabars are high in fiber, are weather proof (meaning they wont melt in the heat) and are SUPER DELICIOUS. Rummer has it they are made by fairies and sprinkled with pixie dust and all sorts of good vibeage~

Foods in General

Trader Joe’s Almond Butter- the best $4.99 you will EVER spend. WARNING- Highly addictive – Does not last long in most households.

All Natural Peanut Butter: See Above listing- same rules apply

Portobello Garden Burgers: Low in fat and carbs and 3 grams of fiber. Take 5 minutes to make and are excellent topped with Salsa. FYI, I never eat mine on a burger bun, cause I'm weird like that.

Teas: Teas make me happy! Teas are also high in antioxidants. Might I suggest a nice citrus Green Tea or Celestial Seasonings herb BlueBerry and Tangerine flavors- SO YUMMY. Also, a nice black Chai on a crisp fall day REALLY hits the spot! Add a little Silk Vanilla Soymilk- and you have yourself an excellent Chai Vanilla sans all the crap that Starbucks adds. Plus, it’s a lot cheaper if you make it yourself!

Low Sodium V8 Juice loaded with Mexican or Chili Seasoning. VERY low in the carb department. Here’s the Diabetes Math: 10 grams of carbs +2 grams of fiber = 8 grams of total carbs. BTW, One 8 ounce glass equals 1 serving of veggies. Excellent for Bloody Mary’s as well.

Raw Veggies! Sweet peppers, baby carrots, celery, and hearts of palm - all must haves.

Broccoli: Sauteed in Olive Oil and garlic = AWESOME

GARLIC: IN ALMOST EVERYTHING

Really Good Salsa: Nothing sucks more than a watery, tasteless Salsa. With that being said, a good spicy one makes everything taste better and is fat free and loaded with Lycopene~

Flax Seed Meal: High in fiber, and Omega 3 fats. Tasty in Steel Cut Oatmeal, yogurt, or smoothies.

Wasa Crisp N’ Light 7 Grain Cracker Bread: 3 slices per serving gets you 0 grams of fat and cholesterol, 13 grams of carbs minus the 2 grams of fiber for a total carb count of 11.

Really tasty and taste excellent with dips, cheese and PB & J.

0 % Fat Greek Yogurt: Currently addicted to the Chobani brand,all flavors. Less than 20 grams of carbs, all sorts of probiotics, and only a handful of ingredients that are easy to pronounce and recognizable by name.

Wild Salmon: Great source of protein, antioxidants, Omega 3’s and vitamin E. The Wild salmon is much better for you than the farm raised. Unfortunately, the Farm Raised salmon are fed with corn-Yellow Dent # 9 to be exact. The same corn used to make High Fructose Corn Syrup- stay clear of the Farm Raised salmon – your body will thank you in the long run.

Sriracha Chili Sauce: Not really a food, but a damn fine condiment!

Frozen Sweet Potato Fries: O trans fat, low in carbs and easy on the blood sugar.

Spaghetti Squash: A great replacement for pasta and squash is loaded with vitamins.

Food Should Taste Good Gluten Free Chips: Regardless of whether or not you have gluten issues- these chips TASTE AMAZING.I'm a HUGE fan of the Lime, Multigrain, & Jalapeno flavors!

Ezekiel Sprouted Wholegrain Bread: This bread makes it easy to enjoy a sandwich again. 1 slice contains 15 grams of carbs, 3 grams of fiber, and 4 grams of protein, 0.5 grams of fat and 0 cholesterol. This particular flavor contains “naturally occurring gluten,” but other breads they make do not. Click HERE for a complete list of breads- including gluten free.

PS This bread is found in the freezer section and should be kept in your freezer

Nutella: Cocoa hazelnut deliciousness on a spoon. All natural ingredients and TOTALLY BOLUS WORTHY~

Any other suggestions to keep our kitchens healthy so we can continue to indulge in cupcakes from time to time?