January 13, 2012
Golden berries
Full disclosure— I’m always hungry and I love to eat. No food is safe from this mouth. But my January resolution was to make a serious effort to boost my overall health. Eat clean and lean, exercise, work in the garden, limit the wine intake, actually sit down and tune in at homework time (is there anything else I’m missing?) Last week, I felt energized, bright and balanced. This week…I’m just over it. All I want is to crawl back into bed, watch Downton Abbey with a plate of crispy bacon and gin & tonic chaser. But I’m determined to keep going and here are the snacks I’ve been munching on to keep me satisfied.
This is pure comfort food and it actually fills me up. I’ve been eating this snack everyday post workout.
Arrange on a piece of warm toast— sliced avocado and a sprinkle of sea salt. I like the Ezekiel 4:9 Sesame Sprouted Grain bread.
Raw Vegan Hummus
1 lb. garbanzo beans (raw, sprouted- found at my local farmers market)
2 cloves garlic
1 Lemon (zest and juice (about 3 tablespoons)
½ tsp. cayenne
1 tbsp. salt
1/3 cup olive oil
Blend all ingredients together in a food processor (I used my beloved Vitamix); you may need to add a little water to get the consistency nice and smooth.
You can mix it with your favorite salad dressing or use as a satisfying dip for veggies and pita chips.
Golden Berries
Dried gooseberries or golden berries have been my sweet substitute for my beloved licorice. They are chewy, yummy and tart. I grab a handful on the run or add them to my Greek yogurt in place of dried cranberries. They have no added sugar, are high in antioxidants, have some protein and are considered a super food, so I’m in— did I mention that they sort-of/kind-of taste like licorice?
Green Smoothie
Here’s a great mid-morning or afternoon energy-boosting snack. This smoothie offers a huge dose of super-healthy greens and is so refreshing.
2 large handfuls of garden greens (I use any mixture of kale, chard, spinach-whatever I have on hand)
4 mint leaves
1 frozen peach (you can use any frozen fruit you have on hand, pineapple, mango, berries, etc.)
Juice of 1 lime
1/2 cup of ice
A splash of water
Combine all the ingredients in a blender. You can use any type of blender but I think the Vitamix works best. Blend until smooth.
