10 Healthy Snack Ideas

Hi All,

This week is all about nutrition and a major part of that is healthy snacking. Yes, I know, healthy and snack are two words that should never be seen together. But so are heart & attack. Plus, eating healthy doesn't have to be what I call B squared, Boring & Bland. So here are 10 yummy snack ideas with recipes.


1. Peas - We put this on here simply because we love the peas. The best part, they don't even need anything. Nature's goodness wrapped in a little present of joy.  I could snack on these all day long.

2. Smoothies - in all their assorted glory.

Power smoothie.  We make this every morning for breakfast. But it could be a healthy mid-afternoon snack. Particularly good on a hot day.

• 1 Banana
• 1 handful of fresh spinach
• 1 cup of frozen berries [blueberries are our favorite]
• 2-4 cups of Almond Milk [depending on how much smoothie you want]
• Directions: Combine all ingredients into your blender and blend until smooth.   

Coconut Strawberry Smoothie. Coconut is awesome. You can eat it, drink it, cook with it, use it for a bra, and even use the oil for everything from frying to skin care. It is basically the polymath of the food world.

• 1 cup frozen fresh strawberries [is frozen fresh an oxymoron?]
• 1/2 cup frozen fresh mango 
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1/2 cup water
• Little pinch of salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract 
• 1 tbsp of extra virgin coconut oil [can omit if you like]
• 1 organic raw egg [for frothiness and protein. If you don't like raw egg just omit]
• Directions: Blend all ingredients except the coconut oil and raw egg. Blend till smooth and creamy. Then add coconut oil. And finally add the raw egg and mix till blended. Don't over blend the egg. Pour in a tall glass [not a plastic cup] sit back and enjoy. If you are daring and bold sprinkle a little unsweetened toasted coconut flakes on top. 

Simple Coconut Fruit Smoothie [yes, we like smoothies]

• 1 can of coconut cream or milk
• 1 cup of frozen fruit of choice
• Directions: Blend. Drink. Relax. To mix it up add other ingredients, cinnamon, vanilla, unsweetened coco powder.

3. Cauliflower Popcorn - We got this from the NY Times. I know,  the NY Times right? They  have awesome little nuggets now and again. 

• 1 head of cauliflower 
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp Sea salt or to taste 
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper or to taste



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Directions: Heat oven to 400 degrees. Crosscut across head of cauliflower to make thin slices. Parts will crumble off. It's ok. Lay the thin slices and crumbled bits on a baking sheet. Brush with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook until tender and starting to brown. About 30 minutes. Take out, put in bowl. Sit down and enjoy a good movie with a healthy snack.

4. Dark chocolate almond cherry clusters - Protein, antioxidants, and a bit of sweetness all in one.  Say  what?  Say yum.

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5. Cashew cluster with almonds and pumpkin seeds - another Kirkland brand, Costco shout out.

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6. Chobani yogurt - Full of that protein-pick-me-up you need to combat that "2:30 feeling."

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7. Apple + peanut butter/almond butter - This is the go-to after school snack for our kids.  Protein and fiber, a great combo to keep you full.

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8. Hummus + carrot sticks - This brand and flavor of hummus is the best we have found since leaving Portland.  Portland is the land of great hummus. And hippies. Which might be why they have great hummus. I wonder what they put in that hummus to make so good...so addicting. Anyway, hummus is great with carrots or other veggies.  Costco carries it and if you go through a large container quickly, that is the place to get it.  But if you don't go through a huge container of it fast enough most regular grocery stores carry it as well. Also, make sure to check you local farmer's market. You'll probably find some great hummus plus you will be supporting a local farmer/hummus maker.

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9. A Lara Bar - These bars are fantastic.  Most of them consist of only fruit and nuts with no sugar added, and they have a good amount of protein.  And then of course there are the more rich ones that do have sugar added, and those are always the ones that our 5 year old always wants to buy.  They can be a little pricey at  $1.39 each, but our grocery store often has them on sale.  

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10. Banana "ice cream" - Our 2 year old does not play well with most dairy products so I discovered that this was possible when doing research about ice cream alternatives.  You start by chopping up a few peeled bananas and putting them in the freezer for a few hours.  Once they have a good freeze on them put them in a food processor or heavy duty blender with just a sprinkle of almond  milk and it turns into a creamy dream.  It is very tasty without anything else but it is also delicious with some peanut or almond butter added, and is more of a dessert with some hazlenut spread added once you have pureed the banana.  Do you have any other suggestions out there for what could be added to this to make it even more amazing?

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BONUS: Water!  Sometimes hunger can be confused for thirst.  Before you go for any snack make sure you are getting enough water.  How much is enough?   You'll know because you won't be thirsty.

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Now that we have shared some of our favorite healthy snacks with you we would love for you to share yours by making a comment below!

The Skinny on Fat

Are you sitting down? 'Cause I am going to tell you something that is going to totally rock your world. At least it rocked mine.

Ready?

Here it comes...

...Fat doesn't make you Fat. 

What!? I know, it is kind of hard to believe.  {Read with me for a bit to find out why this is so, or skip to the bottom to see a great infographic explaining why Fat doesn't make you fat.}

This simple truth is hard to believe because all we have been taught for decades is: Fat is bad. It increases cholesterol,  hurts your heart, and turns your belly into a flabby donut. Fat is practically a poison, right?

We have heard this constant refrain from teachers, parents, advertisers, the government, friends, doctors, strangers, scientists, and a whole host of health groups. 

Unfortunately, all of this well intentioned advice is wrong. Not just slightly wrong but demonstrably wrong.  

To be fair, the issue is not black and white. The problem is all fat has been lumped [pun intended] into a "bad for you" category. That is simply not the case. There are good fats [most of them actually] and bad fats [ones made in a laboratory].

Let's talk for a moment about why it's time to pass on the low fat foods and pick up a slab of fatty bacon. Mmmm bacon. 

Let’s start out with what makes us fat. The shocking answer is: it’s not fat. Recent studies are returning to the idea that sugar and simple carbohydrates are the real culprits behind weight gain. 

Did you notice I said "are returning to"?  In fact, it was only recently that the idea fat is bad for you became popular. For well over a century if someone wanted to loose weight the medical community would recommend a high fat low carbohydrate diet. But in the 50's science began looking at the causes of heart disease and looked at saturated fats as one of the causes. Before the link could be proven the media and do-good government types ran with the story. The only problem? It's never been definitively proven.  {Here is a good read that pools together data from 21 studies which tracked 350,000 people for 14 years and concludes there's no relationship between the intake of saturated fat and incidences of heart disease or stroke}

So what's wrong with Sugar and Carbohydrates? Let me answer the question with a question. What do farmers use to fatten up cows? They certainly don't use fat. Rather, they use low-fat grains. 

I am not going to get into all the technical details, but the simple answer is sugar and simple carbohydrates increase your insulin level. This increase in insulin tells the body it needs to store more fat. Which the body then does. Now, this is way over simplifying things but the reality is if you eat a lot of processed foods, sugars, and breads you are more likely to gain weight than if your eating lifestyle is made up of mostly vegetables, fruit, nuts, and meat.

Insulin molecules

For most of my life I have heard that weight is determined by calories in calories out. And that low fat calories are better for you. But as it turns out, things are a little more complicated than that.  What science has found is a calorie is not necessarily a calorie. Sounds confusing right?

Let me tell a story, I find stories always help me make better sense of confusing information.

Amanda and Amber are sisters. In fact they are more than that. They are identical twins. They are so much alike that sometimes even Amanda and Amber get confused about which one is which. 

Amanda and Amber decided it was time for a nice little get-a-way.  It was time they finally took that trip to Hawaii. And since it was an especially cold winter in their home town, Hawaii was sounding nice. 

Hanauma Bay, O'ahu

Oh they were so excited. But the excitement quickly gave way to the dread that they would need to get into beach shape. It being winter and all they had packed on a few extra "fat keeps me warm" pounds.  

Even though the sisters are very much alike and did almost everything together they disagreed on the best way to shed those winter pounds.

Amanda had always heard the best way to shed weight was to eat less and move more. Which seemed simple enough. Why go to the trouble of creating a whole new diet when you could just ease back on what you already ate.  

Amber had never really bought into the eat less move more theory. Mostly because she had tried it several times and never found lasting success. So instead she decided to do something a bit more radical.  Amber decided to change her whole diet. She would eat more veggies, nuts, meat, and fruit while completely eliminating processed sugars and all grains.

What both sisters agreed on was their exercise plan and caloric intake. They would work out together doing the exact same routine and eat exactly 2,000 calories a day.

Amanda and Amber have 8 weeks to get into rocking beach shape. And they are diligent. They work out everyday. Amanda eats less and Amber eats only meats, veggies, nuts, and fruits. At the end of the 8 weeks both girls are pretty impressed with the progress they've made. But it is very clear that Amber is going to look a little better at the beach. Amanda is frustrated. Why does her twin sister look a little fitter than her. They both exercised the same, ate the same number of calories, and were genetically identical to each other. It made no sense to her. But there it was. Amber looked like she belonged on the cover of Fit magazine and Amanda looking like she belonged on the cover of How to Loose those Last 10 Stubborn Lbs.

We need to ask why one sister had better results than the other? Scientific thinking for a long time has been weight loss occurs when you are burning more calories than you take in. If you want to loose weight you lower your caloric intake and increase your movement. While that is true, it's not the whole story. 

They both have the same calories but which is better for you

Our bodies are designed by nature to process natural foods better than processed foods, which makes sense. I mean evolution is not stupid. Our cave man brothers and sisters couldn't run down to the Kwik-e-mart to grab a bag of chips, a Twinkie, and a diet Coke. They subsisted on diets made up of largely meat and vegetables. With some fruits and nuts thrown in. So their bodies [which are now our bodies] naturally adapted to eating those types of foods. It is interesting as scientists gain a better understand of the health of our prehistoric brothers and sisters they are finding that they were much healthier than us. Even though they were eating a lot of saturated fats.  In fact, our bodies need fats to function. If we didn't eat fats we would die. Our brains thrive on energy from fats. Fats make up ½ of our cell membrane structure. Fats also contain more energy than sugars, which is why our ancestors craved them. I mean chasing an antelope all day takes a lot of energy.  

Here is the key,  there are good fats and bad fats. So how do you tell the difference? It is pretty simple. Made by nature is good, made by some guy in a lab coat is bad. If you ever see the words hydrogenated, partially hydrogenated, or trans fat on a package drop the package and run like an angry mama bear is chasing you. That stuff is deadly.

Coconut Oil. The good kind of fat.

Ok, let’s wrap this all up. Roughly 80% of our weight is determined by what we eat. Grains and Sugars trigger the body to increase Fat Production. To be a little healthier make sure a majority of your diet is made up of veggies, meats, fruits and nuts. Eliminate or at least significantly reduce any intake of processed sugars and processed/whole grains. And make sure to stay as far away from trans/hydrogenated fats as possible.

I know this all sounds crazy. Fats don't make you fat. It goes against everything we have been taught.  I would highly recommend you do your own research. A good place to start is reading Why We Get Fat by Gary Taubes. Also the documentary The Perfect Human Diet has some good info. 

Now I’m off to cook up some bacon and eggs. 

But before I cook that bacon here's a fantastic Info Graphic. I wish I could take credit for it. But alas, I can't. You have to thank the chaps over at Massivehealth.com.  

  

Check back in later in the week when we talk snack ideas and recipes.

Friday link love {on fitness}

As mentioned in our fitness + you post on Wednesday, here are some links to websites and products that can keep you motivated to exercise whether it's at home or at the gym.  My only incentive for listing these links is that I think they are great, and I want to share them with you.

Zuzkalight is a great website to use for at-home workouts, think cross fit at home.  Each workout consists of basic moves like squats and pushups, and you don't have to worry about following choreography.  There is a different workout posted everyday, and a lot of them can be modified if you don't have exercise equipment at home.  The best part?  Each workout is 12-15 minutes, and it is intense.  This workout is just over 14 minutes and is a good example of a workout that you can get a lot out of even without using additional equipment. She shows you briefly what each exercise looks like, and then takes you through the workout.  The goal is to complete as many rounds as possible.  She explains all about her ZWOW workouts here. She also offers more core focused and less heart-rate-peaking workouts like this one.  And by the way, using the website itself is free.

Gymbox offers new workouts each week.  If you enjoy choreography they offer kickboxing, dance, and step aerobics.  They also offer yoga, pilates, core, and strength training.  And if you happen to have a treadmill or stationary bike at home they offer treadmill and cycle classes as well.  They have an app that can be used on your tablet, pc, or on your tv via many internet browsing devices such as roku.  They offer a 15 day free trial and you can view sample classes here.  If you decide it is for you it is only $10 a month.

I heart Lululemon and the get-to-the-gym motivation that can come via a new piece of well designed, quality fitness wear.  I have this headband [shown below] in black and white.  I love how wide it is, it keeps my hair out of my eyes, it looks cute, and it doubles as a  wear-all-the-time-while-I-grow-my-hair-out piece.  It is an affordable lululemon piece and a nice addition to any fitness wardrobe.

These pants are also Lululemon [shown to the right]. Their pants are pricey but worth the money because they fit so well, they are sassy, and they last forever.  Sassy pants are an important part of any workout, especially when you have a date with the treadmill - they make you run faster.

Says our 2 year old every day in so many words!

Sorry clementine is a recent discovery of mine.  This girl started out sewing pieces and selling them on etsy.  She has some well designed and unique pieces, I am a big fan of a lot of her hoodies.  They look great with a pair of skinny jeans, but are sporty enough to wear to the gym. I am seriously coveting the one to the right in all of it's asymmetrical, large buttoned, and colorfully hooded glory.  You can find her on facebook here, on etsy here, and if you live near SLC she just opened a brick and mortar location, address here.

Check back in next week when we talk nutrition, and we might even throw in a completed DIY project for kicks.  Until then I will leave you with a song from Imagine Dragons.  We saw them live last year, their lead singer Dan Reynolds is the man for the job and overall they put off good vibes.  Cause I'm on top of the world...

To do image via - Head band image via - Lulu pant image via

Sassy pants image via - sorry clementine image via

Fitness + you

On Monday I wrote about fitness + me, today my post is all about fitness + you.  Whether exercise is a habit or you want to make it a habit, let's talk tips.  There are so many options out there, it is all about finding your niche and pacing yourself.

Time of day.

Just like getting any habit to stick, choosing a time of day for exercise is a major part of making it a regular part of your week.  So take your pick: early morning, during your lunch break,  while your kids are at school, after work.  What consistently works best for you?

Activity

Does the gym intimidate you or is it beyond your budget?  Go for a walk or a jog with your baby in the stroller.  Find a walking or running partner and chat it up to make the time go faster.  If you prefer to exercise at home check out what is offered on demand with your cable provider, sometimes they have a nice selection for free.  Your local library might also have a nice selection of exercise DVDs or VHS tapes.

If you have a gym membership or want one, group exercise classes are great way to stay motivated.  There are a variety of classes.  Some are choreographed which can make the time go by really fast, and if choreography isn't your thing there are always classes like cycling, bootcamp, or on a treadmill.

Amount of time.

Ease your way into whatever activity or class you are doing.  For example, if you go to a one hour class having not exercised recently don't expect to stay for the full time or you will just end up feeling frustrated with yourself. A simple guideline would be going for 20 minutes each time you attend the class the first week, and 30 minutes each time the second week and so on. That way you can slowly work up to that hour knowing that you will reach your goal in a predetermined amount of time.

A new challenge.

Last year when I realized that Kristian was training for the Ragnar Relay and his first triathlon, my brother Jeff was training for a triathlon, and my Aunt Melanie was training for her first triathlon I felt extreme motivation to challenge myself, especially because they are all at least 10 years older than me.  I wasn't going to go as far as a triathlon. I am not a strong swimmer. But then again, neither is my Aunt Melanie which didn't stop her.  She nearly drowned during the swim portion of her first triathlon, but she did it and as she crossed the finish line she signed up for how-to-swim-any-stroke-besides-treading-water lessons.  She is seriously hard-core and an inspiration.  Anyway, with all of that motivation pulsing through my veins I signed up for my first 10k.  I decided that would be a long enough distance that it would force me to train for it.  My friend Wendy and I ran outside together twice a week and then I usually ran another time each week on the treadmill.  It felt great to train for something, I got extra chatting in with a friend, and I met my goal: to run it (6.2 miles) in just over an hour.  If you are new to exercise or a veteran, it helps to keep it fresh by challenging yourself in a new way and trying something new.

Here I am in all my nerd-glowing glory.  The race started at 10 pm so glow sticks were handed out to light the way.  Races have such a cool vibe.

The winter blues.

Here in Utah we have had temps in the teens and have rarely seen 40 this winter.  So much snow has come that it lost it's enchantment long ago.  Come February, winter can be so depressing.  Because of that it is essential to get your workouts in so that your body can produce those mood boosting endorphins. Changing up your routine in the colder months is a great way to avoid old man winter getting you down.  If getting up early in the freezing cold just isn't happening try going to the gym at a different time of day until spring brings warmer weather and an earlier sunrise.  Or if early morning is still your best bet to get those endorphins going just change your location during the cold months and exercise at home instead of venturing out into the cold to get to the gym.  Most gyms offer the option of freezing your membership, and that way you can still get your workouts in and not allow winter to freeze you.

My final tip is to check back in on Friday for our Friday link love post.  There will be links to some quality resources for getting in some great workouts at home, as well as incentives for getting yourself to the gym, don't miss it!

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Fitness + me

My first connection to fitness was my brother Jeff and his weight set.  I remember hearing him pump iron in his room and thinking he was too cool for school.  Indeed I thought everything he did was cool because he got to do it all, way before I did as he is 12 years my senior.  I realize now that he had two uses in mind for that weight set:  1. To attract girls via the effects of pumping iron.  2. To repel girls (me), by putting that "iron" in front his bedroom door so it couldn't be opened from the outside.  Privacy is valuable with three sisters around.

From a young age I also looked to my Aunt Melanie as a fitness inspiration.  I adored her in every way.  She was on the cusp of teaching step aerobics right when it went main stream.  I remember wishing so much that I could go to one of her classes.  

I begged my Mom to join a gym which I realize is totally whack at the young age of thirteen, but my dreams at that age happened to include a gym. A gym membership was insanely expensive back then, which meant joining one was out of the question.  The next best thing?  Waking up early on Saturday mornings to make sure I caught the hi-lo aerobic show on PBS.  This was after all back in the day when you had to watch television shows when they were actually on, otherwise that was that, you missed your one and only chance. This hi-lo program encouraged ages 10-99 to participate, after all, there was a level for everyone.  Level 1: barely moving, level 2: add some arms, level 3: dude you look like a sweaty manic.  And then to be sure you were on the right track they would ask you to march in place, take your pulse, and their target hart rate chart would flash on the screen.  Next came the big purchase of a VHS step aerobics tape, and a step to be used with said tape.  My sister and I would take turns using the  step and we eventually worked up to using two risers on each side, booyah!

 Around this time I remember thinking it would be really cool to have a job as the boy I was in love with at the time worked, so why couldn't I?  I happened to know the manager at the very gym that my Aunt Melanie had taught at several years before.  One day when a friend and I were out for a bike ride we ended up stopping in the gym to say hello and I was offered a job to work in the kid's club.  I remember riding home as fast as my legs could go to tell my parents the good news.  I had a job (at 14) and I finally could go to a gym, and I had accomplished this all on my own.  Soon after I started my new job I remember going to my first step aerobics class and feeling exhilarated,  and I didn't have to do that same step aerobics VHS tape for the 52nd time.

90s flashback anyone?  Leotards, hi-tops, spandex, action!

Thanks to my fitness idols igniting my fitness buzz and the free gym membership I scored via my first job, fitness has enhanced my life and I feel passionate about passing that buzz onto others.  I have taught group exercise classes over the past 10 years including kickboxing, cycling, boot camp, yoga, and step.  And in 2011 I became certified to teach body pump.  Fitness has helped me to recover more quickly after having my babies, it gives me the break I need while raising those babies, and it is something that I can do for me, it is my gig.  I hope to ignite the fitness buzz in you, or maybe it is already there, it just needs to be re-buzzed.


Check back on Wednesday to read fitness + you.

What inspires you?  What are your fitness goals?  Why do you do what you do?

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Heart rate chart via

Friday Link Love

We hope you like this weeks links, we sure do. We go from hipster to hippie with a delicious cupcake tossed in for good measure. I mean who doesn't like a good cupcake? If such a person exists scientists should study them as they are clearly not normal. 

• Wooden Bow Ties: Nothing says hipster like a wooden bow tie. 
• Oh So Delicious Cupcakes: Ever since we left Portland we have been in cupcake withdrawals. Well we finally found a shop that rivals our favorite cupcake place of all time, Saint Cupcake. If you are in SLC you have to try One Sweet Slice. Simply divine. Plus their shop is oh so cute.  And don't miss out on their wedding cakes. 
• Great Wall Art: Speaking of Portland, a couple of years ago one of us received this great poster of Portland neighborhoods {custom framed} for a birthday present [you get one guess who was the giver]. Portlandians love their neighborhoods. Each one is a little different and all are quirky. Especially the ones with the hippies. We have this hanging in our front room and we love how it reminds us of the memories we made while living there for 5 years. 
• Costume Fun:  Helen Saba, of Australia, loves to dress up so much she decided to dress up in a different costume every single day for a year. Fun people make the world a better place.
• Good Reads: Following up on Kristian's top 25 books list post we wanted to make sure you know about Good Reads. A great place to keep track of all the books you've read, or want to read. Get great recommendations, and connect with friends who have the same interests. Or surreptitiously find out who is reading 50 Shades of Gray. {Naughty. Naughty.} Make sure to click our names {Em and Kristian} to add us as friends. 

Spice up your Spice Rack

Em and I have a friend named Taryn [name not changed to protect the innocent, because Taryn is wonderful]. A few years ago her husband hit the ripe old age of 30. Thirty is a significant birthday. It’s officially the age when you become an adult. I know, 21 is the official government recognized age of adulthood, but most folks in their 20’s are still in college, single, and blissfully unaware of coming responsibilities. But something happens at 30. I can’t really explain it. You feel like it is time to move into a new phase of your life. To shrug off the things of your youth and step into the life of adulthood.

From comic Poorly Drawn Lines

Taryn, being a wonderful wife, threw her husband a great 30^th birthday party. She rented out a cozy little place, secretly invited all of his friends, and whipped up the delicious food for the evening. It was a wonderful moment for him. Here he is, surrounded by close friends and family celebrating a significant day in his life.

What does this have to do with spice racks you ask?  Stick with me for a few more sentences and all will become clear.

Last year Emily turned 30. You'd hope that I would have followed in our friend's shoes and properly celebrate Em's day. But I didn't. I dropped the ball. I was the complete opposite of Taryn. I didn't do anything special. I didn't make a big deal of her big day. In fact, I don’t even think I gave her a gift until the day after her birthday. And that gift was something I spent 10 minutes on [a quick trip to World Market to pick out a necklace. It was a cool necklace…but still…] Emily was, how can I put this delicately, none-too-pleased. I mean I blew it. I totally muffed. I was a very bad husband.

Clearly this year I had some making up to do. SIGNIFICANT MAKING UP. It was the Mount Everest of making up.

Everest, smaller than the trouble I caused myself.

I couldn't erase the disappointment I caused last year. But I knew if I put some thought, heart, and soul into her birthday this year, I would be able to at least create a memory that will hopefully be longer lasting than the sad and disappointing memory I gave her for her 30^th birthday.

To make up for my sad showing I employed a three pronged strategy. Friends, Food, Function. Guys pay attention.