30 August 2010

Decadent Summer Delight: Cheesy Roasted Squash

I never thought to top summer squash with cheese, but it’s actually genius! Thanks to According to Lia for the easy summery recipe.

Make Lia’s Cheesy Roasted Squash!

8 July 2010

The Best 100 Calories You’ll Ever Eat

You guys, I found my new favorite dark chocolate snack! It’s no secret that I’m sort of obsessed with fancy flavored chocolate. But when I want a quick, portion-controlled fix, these 100-calorie bars from Trader Joe’s are a DREAM. I picked some up on a whim last weekend and have been enjoying them all week!

There’s nothing “diet” about this chocolate — it’s just portioned into 100-calorie servings. That’s the BEST 100-calorie pack I’ve ever seen! This TJ’s chocolate is creamy, not too dark, and not too milky (though it comes in milk chocolate also). One of these bars is also pretty moderately sized, so you don’t feel like you’re just getting a nibble. If you live by a TJ’s and have a chocolate fetish, pick some up today!

2 July 2010

Food Advice for Night Owls

littleoneblog asked: What advice do you have for someone who has to constantly pull all-nighters (prob 2 times a week) for work? Ignoring the lecture about how important sleep is (believe me, I KNOW, and I love sleep, but I also love my paycheck) and how I’ll never loose weight until my stress levels go down and my sleep hours go up, do you have suggestions on getting through this?

Specifically, s/he wants to know what kinds of foods to eat at 3am for energy that won’t sabotage her weight loss efforts, and also what to do the next day to stay satisfied.

I have one word for this problem: FAT. If you’re up all night studying or working, fat is going to fuel your brain but not lead to a big crash later (try eating a few cookies at 3am and see how quickly your head starts to drop!).

Something like an avocado (yes, you can eat the whole thing if you’re hungry!) would be perfect. It’s got enough calories and fat to sustain many hours’ worth of studying or working. If your hungry for something more substantial, try fat mixed with some protein and veggies (e.g., an avocado mixed with tomato and onion over a piece of chicken or beef; Greek yogurt mixed with nut butter and berries; etc.).

Mini “meals” like that will tide you over much better than any quick-fix snack food ever could!

14 June 2010

Grown-Up Fish Sticks

Looking for a quick dose of omega-3s? Look no further than your pantry! Canned fish, like anchovies or sardines, makes for a quick and uber-nutritious snack. Wary of that unappetizing fishy taste? Look for smoked fish (like lox!), since it tends to remove some of the fishiness. I recently sampled some canned smoked herring from my local grocer:

“Seasoned with cracked pepper”? I really liked the sound of that! Not to mention the whole bit about “sustainably harvested.” Let’s check out the stats…

Three ingredients: fish, salt, and pepper. We have ourselves a winner! I munched a little bit of the herring, and let me tell you: SO tender and flavorful! Such a great snack. I can see wrapping some in lettuce with shredded carrots for crunch and cream cheese for creaminess. These would also be great on some sprouted grain bread. Or you can just eat some plain for a snack, like I did!

Of course, fresh fish is ideal. But if you can find quality canned fish, it’s a wonderful and satisfying snack option in a pinch!

1 June 2010

Make It: Strawberries & Cream with Nuts

I have a TON of produce right now. As in, Door to Door accidentally sent me a shipment this week when they weren’t supposed to. So dinner tonight was an attempt to eat as much produce as I could. I had leftover salad, but I knew that wasn’t enough for a satisfying dinner. I wanted something sweet, and I also needed some fat. So I cut up some strawberries and added fat in the form of cream and macadamia nuts.

This is a fab snack or dessert — sweet enough to kick a sweet tooth, but enough fat to satisfy as a snack. Try it out with any berry or nut!