The Midlife Fashionista: healthy eating

Quarantine Snacking

I don't know about you, but being home all the time makes me hungry! As a self-professed "junk food junkie", I have to be careful NOT to keep high calorie, high fat, or sugary treats in the cupboard. But I do like a little "something" every now and then to spice up my VERY healthy (mainly) plant-based diet.

I thought I'd share a few of my favorite snacks. Although they may taste indulgent, they are actually very low in sugar and contain healthy ingredients. I'm kind of addicted!

Most of these items are hard to find in the grocery store but readily available on Amazon.

Salty first:

I recently discovered these organic sweet potato crackers which are AMAZINGLY good! One serving size is 16 crackers, which is a generous amount. I eat them plain for munching or with hummus (yummy).

Find them here.

Lesser Evil's coconut oil Himalayan Pink Salt popcorn is my favorite bagged popcorn. It's delicious and a bit addictive. One serving size is 3 cups, which equates to a nice size bowl with just 110 calories. I have a few handfuls just about every night. Let's hear it for whole grains!

I also like the individual bags to limit the portion size.

Find it here.

Sweets:

Aunt Gussie's cookies are simply delicious. They're made with spelt flour, almonds, whole eggs, and canola oil with zero sugar. At 110 calories per biscotti they are satisfying, filling and a great companion to a cup of my favorite tea.

These cookies are difficult to find so I buy a 4 pack that lasts me about a month or so (Richard digs in too unfortunately).

Find them here.

There are times when nothing tames my sweet tooth except chocolate. I recently discovered Lily's products, which are all extremely low in sugar since they're sweetened with Stevia.

The result is a super delicious chocolate candy!

Find the milk chocolate bar here.

Swedish Fish is one of my favorite candy. I LOVE anything chewy (like jellybeans, licorice, etc). With just 3 grams of sugar and 80 calories for the entire bag, I don't feel guilty about indulging. You can find 6 individual (pre-portioned bags) here.

All of this talk is making me hungry! I'm heading to the kitchen now for a quick snack. What's your favorite munchie?

xo Susan

Links in this post may generate a very small commission, but rest assured I only post what I love.

Tuesday, May 05, 2020
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Comfort

comfort food

Our world is upside-down.
We are scared, sad, anxious, worried, uncertain, and depressed. We try keep up a good front, but it can be hard to stay positive during this unprecedented and extremely stressful time.

We seek comfort.
For some, "comfort food" provides a psychological pleasure. For others, spending hours behind the computer screen, on social media, or surfing the net is an escape. And then there's bing watching tv shows and movies, sleeping late and lounging around the house. There's nothing wrong any of these things in small doses, but what we should really be focused on right now is our HEALTH.

Believe me, I'm there with you. I've been eating quarts of ice cream, baking my heart out, sleeping in, and finding excuses not to exercise (it's too cold, I don't have a gym, I'm tired, not enough time, etc. etc.)

As you probably know, I have CLL a form of Leukemia. I am one of the severely immune compromised. After a long conversation with my doctor this morning, a lightbulb went off. He told me that this is the time that everyone needs to keep their immune system strong and healthy. This means strenuous exercise, the best diet possible, and stress reduction. Not only is a strong immune system a line of defense against the virus, but it can also prevent other illnesses like heart disease, stroke, cancer and diabetes. Now is not the time to let our health go for comfort reasons, it's "the" time to strengthen our immune system.

I posted a quote to social media the other day about "giving ourselves permission". Yes there will be days when we just need to sleep in, hibernate or indulge in a treat--but staying healthy should be the #1 priority. After all, we can't afford to be sick right now.  Let's do our best to stay OUT of the hospitals (other than having a baby that is!).

When this is all over (and it will be at some point), let's come out this pandemic with a strong healthy body--not with high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol or other health issues.

Are you with me?

I usually think..."I'll start tomorrow". But instead, I started today. I power-walked three miles this afternoon pushing my pace. I went back to my old diet (pescatarian) and I threw out any junk-food in the cabinet. After dinner I'm going for another walk and then I'll listen to a meditation before bed. For those of you saying "I don't have time for this", you do. You don't have time to get sick. Just do it.
Choose health as your new normal.

Here are some tips that I've found useful:

Peloton's app is free for three months. You don't need equipment or a lot of space to do many of their workouts (which are fabulous). They even have yoga and meditations.
Keep a pitcher of ice water on the kitchen counter as your "go to" drink instead of juices, soda or other sweet drinks.
If you're dying for comfort food make your own healthier versions. I made this eggplant parm recipe the other night and it was great (I cut back on the cheese).
DON'T buy junk-food. Out of sight, out of mind. Stock up on healthy snacks like fruit, veggies, popcorn (my fave), hummus, etc. If you must have something sweet check these out HERE and HERE (I'm addicted)
I'll be getting this portable workout machine soon, so I can pedal while I work or read.
Schedule exercise into your day just like you would an appointment or lunch-date.
Substitute a little agave syrup, applesauce, date syrup (love this one) or Swerve for sugar if you must bake. There are some fabulous healthy dessert recipes out there! Nora Cooks is a great website.
Leave a plate of cut-up veggies out for snacking. I find if they're pre-cut and easy to grab, I'll go for them first (before I raid the cabinets and fridge).
A hot cup of tea has many health benefits and can be filling and satisfying. I drink this one every day...it's delish.
Get a good night's sleep--this has helped me tremendously.
Limit the news you watch.

Please feel free to share your tips.

Stay healthy and safe!

XO Susan

Wednesday, April 15, 2020
4 Comments

Shaking things up this summer

featured

This blog is sponsored by Life Extension.

Getting healthy is my mission. Based on my health history, I’ve recently made some major changes to my lifestyle. I exercise more, cut sugar, eat very little dairy, bread and meat and read the labels on everything that I buy. After all, what you put in your body is key for good health! Smoothies have become an important part of my healthy eating plan as they’re nutritious, filling and taste great. So, when Life Extension asked me to try their WellnessCode®™ Plant Protein Complete and Amino Acid Complex (Vanilla), I was excited to whip up a yummy smoothie!

Here’s why I love Life Extension’s Wellness Code®™ Plant Protein Complete and Amino Acid Complex (Vanilla)…

It’s gluten-free, vegetarian-friendly and made with sustainably sourced pea protein, which has 18 grams of high-quality protein and no soy or dairy. It fills me up and has only 100 calories per serving, 4 grams of carbohydrates and ZERO sugar! The vanilla flavor mixes so well with most vegetables and fruit-so you can get creative with your smoothies!

Summer is the perfect time to make healthy smoothies with in-season fresh fruit and veggies. Smoothies make a great snack and a delicious replacement to sugar filled desserts like ice cream. Wellness Code®™ Plant Protein Complete and Amino Acid Complex (Vanilla) supercharges a smoothie since it’s packed with essential pea protein (which I need since I don’t generally eat meat), and the branched chain amino acids L-valine, L-leucine, and L-isoleucine which support lean muscle mass and liver function. And if that’s not enough, it also contains oat bran and blue agave to promote digestive health and immune support. Plus, it’s absolutely delicious!

It smells so good!

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

I thought I'd share my favorite smoothie recipe with you. It tastes great and is packed with protein and nutrients. It makes a simple and filling breakfast, or use less liquid to make a frosty snack that you can eat with a spoon! Top with walnuts, unsweetened coconut flakes, and sliced strawberries and voila...you have a decadent dessert!

Strawberry Vanilla Shake

3/4 cup water or almond milk (I love unsweetened organic almond milk)

1 scoop Wellness Code®™ Plant Protein Complete and Amino Acid Complex (Vanilla)

3/4 cup of ice cubes

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2-1 frozen banana

4 frozen strawberries (you can substitute blueberries or use both!)

Blend together in a smoothie maker

To switch things up, you can substitute blueberries for the strawberries or mix both for a berry smoothie! Throw in a handful of spinach or kale for a serving of deep green veggies, or if you're a chocolate lover like me, add a teaspoon of raw cacao powder (it's delish!).

Happy summer smoothies! Here's to healthy eating!

Life Extension sponsored this blog, but all opinions expressed are my own. I only promote companies I love--promise!

XO Susan

Wednesday, June 19, 2019
1 Comments