9/04/2012

Snacktime

Let's talk about snacks!

Like everybody else on the entire planet, I like to eat food when I am hungry.  Unfortunately,  when you are trying to become more fit (fitten up?  be more fitter??), sometimes it is hard to come up with something to snack on that is good, and also won't totally blow your calories for the day so you have to have miso soup and an old hunk of celery for dinner.

Obviously, the best, healthiest, and lowest calorie option would probably be some vegetables or a piece of fruit or something, but that suuuuuuucks.  You want something a little snackier than that sometimes, right?  So, today I am going to show y'all some of my favorite light snacks!  Then, in the comments (or by email), you can tell me what you like.  I'm not the final word on stuff, I want some low-cal food ideas, too.


NIBBLY STUFF YOU CAN EAT THAT DOESN'T FEEL LIKE PUNISHMENT!!

DIP:  I love dip.  I want to put dip on everything in the world.  Dip, though, has a million trillion calories and a fuckton of fat in it, especially if you eat as much dip as I do when I want to eat dip.  This is problematic, because I am not the most veggie-loving person in the world, and dip really lubricates 'em so I can slide them down my gullet more efficiently.

Enter Fage 0% Greek Yogurt.  (You prob should get it at the grocery, but that's what it looks like haha.)

You can take a big tub of this shit, and put powdered dip mix in it.  Ranch dip.  French onion dip.  Whatever.  You can also pull out your dill dip recipe and replace all the fatty dairy stuff like sour cream and mayo and stuff with the yogurt.  No problem.  I am sure you can use regular yogurt, but it would probably be runny and not good.  The greek yogurt is PERFECT for dip because it is so thick.  It also comes in a great tub with a lid, so you mix it right in there and put that cocksucker in the fridge, and you only dirtied a spoon making it.

One cup of Fage Greek Yogurt has 130 calories, plus the negligible amount of calories from your herbs and all that in the dip mix.  I can't even eat a whole cup of dip, it's galling.  So, have a half or three-quarters cup, and a trough of vegetables, and you're filled up for under 200 calories.  I have this shit with lunch almost every day.  DIP!




CRISPBREAD:  So, you have some hummus, or some tuna or crab salad, and you want to scoop it up with something that is crunchy and cracker-like, but you have no self control around crackers.  Because of this, you have to live your life like you're in a Sarah McLaughlin dog commercial, only instead of being sad about being an abused dog about to be put down, you're sad because you're about to get cracker-fat.  (The same song will play if you are an abused dog or cracker-fat, don't worry.)

Now, imagine you can have some cracker things that are 12 calories for a cracker the size of a playing card... and that cracker has, like, 5 grams of fiber, so if you have a few with lunch, you're gonna crap your brains out.  IT'S LIKE A DREAM!  No, it's not... it's GG Bran Crispbread, the cracker thing that isn't THAT good, but it's certainly good enough.  Eat like 5 of them or something!  Eat twice that, pig the fuck out, then crap all day long tomorrow.  They're kinda bland, but the stuff you're dipping (DIP) is gonna be good, so who cares.  What matters is that they are crunchy and act like a cracker replacement, and they are good for you.  

They should let me make a commercial for them.  I already came up with a slogan, "GG Bran Crispbread....They're Good Enough!"

ICE CREAM:  Let's say you wake up one morning, and it is a great day to be your chronic depression. The depression is in full frolic, and all you want to do is the bare minimum to keep up the appearance of not being a morbid puddle on the ground.  You get out of bed, change into different yoga pants, brush your teeth and then it's quitting time!  Time to eat ice cream on the couch and watch Antiques Roadshow for the next 14 hours!!

Wouldn't it be great if you could sit there and eat the whole pint of ice cream, and not erase every calorie you burnt doing Sweatin' to the Oldies when you you were briefly deluded into thinking you could be one of those sporty people???  WELL!  Have some Arctic Zero!

Arctic Zero is like a protein shake made into ice cream.  It doesn't have a bunch of artificial sweeteners in it, and it even has some fiber.  OH, AND IT IS ALSO 150 CALORIES FOR THE WHOLE ENTIRE PINT.  Get the chocolate-peanutbutter flavor, though, because that one has a much nicer mouthfeel.  The other ones are a little icy-textured.  It's pretty good, and if you remember that it is 150 for the whole thing, it suddenly is the best ice cream ever.  If you have the recommended serving size, it's only 37 calories or something.  I get more calories than that when I breathe too long in the kitchen when Drew is cooking himself some real food.

SHIRATAKI NOODLES:  40 calories for 8 ounces of noodles!  They are weird noodles, and a lot of people hate them, but I can't live without having pasta constantly.  So, instead of eating pasta every day with a side of self-loathing, I have shirataki most of the time, and really-real, awesome pasta whenever I make good homemade sauce or something that is worth having the real thing.  Like I said, a lot of people don't like it, but I like it alright.  It is better in asian-style sauces, and not that great in tomato sauces (but I don't much care, the giant bowl of noodles for 40 calories is pretty persuasive.)  I've even made tuna noodle stuff, and doctored it up to make a good-enough version of just about any pasta dish I get a hankering for.

House Foods Shirataki Noodles!

The secret to getting them to taste good is this:  Get the thinner noodles (either spaghetti or angel hair)...drain them in a colander...then, dump a ton (like, seriously, a half cup or something) of salt on the noodles in the colander, scrub the salt around in them for a minute, and let them sit in the colander in the sink while you get the rest of your ingredients together.  Then, come back and rinse the salt all the way out and drain/squish out as much water as you can.  This gets rid of any weird taste people say they have, and it seems to improve the texture a little, too.  Mainly it gets rid of the taste of the water they are packed in.

M&Ms:  Let's be real here.  I don't know about y'all, but I can't stay on a diet if I am never going to be allowed to have anything good.  It's much better to let yourself eat anything you want, and just be mindful of how much you are eating.

If I have a day when I've eaten all my fruits and vegetables and been generally healthy, and did a little workout or something, I might have some M&Ms.  Specifically, I will have a regular size (not king size) bag of Pretzel M&Ms.  Did you know that a whole bag of those only has 150 calories?  I didn't, until I was going to get some Rocher (my previous go-to candy treat), and picked up a bag and read the label.  That's not bad.  Sure, it's sugar and flour and food coloring, but you get that satisfying frisson of buying candy for the hell of it, with minimum damage to your macros for the day.  YEAH, I DON'T GIVE A FUCK.  I'M GONNA BUY THAT CANDY.  DEAL WITH IT.


***************************************************************************

As you can see, I basically just want to eat hors d'oeuvres and pasta and dessert.  The foods I listed are the foods I crutch along on, that help me keep from overeating.  Aside from that stuff, and a couple other crutch-type foods, I usually just eat meat and produce and rice.  My family is little, and my kid only eats Spaghettios and hummus, so we usually just make a few pounds of chicken in the oven, make brown rice in the cooker, and eat leftovers for dinner all week. Cooking for just a couple people is a pain, so we got it streamlined.  We warm it up and add produce or condiments or turn the leftover meat into tacos, and blah blah blah.  Then, we go get pho once or twice a week, and that's it!  In the winter, we might also make a big pot of onion soup or something to keep in the fridge.  Boring as hell!  

Basically, I have to keep a tight rein on my shit because I work from home, on the computer, and that burns zero calories ever.  Seriously, I think my BMR is 1100 calories or something, I'm like a sloth.  I've always been a little fluffy, but nothing that bothered me.  When I got pregnant, I was a size 8-10, but then I got horribly sick and got preeclampsia, and was gaining 15 pounds of water weight a week for the last couple months (I know it was all water because I couldn't eat anything, and it was all in the pitting edema in my legs).  When I got out of the hospital, I weighed two (2) hundred (00) eighty (+80) pounds.  280.  I've lost more than 100 pounds since then, and am wearing a 12-14, and that's fine with me.  But it's a lot of work!  This post might have been boring to you, but a lot of people email me about this stuff.  I watch my food even on days I don't get gussied up and do my face and hair and all that, so it's a more major hobby of mine than the makeup stuff, I guess.

One last thing... last time I mentioned dieting, I got mail from people (not a lot, like 2) who were hella ticked that I had the audacity to talk about dieting, and tried to tell me off for being hateful to fat people.  Obviously, they had me confused for someone who gives a fuck about people bitching at me, or who gives a fuck about what size other people are.  I am neither, and there are actually about 9000 other things on the list of things I don't give a fuck about (if you were wondering.)  I like to go to the Nordstrom semi-annual sale and be able to buy stuff.  I don't have the attention span to find clothes I like in plus-sizes.  Also, I have chronic depression, and being overweight and not exercising makes my depression more pit-like, and makes me wish I was dead.  THAT'S IT, THAT'S MY MOTIVATION.  I'm not out to body-shame people, or to appraise people's value based on their BMI, or trigger eating disorders or whatever the hell else people want to accuse me of.  I'm not going to feel bad about doing what I gotta do to take care of myself, and I don't think it is appropriate that someone would read something like this and extrapolate that it is some kind of hate-screed.  I just thought that I would get that out of the way so people can proactively can it, in case somebody feels like bitching at me about any of that.  JUST GETTING THAT OUT OF THE WAY.  SAVE EVERYONE SOME TIME!!  It's ludicrous that I should even have to include this in my post.

In the comments (or via email), tell me what kind of light snacks you like.  I actually would very much like to get more ideas for super-easy, healthy-ish snacks/convenience meals you like.  If I get a bunch of good suggestions, I will make another blog post so everyone will have the whole list in digest form, so it is easier to read!  Yay!  BFFs!!!

218 comments:

  1. ever try wasa bread for crisp bread... the light and airy one is delish or the sesame!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Seconding the Wasa crisp bread, with hummus or those Laughing Cow wedges on top!

      Delete
    2. 3rd the Wasa crisps. I make tuna salad, but use spicy mustard instead of mayo and slap some on those suckers... does the trick!

      Delete
    3. Anonymous9/05/2012

      +4 on the Wasa Crackers as well as Kavli Crispy Crackers. I too love some dip & it's obscene how much dip I make (i.e. nearly daily). I'm on a fat-free cheddar & onion dip kick lately. I use Chobani Greek instead of Fage though, just a difference in tartness that I prefer.

      I also make my own fat-free & sugar-free sorbets (fruits, pumpkin, etc) using that Cuisinart Ice Cream maker thingy. While I haven't made a perfect batch, I'm getting damn close.

      I make a cauliflower pizza-crust pizza that satisfies my pizza needs without porking out my arse.

      Fat-free pimento cheese hard boiled eggs. Well hard-boiled eggs made just about anyway works for me too.

      I also make my own pickles….super easy & much more tasty than store-boughts.

      Last year I lost 48 lbs on the Dukan Diet & yes I've maintained that weight loss just fine (so screw you Dukan haters). One thing Dukan recommends is a daily oat bran "pancake" which is basically oat bran, egg whites, Greek yogurt & optional sweetener). That little pancake is golden at thwarting the evening munchies & really leaves you feeling pretty full.

      Delete
    4. Me too on the Wasa. They make a super thin 100% rye cracker that is good with cheese. The thinness gives you lots o' flavor with few calories.

      Also, **kale chips*!! I have wowed people with these, even good cooks who have tried to make them but failed. Herewith, I pass on my tips, gleaned from the best recipes.

      1. Tear the kale into roughly 2" X 2" pieces.
      2. Important: If you must wash it because it might have bugs or pesticides on it, make sure it is **completely** dry.
      3. Put it all in a bowl and massage good olive oil (EVOO is super) onto through those pieces until they glisten all over. They can take some rough handling - it's kale after all, not spinach.
      4. Spread in a single layer on a cookie sheet and bake in a pre-heated 325 degree oven. Check after 10 minutes, but it might take up to 15 minutes. Watch closely - it goes from done to burnt in about 1 minute. Should be completely dry but not brown except possibly a few edges.
      5. Add salt (never do this before baking, always after).

      Yum - you can eat a ton of kale this way because it is light and crunchy and nothing like any other way of eating kale.

      Enjoy!

      Delete
  2. Those little Baby Bell cheeses? In the red wax? The light version of those little suckers are SO GOOD.

    Also, Laughing Cow cheese wedges go a long way and taste really good in celery.

    I'm freaking hungry now.

    ReplyDelete
  3. OMG, Arctic Zero and that Greek yogurt dip trick just improved my life x 1,000,000.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I love me some hummus, so your kid is pretty rad in my book. Whenever my man is out of town, I will have hummus and triscuits for dinner, or sorbet. Heh. I am lactose intolerant, which really sucks my will to snack on most stuff. Sometimes I get all high and mighty and buy an ice cream at the circle k, like a rebel or something. But, I digress.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. arctic zero is ok if you are lactose intolerant! i forgot to mention that.

      Delete
    2. Sweet, I will totally try it. Soy ice cream blows donkeys, coconut milk ice cream is a bit better and almond milk ice cream is pretty rad. I hadn't heard about arctic zero until today.

      Delete
    3. i have this problem too! my favorite (nondairy-wise, not healthwise, 'cause i'm going the refuse-to-read-nutrition-information-and-just-use-common-sense-in-portioning route 'cause if i start reading the calorie info then i get calorie obsessed and gym-obsessed and go to The Bad Place) (TMI) (anyway)

      my favorite nondairy ice cream is/are tofutti cuties, specifically the key lime flavor (and the wild berry flavor, but i haven't been able to find that for years)---SO good. so creamy. you can't believe it's not ice cream.

      also, if you have a trader joe's in your area, they make a soy ice cream in a "cherry chocolate chunk" flavor that i CANNOT GET ENOUGH OF. the creaminess! the giant blach cherries! oh my god. more please.

      i realize that these are both soy options. trust me. i know that soy dream is THE WORST and omg don't even get me started on rice dream and soy delicious AAAAAH SO BAD so anyways. the above two are great. i promise.

      Delete
    4. i can't buy a box of tofutti cuties, i will eat the whole thing.

      Delete
  5. I don't pay a lot of attention to calories but I try to keep healthy snacks around because otherwise I will just eat cookies all day long. I sort of rotate around the following-

    - hummus with high quality tortilla chips or carrots or pita or anything
    - applesauce (in the little cups you get for kids, yep)
    - yogurt with honey and on good days, berries. Protein is good, fills ya up. Plus, good for the gut.
    - those health-food-store fruit leathers
    - lil' hunk of sharp cheese. Probably not that healthy, but a little goes a long way.
    - some sort of good-for-you wholegrainy cereal

    And I ain't gonna lie, I'm with Misty... babybel is awesome. Also the spreadable laughing cow (or any cream cheese, or goat cheese) spread on baguette slices with honey drizzled on top... soooooo good. Probably unhealthy but not TOO bad...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Basically, I eat like a hippie's kid.

      Delete
    2. Those fruit leathers are dee-licious. I always get the cherry ones. My local big box mart has a good little selection at a great price, so I get a box or two for the man and I to nibble on.

      Delete
  6. Artic Zero is the worst AND the best...if it has been long enough since you had any real ice cream it actually seems like a super treat and you can eat it all at once !!! No way does it taste like real ice cream but that does not stop me!!!
    I just called my BFF and pretty much read her this whole post while laughing too hard for her to be able to understand me...that did not even begin to stop me though.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. did you try the PB/choc one? i didn't like the other ones but that one is a lot better.

      Delete
    2. I don't know how you feel about the Today Show, but they had a show lately where they tested the calorie counts of "light" frozen desserts. In their tests, the Arctic Zero PB flavor was 68% higher, because it had 252 calories per pint, instead of the advertised 150.

      I still love Arctic Zero. I live in a really remote area and I have petitioned our grocery store to stock it. I hope they do soon, it's a good product and I really enjoy it.

      Delete
    3. i did not see that... it's still not too bad, but i should probably slow my roll on that, because an extra 100 calories over my sweet spot on a fairly regular basis is prob a bad idea. i'm gonna check to see if they wrote anything on their site about it, and maybe email them or something. i don't know. i feel betrayed, though, cause i buy a lot of that. i guess it explains why that one is so much better, though.

      Delete
    4. I am kinda glad it is expensive. That keeps my cheap self from buying it too often. I have not tried the PB one and I guess if I do I will split the difference and count it as 200 calories instead of 150 and figure that is good enough.

      Delete
  7. I'm trying to veganize my eating AND i'm on the Weight Watchers, so salsa has become my new best friend. The mild stuff is the BOMB on everything - especially salads and carrots. I use the carrots like shit, practically slurp salsa up. As for the dip, I've read you can swirl up some tofu in the food processor with whatever milk you choose, then add all them delicious powdered flavors.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous9/05/2012

      Salsa has been my jam lately. I My personal favorite right now is mild verde, but it's fun to mix it up. Plus, if you're into cooking (or, you know, chopping) you can make it according to whatever veggies sound good to you at the moment.

      Delete
    2. I love salsas too - especially mango salsa when I want something a little on the sweet side (but still with a little kick). Mango salsa on apple slices with or without a little cheese = OMG!

      Delete
    3. Salsa is the best. But you have to get the fresh stuff. If it can sit on a shelf and not be refrigerated, or expires longer than 2 weeks from when you get it - forget it. Get that and unsalted tortilla chips and you have a low calorie snack that is actually good for you.

      Delete
  8. Listening to Da Dip while reading your post was a highlight of my day.

    When it comes to healthy snack-ey things, I have been sort of experimenting with vegan cooking not because I care about not using animal products, but they tend to be lower in calories.

    I'm sure everyone and their mom has linked the cookie dough dip, but it's pretty good if you have a good food processor or blender.

    http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2011/05/23/want-to-eat-an-entire-bowl-of-cookie-dough/

    It's pretty swell with graham crackers or apple slices.

    ReplyDelete
  9. What you just said about M&Ms is basically gospel truth right there.

    I was feeling kind of meh about reading a post about diet food, but you know what? I can get excited about a dip I can eat without feeling crazy guilty. I'm gonna get on that greek yogurt, srsly.

    Let's see...light, snacky foods... hmmmm. I'm really bad at snacks. Like unbelievably bad. I tend to wait until I'm ravenously hungry and then eat all the things. Hummus and veggies is a good standby. Gosh, I guess I should be reading more things like this for snack ideas.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I second all the people saying Baby Bell. I practically always have a red net package of those light ones in the fridge at work. Unbelievably delicious, and the pacman-shaped wax casing is fun to play with.

      Delete
  10. Well, it's not really a snack, but to encourage myself to drink more water I like to put strawberries or lemons or whatever else into a gallon pitcher of water and leave it in the fridge overnight.
    Sometimes I will just put a few of whatever fruit I want into the bottom of a glass and then cover it with ice and top off my water on that all day.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I do something similar, but with lemon and lime juice. I keep a bottle in the fridge (both at home and at work), and drop a few teaspoons into my glass/bottle of water every time I re-fill it, to keep my water interesting (because I'm a chiiiiild and need to convince myself to drink water, apparently).

      Delete
    2. Anonymous9/06/2012

      All through the summer, my co-worker (super bitch, but she makes some crazy good water) makes cucumber and mint water. Water, add fresh cuke slices, sprig or two of fresh mint, let it chill in the fridge (the longer the better), voila! She always has a pitcher of this shit in the fridge for all to indulge in. Refreshing, no cal, yummy.

      Delete
  11. Anonymous9/04/2012

    Chobani plain 0% yogurt with cocoa powder and stevia is pretty godly if you freeze it. i'm going to try using it to make one of your dip ideas though, i miss dips.

    ReplyDelete
  12. I had the maple Arctic Zero and it was awful. I'm pretty sure it was freezer burnt somehow at the store and I couldn't even scoop a decent spoonful so it went in the trash. I'll have to give the chocolate peanut butter flavor a whirl though!

    My absolute favorite light snack (that I sometimes eat for dinner when I've totally surpassed my calorie limit) is a huge bowl of cucumber diced up with garlic salt and black pepper with a quarter cup of feta cheese crumbles mixed in. If you get the reduced fat feta a whole english cucumber plus that quarter cup is easily under 100 calories. To be even fancier you can splash some vinegar on that sucker. So good!

    ReplyDelete
  13. I love these ideas! I love ranch but have increasingly become intolerant of buttermilk so I might switch to the greek yogurt!
    Also, for the shirataki noodles I suggest after draining and blanching, dry with a couple papers towels (weird I know but listen) then BROIL them for like 5 minutes. It changes the texture SO much! Makes them more tolerable. I love noodles, and I don't usually eat the shirataki ones, but one of my girls is practically carb free and can handle these when they are cooked this way.
    As for crackers, there are some at Central Market (here in Texas, maybe Whole Foods or Trader Joe's elsewhere?) that they sell called Grok cotto al forno crackers. Half the bag is 170 calories and no carbs.
    I suggest trying to lower your carbs. Not by a huge amount, but more so be AWARE of how much you are eating. :-)
    Props to you for being more aware of your body's needs.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. i try to not have too many processed carbs. i don't worry about the ones from produce, but i don't eat much bread and pasta and stuff like that. no cookies. those would send me into a pigout tailspin.

      Delete
    2. There is also an amazing bread called Julians Bakery. They make a zero carb and low carb type bread. They have a low carb cinnamon raisin bread that is 2g carbs per slice. It's decent, especially when it's toasted. Can you use for breading, croutons, etc.
      :-)

      Delete
  14. Peanuts! Just a handful or two of some dry roasted peanuts is both surprisingly fully and pretty low-cal. Plus there's a lot of protein in there, which is good if you're a vegetarian. Which you're not, but I am.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Dude, also, you can easily make microwave popcorn without any oil at all using just a plain old brown paper lunch sack! I throw in 1/4 cup of popcorn kernels, fold the bag over a little bit, then stick it in the microwave until you get about 2-3 seconds between pop. Then you can take it out, drizzle a little olive oil on it and add Mrs. Dash seasoning or something. So tasty and healthy!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. i make popcorn in an air popper, and slap on vinegar salt. mmm.

      Delete
    2. whoa, vinegar salt is a thing? that isn't only in my dreams?!

      Delete
    3. WAITAMINUTE. VINEGAR SALT?

      Delete
    4. OMG VINEGAR SALT???? *DROOL* I never knew such a thing existed!!

      Delete
    5. Vinegar salt?! Do you buy it or make it?! ZOMGWTFBBQ

      Delete
  16. Chocolate Covered-Katie (it's a vegan cooking blog) has a bunch of cool healthy no-bake cookie recipes. I made the mocha ones this week, and they're freaking delicious. Also, I I have a weird love for boiled eggs.

    Oh, and totally agree on the baby bel, but they're kind of expensive.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I love hard-boiled eggs as a snack. Either with a little salt, DIP, or some sriracha sauce if I want something spicy. A hard-boiled egg, hand full of grapes, a bunch of carrots + dip is the best no fuss snack/lunch ever in my book.

      Delete
  17. like christy said nuts are a good choice. whenever i get hungry in between meals or when i know i'm not going to be able to eat real food for awhile i munch on some almonds (salted, duh). a little bit goes a long way, they really fill you up. over the weekend i went to an all day, outdoor concert and just munched on a big ol' bag of almonds and i was good to go all day. hard boiled eggs are good too.

    my mom's favorite snack is cheddar cheese rice cakes with hot sauce. very low calorie and a lot of flavor. also spicy foods supposedly help speed up your metabolism. not that they're a miracle worker but i'll take any help i can get

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Almonds are delicious! Fresh and Easy has these cinnamon sugar ones and I have to be careful because if I don't ration myself out just a handful, I will eat too many!

      Delete
  18. Hi Natalie! I love how honest and humorous you make your everyday life! :) I am in the same boat as you with food struggles. I have never had a child, but the stress from my day job ballooned my weight and for the last few months I have been working really hard to get some of the weight off and make better food choices. I would eat alfredo pasta and burritos every day if I could, lol.

    My favorite snacks:
    - fat-free yogurt and a chopped up banana, apple, or some cantaloupe (for some reason, I can trick myself into thinking this is a dessert!)
    - Bare Fruit Apple Chips; so good, and very few calories while being crunchy and satisfying like potato chips
    - cucumber slices with salt, pepper and balsamic vinegar; I love cucumber, and if I'm not too lazy to cut one up, this makes a pretty good snack

    ReplyDelete
  19. Greek Yogurt with smoked paprika....hebben. Also, sea weed snacks, wasabi flavored. 60 calories for the entire pack. I like to munch on them while I drive for work (a snack only on two hour drives or more, anything less and I am not allowed to eat in the car).

    ReplyDelete
  20. Anonymous9/04/2012

    Hummus and veggies. Usually carrots, for me, but I guess you could stick just about any crunchy vegetable in there. Or non-crunchy. Whatever you want.

    I don't even like carrots really, but hummus makes everything awesome.

    I am also lactose intolerant so my boyfriend suggested using hummus for protein in sandwiches and it's actually really tasty and satisfying.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Roasted chickpeas! Crunchy amazingness. Take a can of chickpeas, dump in colander, rinse, dump on cookie sheet with tea towel underneath and let those suckers DRY for a bit. When they're dry enough, dump them off the tea towel and onto the sheet, drizzle on olive oil (or vegetable or grapeseed or whatever makes you happy) and salt and any other spice you want. I'm fond of garlic pepper. Put them in the oven at 425 until they look all toasty and dry. Lots of protein and fiber and satisfies that crunchy/salty craving just fine.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous9/06/2012

      Sounds amazing! But, what's a tea towel?

      Delete
    2. A tea towel is a woven cotton or linen towel; a terry cloth towel (loop type weave) is not the same.

      Wikipedia says: "A tea towel (English) or dish towel (American) is a cloth which is used to dry dishes, cutlery, etc., after they have been washed."

      Delete
  22. Anonymous9/04/2012

    Celery with peanut butter on it. Yes, PB is high in fat blah blah but on a celery stick is not a big amount and the protein will stick with you longer. Almonds in those 100-cal packs.

    A sliced up avocado with cilantro, a dash of salt and whatever herb things I got around, and a small drizzle of olive oil. Hell yeah. Avocado has the good fats, not the nasty shit! And will fill you up!

    ReplyDelete
  23. You make me giggle! I work 8-6 everyday and have to pack breakfast, lunch and multiple snacks in a variety of sizes of tupperware in order to get through the day. It's an exhausting part of life. I love to eat a nectarine, a couple....literally only like 5 or 6 wheat thins and put laughing cow cheese on both. It's delicious. I especially like the garlic herb flavor! Oh, and the cheese is good melted on pasta too....never tried it on shiritaki though.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Hi Natalie! Love the post!

    Snack ideas:
    - edamame (served warm, not cold)
    - cottage cheese with half a serving of Snyder's Pretzels Snaps (square shaped & perfect for dipping)
    - peanut butter with banana/apple/pretzel snaps mentioned above
    - boiled eggs
    - smoothies made with a base of frozen bananas & yogurt.

    I feel you on the "I'm not going to feel bad about doing what I gotta do to take care of myself." While I have not gone to a professional to be properly diagnosed, I can tell that I have a tendency for depression. A few years ago it was really bad and there was a lot of crying and thoughts of suicide. I also have a family history of autoimmune diseases, which again, I haven't gone to a specialist for, but there are signs of it. Hell, I could also be a hypochondriac. Anyway! Working out has improved my life tremendously! Exercise is my medicine. I didn't work out for about three weeks straight a few weeks ago and I felt like shiiiiiiiiiit.

    I appreciate your posts and your honesty. Tell us more about what actual work outs you like doing. Any particular programs, classes, dvds, equipment, etc.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sorry to hear about your maybe diagnosis. My husband has depression run in his family and he is on antidepressants... which have helped 100% turn things around. It's not like he never had bouts of 'bad thoughts' but they don't last as long and he can usually use cognitve therapy to help get himself out of it. Anyway, I'm no pro either. Just a tip to go see your doc. It's helped a bazillion times over for us.

      Also, if you like exercising and you are from the midwest or Canada, I would try Running Room. They do groups runs (or walks) for FREE (FREE!!!), twice a week. You can also sign up for a clinic if you have a specific goal in mind. All levels, from walking for beginners, all the way up to a full marathon.

      Delete
    2. I've been through the whole depression thing too. It's worth it to get properly diagnosed, as you said. Diet and exercise are great ways to help keep depression from kicking your ass, but it can be a serious medical issue and your regular doctor should know about it. A good GP or gyno should screen for depression during a visit anyway. There are a couple short questions that can reliably show who may be at risk, and should be refered for further treatment. So if your doc doesn't ask, definitely say something or contact another resource if you don't feel comfortable. Depression is a weird thing and is different for everybody. The only thing that for sure doesn't work is ignoring it. Good luck to you and here's hoping you just have Morgellon's and Natalie will mock you in a comic and make you famous.

      Delete
    3. PS. I like Honeycrisp apple slices and peanut butter.

      Delete
  25. HI Natalie,

    I also cook for two people and I like to try and cook big batches of stuff. But when that fails (like tonight), I go for a combination of snacks.

    A few on my list these days:
    - watermelon & low fat feta salad
    - peanut butter and celery (portion out your PB first...then use as dip)
    - I also do spaghetti squash with tomato sauce like pasta except I recommend roasting it instead of boiling it. If you want to eat as much as I do, you will be bloated all to hell and can't digest anything for a day...that shit absorbs water
    - If I am going to have a bit of a bad snack like chips, candy or cheese and crackers, I make sure to have a protein shake first (just with water). At least my blood sugar will not spike and make me a little crazy.
    - air popped popcorn (no oil) and then add on seasonings like cayenne pepper, salt, and a bit of parmesan cheese...or cinnamon, splenda and salt. You can spray with some butter flavour pam to make it stick.
    - homemade popsicles from sugar-free soda, green tea/honey, or chocolate protein shakes (add a bit of greek yogurt to make them extra fudgy)
    - I also make these around the holidays when everyone is baking cookies and I can't resist. I think they are one weight watcher's point for two cookies: http://caloriecount.about.com/weight-watchers-apple-oatmeal-cookies-recipe-r283823
    - Since Halloween is coming up, I thought I would mention that I have a supreme weakness for halloween candy. I have made two rules for myself and so far this has been a good plan for a few years: never buy halloween candy, ever (sorry kids) and I let myself have some, but only after halloween. That keeps me from going on a candy binge for the entire month of October.

    I like the sound of those crisp breads. Thanks for the tips.

    Christie

    p.s.Just for the record, I did not think you were body-shaming everyone or whatever. This is a blog about makeup and stuff. Everyone reading it probably likes to look and feel good. I like to exercise, which makes me feel good. But I have little will power with food and I also like to fit into my clothes. Crutch foods help.
    p.p.s. Unrelated to food, but have you tried GlossyBox? I just got my first box today. So far so good. I estimate the value at about $80 worth of makeup samples for $15

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This comment has been removed by the author.

      Delete
    2. gotta know exactly how you roast the spaghetti squash. i usually cut it in half long ways and do the de-seeding typical crap and steam it in like half an inch of water, again typical...but i have to use two pans so it is a pain. so this roasting idea sounds interesting.

      for the record, i just throw some pepper and chopped parsley on mine

      Delete
    3. kat c, roasting is almost the same. I cut it in 1/2 long ways, scoop the seeds and put them face down on a cookie sheet in the oven. I can't remeber how long it takes but basically until the squash flesh comes apart easily with a fork. Cooking face-up will make them too dry. Good luck!

      Delete
    4. awesome, thanks. it makes so much sense i never would have thought of it myself!

      Delete
    5. Anonymous9/11/2012

      taking a veggie peeler to some summer squash and/or zucchini to make "noodles" is actually super tasty with red sauce...just sautee it in a pan until they're soft, and slather in the good stuff.

      Delete
  26. 1) Your blog and comics are two things I can always count on to make me laugh until I'm in tears- even when I have had the crappiest day ever.

    2) Fage Greek yogurt is the best!

    3)*For snacking I like hummus or guacamole or hummus/guac (mixed together!) with veggies, on sprouted grain toast, etc.
    *I have really like fruit leathers, but I figured they were still a little more processed than I'd like, so I found these banana's at Trader Joe's that are just flattened dehydrated banana. I think they taste just like banana bread, but smushed. No added sugar. They also have some dried mango that I eat like crazy (my husband hates it, thinks mango's smell funny).
    *Almonds and pistachios are another snacking favorite, but unless I measure out the serving size and then ask my husband to hide the rest, I end up eating way more than one serving.
    *Almond butter with toast
    *Hard boiled eggs with (this sounds gross, but its so good with the yolks) a little bit of yellow mustard.
    *1 Biscotti with a medium coffee (crunchy, sweet and usually can calm down my sweet tooth enough that I don't feel like I need to go buy 5 Starbucks cake pops)
    *Fage Greek yogurt 0% mixed with a spoonful of honey (you decide how big of a spoonful) makes a really yummy fruit dip for apples, bananas, strawberries, etc.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. (oops, "I really like" not "have really like"...)

      Delete
    2. the only way that i eat eggs is with mustard, so no it does not sound gross :)

      Delete
    3. You can make some danky deviled eggs that way. Boil eggs, cut in half lengthwise. Pop yolks out into a bowl. Mush up yolks with a fork and stir in mustard (and something mayo textured if you like - plain yogurt would probably work fine). Stir in salt & pepper (extras: pickles, paprika). Scoop the yolk mixture back into the whites. Refrigerate for an hour or so if you can wait. Devour.

      Delete
  27. Air popped popcorn with brewer's yeast; that shit is the bomb! I put salsa on my salads, I bet it's tasty swirled with the Fage. Wasa bread, hummus, grilled pineapple, beef jerky (for those times you just gotta chow down on meat), frozen pure fruit pops and I love blending frozen berries with my Greek yogurt. It's like a high protein fat burning milkshake.

    ReplyDelete
  28. Air popped popcorn with brewer's yeast; that shit is the bomb! I put salsa on my salads, I bet it's tasty swirled with the Fage. Wasa bread, hummus, grilled pineapple, beef jerky (for those times you just gotta chow down on meat), frozen pure fruit pops and I love blending frozen berries with my Greek yogurt. It's like a high protein fat burning milkshake.

    ReplyDelete
  29. Fuck those people. I don't understand why anyone would take the time to bitch about YOUR blog to YOU. If you don't like what someone has to say, quit reading, asshole.

    Snacks! I love caramel corn rice cakes with a little low sugar jelly. Or a handful of Cinnamon Toast Crunch. Or air popped popcorn with bacon salt. Junior Mints are pretty good for calories

    ReplyDelete
  30. Peanut butter. Actually White Chocolate Wonderful by Peanut Butter & Co. It's not like regular normal nut flavored peanut butter. It has a super yummy sugary chocolate taste that totally kills any sugar cravings and also allows you to do the peanut butter mouth smacking thing. Plus it's cheap, less than $4 a jar.

    ReplyDelete
  31. For a tasty dish with less than 75 calories, I like to buy the wide shirataki/konjac noodles and make my own version of beef/vegetable Pho soup with them. Basically I make beef bouillon from the Better Than Bouillon jar, and add fish sauce, sliced ginger, a couple teaspoons of hoisin sauce, cilantro, jalapeno slices, and whatever else I want to throw in like slices of mushrooms and cucumber. Oh, and a shitload of Sriracha. No, there's no slices of delicious beef or whatever in there, but it's also not 500 calories a serving like regular Pho. I'm no purist, people. It's hot, filling, contains vegetables, and is tasty.

    I am so glad you posted the dip idea. I love Fage 0% and pretty much every other Greek yogurt I have tried. I like making tzatziki dip with it. Until now I've just been using lowfat mayonnaise mixed with Sriracha, which is awesome, but this idea lends itself to a whole lot more.

    My new thing for monitoring my nutrient consumption is a bento box for my lunch. I got a cookbook about them, and an insulated lunch jar that has three deceptively-small nesting bento jars that go inside it. It takes me 15-20 minutes to throw together a lunch in the morning and pack it in there. I got the "Ms. Bento" and frustrations about the Patriarchy aside, it actually holds a reasonable amount of food for someone with my basal metabolic rate of 1,480 calories per day. Between the portion control that the bento provides and my kitchen scale, I can tally my daily nutrient load pretty accurately. I eat way more vegetables now that I have the bento jar.

    ReplyDelete
  32. I'm a carb-a-holic, so when I decided that I wanted to lose some weight, I knew I couldn't easily give up the satisfying crunch that crackers provided. I found two alternatives to satisfy my cracker-lust. I highly recommend 34 Degree Whole Grain Crisp Bread. They make several different flavors, but only the whole grain is 35 calories for 9 crackers. The crackers are a little over 2" in diameter and kinda taste like a communion wafer BUT they are an excellent vehicle for laughing cow cheese, egg salad or whatever you want a cracker for. I also recommend Kim's Magic Pop which is similar to a rice cake but thinner and more delicious. It is only 15 calories and measures 6" in diameter.

    ReplyDelete
  33. Oh man. I just put Knorr's Vegetable soup mix in some Fage yogurt and I'm having a hard time accepting how good it is. Thank you.

    My snack:
    I like to get some of the big balls of fresh mozzarella (in the juice) and slice em into disks. Then lay sliced tomatoes (NOT ROMA) of the same thickness on top. Top with whole fresh basil leaves then drizzle with olive oil, salt, pepper, and Trader Joe's aged vinegar. If it's not actually healthy please don't let me know.

    I like when you don't write about makeup b/c I'm a dude.

    ReplyDelete
  34. Emerald Cocoa Roast Almonds are a good snack if you want something chocolate and don't particularly have something in mind. They have a little bit of sucralose in them, but I really hate sweeteners and I think these are pretty great. Almonds do have a lot of calories, but it's better for you than a chocolate bar.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous9/05/2012

      Completely agree. The cocoa roasted almonds have the same amount of calories as normal roasted almonds, you can have 24 almonds for 150 calories (which doesn't sound like a ton, but it's a big handful of them) and they taste chocolate-covered, not just cocoa roasted. I get pretty full with a handful of these and glass of skim milk, which makes my snack about 200 calories even.

      If you're in a salty/savory mood, get one of those big bags of pre-washed kale (I've seen them at Walmart and other places). Grab a cookie sheet (really a jelly roll pan, since it's better have one with a lip), spread out the kale, top with olive oil, and bake in the oven at 350 for about 10 minutes (obviously, this could vary depending on your oven). The kale gets crispy and crunchy in there. Then, you can sprinkle with salt or a seasoning blend and chomp away. My dad calls these "kale chips"- he eats it all the time. He's lost about 50 pounds in the past 6 months just by watching what he eats- limiting carbs, adding more vegetables, etc.

      Also, if you like bananas, try freezing a few (peel them and break in half first), then put them in a food processor and blend until creamy. It has the texture of soft-serve ice cream. You can add in other fruits/berries that help mask the banana taste if you're not a fan- I've even heard of people adding in cocoa powder and tablespoon or so of peanut butter to have the peanut butter cup flavor. Yum.

      Delete
    2. kale chips are the bomb. I go for those over popcorn most of the time now. We keep trying different seasonings, just for fun, and haven't run into a bad combo yet. I love classics like sea salt & vinegar or just using a ranch seasoning blend.

      Delete
  35. I like to make wraps - 1 for a snack or 2 for a lunch. Or 1 for lunch with something else. They're kind of small if you use those little spinach or whole wheat tortillas.

    Tortilla (whatever's your jam)
    Hummus, cottage cheese, both, whatever
    Broccoli Slaw
    Leafy greens of some sort
    Hot sauce, condiments, whatever. (I like honey mustard dressing and Tapatio)

    Then it goes in my mouth!

    Even though it's a little bit more work than some snacks, it's a good mix of protein, veggies, and carbs without being too heavy on either one. And you can vary it up quite a bit using different ingredients. Adding cheese slices is really tasty but I like to also kind of save my cheese points for a bigger cheese binge.

    ReplyDelete
  36. I've had a tub of fage staring at me every time i go to the fridge for a week.

    Thanks to you, it has found purpose, and shall be delishified

    ReplyDelete
  37. A good soda/juice replacer I've found are Izzie drinks. Each can is 90 calories and it quenches your thirst for something sweet and carbonated without the sludgey ingredients of soda or the sugar of most juices!

    Also, I recently bought Calbee Snapea Crisps to replace chips and MAN they are good! A serving is 22 peices, 130 calories, so you can easily satiate your salty cravings without feeling like you gargled with oil.

    ReplyDelete
  38. I eat pretty much all of the same snacks as you, except I do wasa bread for my binge-safe crackers. Yogurt dip is the best! I really like the dark chocolate M&M's. Watermelon with salt is somehow way more satisfying than without the salt. And DILL PICKLES are amazing and pretty guilt free. I tend to eat way too fast and not notice when I get full but chopsticks help with that. PB2 amzn.to/TgOZbG can be an OK replacement for peanut butter but sometimes I want the real thing. I like the PB2 in smoothies or for dipping apples.

    ReplyDelete
  39. For the milkshake lovers out there. . .

    Grab a blender.

    Vanilla Soymilk, Ice, One Banana, and a few squeezes of sugar free chocolate syrup. If you want to get really fancy, throw in a tablespoon of peanut butter or some strawberries.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm a huge fan of "make a smoothie out of it," in general. I know fruit has carbs and calories and sugar, and these are all NOT DIET FRIENDLY but also...c'mon, man. It's fruit! Fruit is totally something I think we should eat more of!

      My strategy is usually to keep a couple of things on hand:
      1. Fat free yogurt (I prefer Greek for the protein)
      2. Whatever frozen fruit is on sale at the store - lots of it (I'll sometimes come home with 5 bags of mango because it was FROZEN MANGO SALE WEEK).
      3. Bananas that I chopped up and froze after they got too ripe to pack in my lunch tote without squishing
      4. Vanilla almond milk
      5. Vanilla
      6. Low cal sweetener (I like stevia or agave)

      I pop about 1/2 a cup of yogurt, 1 cup of almond milk, a few splashes of vanilla and sweetener in the blender with about half a banana and some other fruit and it's REALLY great. I think the hard thing with smoothies is feeling your way around the proportions YOU like most - but while I've made many a "meh" smoothie (and a few "UGH, I HATE YOU, WHY WON'T YOU BLEND...oh, I need to add more liquid." smoothies) - I have yet to make a BAD one.

      I know it sounds complicated but, in large part, smoothies are "throw your favorite things in a blender" and the bases of "yogurt and almond milk" help it stay low-cal.

      Delete
    2. i'm of a mind that you should never sweat produce, any of it, as long as you don't put a bunch of bullshit on it or deep fry it or something. all the fruit, all the veggies...if there is something that sets you off, skip that if you have to, but really, who has ever gained a million pounds from pigging out on apples?

      Delete
  40. If you're a dip fan (and i get the impression you are) you could try my home made tatziki recipe.
    -fat free greek yogurt
    -super-mashed up garlic (not too much 'cos it stays raw)
    -half a cucumber de-seeded and chopped up small-ish
    -handful of mint chopped up fine
    Mix everything up and leave in the fridge for an hour or so to let all the flavours mingle. Then consume. done!

    ReplyDelete
  41. I hate when people have the illusion that if you want to take care of your body, that automatically means you think anyone that doesn't is a fat mess. It's just not true. I'm a big advocate of self love, whatever that means for you. Some people show their love for themselves by exercising and eating right, others by being content with the body they're in. Ok, rant over.

    Snacks! I've seen a lot of stuff I do in the comments already, but one thing I looooooove is carrot fries. Basically, cut carrots into fry shape, toss with a little oil, salt, pepper, garlic, onion, chili powder (or better yet, a little cinnamon and your sweetener of choice). Pop em in the oven at like 400 til the middles are soft and the outside starts to brown. And done! They taste like sweet potato fries, only better! And depending how you season them, they can satisfy the need for salty OR sweet!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. i love that idea! i always have a bag of baby carrots, which i love, but it does get kinda boring. yay you!

      Delete
    2. I hate cooked carrots, but I am definitely going to try this carrot fry idea (mostly because you compared them to sweet potato fries, which I love).

      Delete
    3. Anonymous9/05/2012

      I take sweet potatoes & juliiene them. Toss with a little s&p & cayenne pepper (my fav spice EVER) & roast in the oven. I forgo using any oils to keep the calories down & instead just use a little chicken broth or water if they are too dry for the spices to adhere. Cook on parchment paper to avoid sticking to the pan & roast till done. I also turn the oven on broil at the very end to get a nice crispy crunchy edge too. Good stuff!

      Delete
  42. I'm gluten intolerant so I've had to do some major revamping of my snacking life since I made that discovery. I love apple cinnamon rice cakes with a tablespoon of peanut butter spread on there. Hard boiled eggs are my favorite pre-run snack (two of those is only 140 calories and SO filling). Oh and Lara bars! Those are delicious and convenient--I try to always keep one in my bag in case we're out and about and there's no gluten free friendly food readily available (you'd be surprised how often that happens...). But if you don't like dates you won't like Lara bars, just FYI. They're mostly made up of dates. When my sweet tooth attacks I find that ONE small square of really, really good dark Belgian chocolate is incredibly satisfying. If you can find a US source for Cote d'Or that stuff is THE BEST. I have no clue what the calories are because the packaging is in 3 languages I don't speak, but I can't imagine one small square of dark chocolate can possibly have very many calories.

    ReplyDelete
  43. Snacking is life. My main problem is that when I'm snacking, it's because it's still three hours till dinner and I've got the rumblies in my tumbly, not because I just feel like something munchy. So I like to eat things that will use up some legit stomach space without making me into a balloon. For instance:

    -I don't know if they have them everywhere, but in some fancy groceries they have vegetable dumplings that you steam and that come out to like, 180 calories for six of those little shits. They're not bad, either. (P.s. I originally typed dumpkings. ALL HAIL THE DUMPKING)
    -Guac. OK, maybe I'm fat, but hear me out. Avocados, as we all know, have lots of health benefits. And if you eat it on carrots or sliced peppers instead of chips, it's pretty good for you and filling as all get-out.
    -Apples. I like to slice them before I eat them so I can feel like a kid.
    -A can of tuna has, like, 120 calories and plenty of protein.
    -Pickles. They're like vegetable candy!
    -Canned vegetable soup is easy and quick to heat up, and the homemade kind especially rocks out pretty hard.

    ReplyDelete
  44. Ooo! I forgot to mention what I like as an ice cream substitute!

    Chocolate dipped frozen bananas from Diana's Bananas. I like the dark chocolate. They are a little pricey for me. And yeah, I could easily make my own. Still, super yummy and no one else in my family likes them so I never have to share!!!! Wha ha ha!

    ReplyDelete
  45. I just lost over 30 pounds (WW FTW) so I've been on a quest for low-calorie but no-effort snacks for a bit - but I am in AWE of the idea of greek yogurt + dip packet because I am absolutely addicted to onion dip and eat that shit until there's none left so...will have to try. Also: frozen grapes (wash grapes, throw in freezer, eat - they are really really good), frozen banana + blender + chocolate syrup/cocoa powder/whatever you want to throw at it = soft serve ice cream (it doesn't taste very banana-y if you add things to it, I swear, and it's a great way to use up older bananas.) Take a tortilla or some flatbread or lavash, cut into chip sized pieces, toss in oven on high for about 5-10 minutes, voila - chips for dipping! Take some apples, slice them thin, sprinkle cinnamon, throw them in the oven at around 200 degrees for about an hour (yes, this takes a while but it's no-work time) = apple chips with bonus of making your house smell really good! And yes, this sounds terrible, but I love celery with buffalo wing sauce, I swear.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This is going to sound weird, but if you like sour candy, you will like this.

      Wash green grapes, then while still damp, toss around in lime jello powder (I suppose kool-aid or a drink mix would also work, but I've only tried with jello powder). Once coated in the powder mix, freeze em or just pop them in the fridge. Then nom, and congratulate yourself for not going through an entire package of sour patch kids. Downside, the powder covering does get a little sticky on your fingers after awhile (kind of like the orange powder thing that happens with cheetos, except sour).

      Delete
    2. This comment has been removed by the author.

      Delete
  46. essentially, anything that can be cut up, lightly drizzles in olive oil and coated in seasoning to be baked is a HUGE treat for me. chickpeas, carrots, broccoli, etc.

    ReplyDelete
  47. Ash, above, is right on the money with the cut up/drizzle/bake idea. My personal favourite is kale. Tear the curly leafy bits off of the ribs, toss with seasonings (personal favourites are olive oil/sea salt/pepper/this shit:http://www.presidentschoice.ca/LCLOnline/products.jsp?type=details&productId=19360 or sesame oil/tamari soy sauce/sriracha), and bake. They don't taste like potato chips, because they are obviously made of a leaf, but they are still delicious.

    ReplyDelete
  48. So many great suggestions here!! I totally second whoever mentioned edamame. One of our grocery chains sells a store-brand of frozen organic veggies, including edamame in the pods. Just toss some in a bowl, cover, microwave for like 3 minutes, and sprinkle with a little sea salt.

    Also love plain raw almonds. I can't do peanuts, but love almonds.

    I used to friggen LOVE those babybel light cheeses. Worth every penny. Unfortunately I had to cut way down on dairy this year for skin reasons and it seems to help so I'm sticking to it. but those things were so great.

    On the limited-dairy front, I switched to Almond milk and I love that stuff. 1 cup of it, even if you get the kind that has some sweetener added, is only 60 calories and is delicious. It's good on cereal and I use it to cut some of the half-and-half I put in my coffee (I can't completely give up half-and-half). It's also what I put in black tea. My preferred brand is Almond Breeze by Blue Diamond. Silk makes one that has an unpleasant grainy texture but the flavor is OK.

    ReplyDelete
  49. Anonymous9/05/2012

    Thomas' makes a fiber-y english muffin that's only 100 calories. Toast that up and spread it with some 35 calorie a wedge laughing cow cheese. It's delicious, 135 calories, and makes you feel like you just ate a bagel slathered in full fat cream cheese. Also, I like to snack on Greek yogurt because (as you know) it's all thick and protein-y so I don't feel like gnawing on my arm 20 minutes after my snack. I like the honey flavor by Dannon Oikos, but they have fruity ones if that's your thing. And for your sweet tooth? Skinny cow or Weight Watchers fudgecicles. They taste like chocolate soft serve- yum.

    ReplyDelete
  50. Something I make every now and again that is super filling and calorie/nutrient dense is a whole-wheat bagel half from Aldi. Toast that shit, then put light cream cheese, Laughing Cow, or peanut butter on it. Then thinly slice some pears or apples or whatever and put it on there. Carb, protein, bam! Delicious!

    ReplyDelete
  51. I like to eat snacks so much, and often I'll have my lunch in a snack-form. I get out a plate, either a small one or a big one, depending on my snacks. Onto this plate I will put: some chip things (I really like the quacker rice snack things in dill pickle), baby carrots, sliced cucumber with a bit of salt+pepper, a handfull of unsalted cashews, a babybell cheese, maybe some sugar snap peas if I'm not in the mood for cucumber, and maybe a slice of avacado (with hot sauce to dip. so good!)
    I will then eat a piece of dark chocolate.
    Perfect snack snack lunch!

    ReplyDelete
  52. Eggs.
    Beet chips.
    Seaweed snacks (I prefer the wasabi). http://www.amazon.com/Annie-Chuns-Seaweed-0-35-Ounce-Packages/dp/B003NV2IG2/ref=sr_1_4?s=grocery&ie=UTF8&qid=1346852522&sr=1-4&keywords=seaweed

    ReplyDelete
  53. First, it drives me crazy that people are sending you angry emails because you talk about taking care of yourself. Eating healthfully and exercising are positive, good things. Sheesh.

    ANYWAY. My weekday snacks are generally the same every single day:

    morning snack:

    -serving of full-fat Fage greek yogurt
    -diced fruit to mix in

    or, if I'm feeling fancy/lazy I'll get the single serving portions with the side of cherry stuff. Too much sugar, but so crazy delicious.

    afternoon snack:

    - two tablespoons of natural peanut butter
    - sliced apple to dip in it

    I do pretty hard workouts so full-fat products keep me fuller and more satisfied. If I'm taking a rest day I'll sub out the PB for string cheese and 2% Fage instead of full-fat.

    In the winter I'll make a bit pot of steel-cut oatmeal (way, way better texture than instant or rolled oats) and portion it out for my morning snack. It reheats really well and makes a great, satisfying mid-morning snack. I usually add in a bit of milk, a couple of diced walnuts or pecans and some diced apple. Yum.

    ReplyDelete
  54. I think someone already mentioned this, but the Chocolate Covered Katie blog has some strange but delicious lower calorie desserts. I'm partial to this one:
    http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2011/05/31/deep-dish-cookie-pie/

    ReplyDelete
  55. You can also make pancakes with greek yogurt and they will be much lighter -- and yummier:

    http://www.everydaybelle.com/2011/06/greek-yogurt-pancakes/

    ReplyDelete
  56. Everything above aaaaand -

    Sweet potato fries - my kid's got allergies, so we sub out regular white potatoes for sweet potatoes. Your brain gets the sweeter shot of tastiness and freaks out (in the happy way). Slice sweet potato into thin strips, drizzle with a very small amount of olive oil (or whatever - it's your belly), and sprinkle with a small amount of salt. (I also add cumin when my daughter's not eating them, because of the aforementioned allergies.) Bake in the oven or an evil toaster oven until crispy. Eat. Be full. Grin like a fool. Whatever. Rock on.

    ReplyDelete
  57. Oh man am I ever stoked to try the dip trick. My fave snacks are that sparkling water from LaCroix (orange is the best) -- I don't much care for pop but I get bored with drinking regular tap water all the time, and that stuff has no calories; Luna Bars for a quick breakfast (only 180 cal and it lasts me from 8am-1230pm, most breakfasts dont do that for me); and for lunches i do this flatbread stuff a lot with tuna salad - 90 calories for a 6inch circle, not too bad.

    ReplyDelete
  58. 365 Organic Turkey Jerky, teriyaki flavored, from Whole Foods.

    ReplyDelete
  59. look, snacks is my thing. so thank you for this post. also i am really pregnant and all i ever want are snacks. more specifically dips. ive been obsessed with trader joe's cilantro chive yogurt dip. there is no finer dip in the land! i can't even explain how good this shit is. and i eat it with grape tomatoes so i don't feel like a complete a-hole. they also have a "reduced guilt" spinach dip that is made with greek yogurt and it's pretty passable.

    i am pretty dependent on tjoes for all of my snacks, though. they have frozen peach/ strawberry pops that i must have in my freezer at all times. basically just a whole peach. frozen. that's it. 50 calories. refreshing as you can get.

    ReplyDelete
  60. What a great post. I don't have any snacking suggestions except one... Kale chips are pretty much repulsive in every way and baking them makes your house smell like peed-on carpet. Don't do it. Unless you like to do it. Then that's all good too. Jena's Lacroix suggestion is a good one too (above), but to expand on it a teense---I usually end up mixing that stuff with champagne for a memosa-type drink sans juice. It's brilliant. It's not healthy but it knocks off like 50 calories from your memosa.

    ReplyDelete
  61. i don't do greek yogurt much anymore, even when i did it was always one of the ones loaded with crazy fruit or honey. most dairy is just too bitter for me. i've recently discovered that certain brands of organic milk can be ok. however i hate soy milk (i call it bean juice) and all the other 'not milks' are just as unimpressive.

    but back to yogurt. i have recently discovered a scandinavian version called skyr. it is not bitter, and it is thicker than greek. the brand i get is called siggi's. only like 100 calories and i feel full for ages.

    kashi has recently come out with these oatmeal cookies that are full of fiber. i loved their mayan bake tv dinner but it has become hard to find here. (i'm awake from like 4am to 11pm so i eat 2 smaller lunches)

    i do as much shopping as possible at the farmer's market, so that there is as little as possible left to buy from the grocery store and less time to find tempting junk. lots of squash lately. and i've discovered kohlrabi! it's a bit of work, but great in the typical chopped and roasted fashion or raw. kind of like jicama, which is also awesome (it's like a cross between a potato and an apple if you're not southern and didn't know). where was i going with that? oh yea, put a little honey on any of those type veggies before you roast them and mmmmmmmm.

    totally agree with the vinegar and cucumber thing too, except i use rice vinegar. speaking of rice, rice crackers with sesame seeds are nummy too. bonus, a serving size is like 17 of em.

    one of my favorite 'recipes' for a snack is a graham cracker with a little pb and banana slices and a honey drizzle. bonus for this one, it's messy!!! some how that makes it more satisfying.

    if i feel the need for something meaty, i literally just roll up one slice of garlic roast beef and half a piece of horseradish cheddar (or bbq roast chicken and munster) and am good for ages. all of that is usually from the deli counter at most places.

    and lastly, back to yogurt. they make frozen greek yogurt. i'm all about the cherry one. that and a good sorbet are my ice cream subs.

    :)

    ReplyDelete
  62. I like having one of these for convenient snackin: http://skyr.com/probiotics.html

    They're tryin to market some sorta probiotic line at ya, but i like it cause it's filling and you don't even have to chew, you just pop it open, drink some down, and go to satiety town for like 1 1/2 hours cause it's basically a little bottle of casein + flavorins. Skyr is silly expensive so I usually just stock up when it's on sale.

    Caprese salad is also stupid easy. Slice of fresh mozzarella, basil, slice of tomato, maybe even on a wasa cracker or w/e, sprinkle of salt, a bit of olive oil.

    I replace sour cream or buttermilk or cream with FAGE GREEK YOGURT in Indian recipes w real heavy sauces and It Tastes Just Fine.

    ReplyDelete
  63. This might not be great if you're trying to avoid carbs but my favorite thing to make for dinner when I don't feel like cooking dinner are black beans simmered in a little bit of water with lime juice and lots of seasoning. I don't add any oil or anything so there's no added fat and you can add lots of other stuff to it or add it to other stuff to make it more interesting. I make it in batches because I hate washing dishes so the fewer times a week I have to wash the skillet, the better. It usually goes something like this:

    -1-2 cans of black beans.
    -the juice of either a half or whole lime. If I'm using two cans I usually go for using the juice of a whole lime.
    -Cumin.
    -Chili powder.
    -Cayenne Pepper.
    -Adobo powder or smoked paprika.
    -A crap-ton of minced garlic. If I'm making this to share with my boyfriend I usually only add 2-3 cloves, but if I'm making this just for me it's usually 5-8 clove. You don't need to mince it by hand I just put it all through the garlic press.

    Optional:
    -Diced onion, fresh cilantro

    1. Open cans and dump beans into a skillet (maybe a pot would work fine too, though) that's been warming on the stove on medium a little bit of water in the bottom. You can drain and rinse the beans if you want, but I find the liquid in the cans they come in adds flavor and makes a sort of gravy when they cook down. It sounds disgusting, but it makes them taste a little smoother and more rich. If you're worried about salt or sugar you might want to rinse them, but I just buy low sodium canned beans and hope for the best.
    2. Spread the beans out in the skillet with a wooden spoon or long handled cooking instrument of your choice.
    3. Add garlic and diced onion
    4. Add the lime juice
    5. Season with your spices to taste
    6. Let it simmer til all the liquid cooks down. Stirring it helps to make sure that nothing burns or sticks to the pan, and this is probably done in less than 20 minutes total. You can probably cook this on high, but my cooker gets really hot really quickly and then takes 1 billion years to cool off so I find it's better to at least start out on medium unless I'm just boiling water for pasta or something.

    Top with chopped fresh cilantro and fat free Greek yogurt.

    I eat this by itself, with salsa mixed in, with some rice, on homemade baked tortilla chips and sometimes as a burrito in a corn or wheat tortilla. It's super easy, and is usually ready in less time than it takes to watch an episode of the Simpsons.

    ReplyDelete
  64. Anonymous9/05/2012

    ....holy Moses, I'm starving after reading all these snack suggestions! I'm totally taking notes too!

    ReplyDelete
  65. I eat frozen blueberries out of a bowl, with a spoon, the way you would eat ice cream. Plus, I eat them in the bathtub while reading a good book which makes it feel naughty.

    ReplyDelete
  66. My weakness is salty and crunchy.

    - Kale chips: toast a bunch of kale with some olive oil, sea salt, and maybe some balsamic vinegar at 250 degrees for 8-10 minutes or so. It's nice and crunchy and kale has 40 calories for 2 cups.

    - Homemade refrigerator pickles: slice some cucumbers and put in jar with some chopped garlic, celery leaves, red pepper and black pepper to taste. Boil together a tablespoon of salt and sugar, a half tablespoon of turmeric in 1.5 cups of white vinegar. Pour the vinegar mixture over the cucumbers and let chill for at least 4 hours. Then, pickles! Crunchy, salty, and about 20 calories each.

    ReplyDelete
  67. Have you heard of Yonanas? My mom bought me one for my birthday, and I had no idea what it was, but I LOVE IT. Basically, you shove frozen bananas and shit through it, and it comes out like soft serve ice cream. That's it. Frozen fruit. No other ingredients required. The machine is like $60 bucks, but I had "ice cream" every day for breakfast for a month, so I think it's worth it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You can also make it in a blender or food processor, although it's more work: http://www.thekitchn.com/stepbystep-instructions-for-on-97170

      Delete
  68. My favorite snack right now is prepacked sugar snap peas, no lie. No prep, just pop open and SNACK CITY.

    I think you saved my life with the yogurt dip thing. I pretty much need dip to eat any other vegetable, and hummus gets boring after a while.

    ReplyDelete
  69. Not sure if this was already suggested in the numerous comments, but I adore making "pasta" with zucchini instead of using those weird rubber noodles. It tastes way better (not as good as actual pasta obvs, but not like rubber) and I'd be wiling to bet squash > rubber noodles in terms of nutrition as well.

    Another thing, especially for after lifting weights, is either beef jerky (something without so much msg and weird shit, like Oberto) or some kind of lunch meat with low-er sodium and no weird shit (like Hormel naturals or Applegate).

    One more good thing, for any time, is flourless pancakes: 1 banana + 1 egg + protein powder + 1 TB nut butter (the last one is optional but delicious). Mix that shit up and you are having fucking delicious pancakes. I have PB & Chocolate flavored protein powder from Gaspari and I use it to make these, then I serve it with a little low-sugar grape jam and OMGEEZ

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. the shirataki aren't unhealthy, they're tofu and konjac, which is a yam. it's not some science-lab chemical frankendiet food. just saying, since you're placing bets and all...

      Delete
    2. Konjac fiber is good for you. They even sell it powdered and in capsule form as "PGX super fiber". I found out about it in a book about controlling your blood sugar (Dr. Mark Hyman), and a bonus is that it helps cholesterol levels and it makes you feel less hungry.

      Delete
    3. Well that's good to know and go for it if it makes you happy but ewwwwww

      BUT ALSO protein powder in your Greek yogurt? Mmmm like cheesecake or something. Mmm mmm mmm. Best breakfast.

      Delete
    4. OMG how have I not thought to try that out yet?? I use the Jay Robb protein powder and it's delicious, but I just drink it straight. Adding it to Greek yogurt sounds amazing.

      Sometimes I buy low-fat ricotta and mix it up with stevia, a tiny bit of honey or agave nectar, and cocoa powder. I think that was a suggested dessert in the South Beach Diet, but man do I love that stuff.

      Delete
  70. A suggestion I heard in a weight watchers meeting was sliced cucumber with salsa, the cucumber is like a crunchy chip substitute. I thought it sounded SO STUPID, no way cucumber could compete with chips, but I finally tried it and it's delicious. And zero WW points, so that's awesome.

    ReplyDelete
  71. did you know you can put chocolate syrup or whatever flavor you want into the greek yogurt and freeze it? mmmm fro-yo

    also, quinoa is faster to cook than brown rice. Here's a nutritional comparison http://no-baloney.com/2012/01/11/brown-rice-vs-quinoa/

    hard boiled eggs are a great snack too.

    ReplyDelete
  72. Omg I had no idea you had this blog. Also yay someone else who is powerless against crackers! (Not a real yay, since it sucks to want to devour an entire box of Ritz, but yay that it's not just me.)

    And the yogurt trick, I will try that!

    Now to spend the rest of my evening seeing what other gems I've missed on this blog.

    ReplyDelete
  73. My comment: Eat Paleo--then you'll never have to starve yourself. Sure, grains are off the table along with dairy--but you can eat all the Meat, Healthy Fats and Veggies your heart desires--and a little fruit and nuts as well. The transition is difficult, but once you have a go for a while you don't miss all those carbs at all.

    Super plus side: you're never starving, you are no longer bloated or gassy, you have TONS of energy and loads more. You can still have dip! You can have chips--sweet potato and plantain chips are amazing. Can't help ya on the pasta, and chocolate is fine if it's dark. This isn't to say I don't have a cheat meal now and again.
    Fat doesn't make you fat--you can eat fat, as long as it's healthy. Low-fat products are crammed with sugar which just throws your body in a tizzy! Ok, getting off my somewhat high horse. I'm just a big follower of eating Paleo and for reals, I feel boat loads better.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. meh, i'm over following particular diets. anything with a bunch of rules, even if it's the tits, will make you feel like a pariah if you're invited to a birthday party, or it's thanksgiving, or your friend invites you over for dinner, and that stuff like that happens all the freaking time. i don't eat science lab food, i just keep track of what i eat, eat volumetrically whenever i can, and try not to vilify food groups because that just makes them sexier and more distracting. fat isn't bad, but it has 9 calories a gram vs. 4 calories a gram, so i'm just not gonna chew bacon all day.

      Delete
    2. I agree Kitty! I LOVE Paleo, it's SO FREAKIN SIMPLE and you're right, all the bloating goes away and energy is amazing. I was doing great on it until we opened up our pool and had parties like 2 or 3x a weekend and I drank all the vodka in the universe haha! There's one benefit to pool season ending....

      Delete
    3. I'm extremely jaded with diets that heavily restrict from one food group and I've done paleo/high-protein+low-carb before. If you are just a regular person then just eat a regular portion of pasta or bacon once in a while (portion size determined by calories). You don't need to obsess over your macro-nutrient ratios unless you are a high-performance athlete. For nearly everyone, fitness is not a lifestyle, it is just a way to have fun and make aging less shitty. Most people don't worry about winning a triathlon as much as they worry about not having an infarction going up a flight of stairs.

      Those super-restrictive diets just end up making me inevitably binge on the forbidden food group. It's why vegan people start going freegan so that they can binge on 5 lbs of charcuterie out of the trash or why paleo folks have nightmares about eating bread: http://paleohacks.com/questions/11323/dreams-nightmares-about-breaking-or-cheating-on-the-diet#axzz26NKzyUWi. I am just not cool with a purge-binge dynamic being any part of my life.

      This brings me to The Little Grebe System of Eating. Eat a variety of produce in accordance with seasons n sales @ the grocery store. High-calorie foods are dandy if they are also highly satiating. If you feel like shit when you're workin out, you are eating like shit. If you feel good workin out, you are eating good.

      Delete
  74. I'm trying to watch my carbs and sugar intake right now (cuz they are the devil for me), so one thing that's really changed my life is cauliflower. I know. The vegetable that smells like ass. I was a total hater until I tried them dressed up like mashed potatoes and now I'm a convert. Those things can sub in for just about anything! Just steam a head, make sure to drain it really well, take out the core, then add some mayo or butter (low fat or high fat whatever you're into) -- your typical mashed potato junk and then puree the heck out of it. I swear it tastes like the real thing! I also like ricing it which is basically just chopping it into little bits and cooking it in a pan like you'd do fried rice. I can't tell it's cauliflower and it's delish. I'm now trying to think of a way to make a baked macaroni and cheese with cauliflower. It's high on my to-do list. Also, that cauli-mash is so filling. I'll steam a half a head and I can barely finish it. Sometimes, it's all I'll have for dinner. Plus it's the one vegetable I don't have to worry about instantly rotting after a week in the fridge (it's so filling I can't really eat it back to back to back, so I stagger it). I just riced a half the other day that had been sitting in the drawer for, well, it had to be over a month. I can't remember when I bought that damn thing. It was still good, though!

    Thanks for the ideas, too! I'm so glad I found this blog! I'm super craving something crunchy right now so carrots and dip might just do it (I don't have the patience or mental fortitude to order food off the internet just yet).

    ReplyDelete
  75. The only unique idea that I don't think I've seen and can contribute: World Market sells these little packages of sheets of dried, seasoned seaweed/nori/gim/whatever you want to call it. A single package (they sell them in larger packs of eight or something along those lines) comes out to 15 calories. 15. And there's more sheets in each pack than you'd expect. I can't remember numbers well because I've been out of my stock of them for a few weeks now but- it's a great salty snack craving killer. Totally love it. But all of this usefulness is negated if one doesn't like straight-up seaweed.


    My big question now:
    Columbus girl here wondering where you get your pho!
    I'm over in the 'burbs by the airport so I have to make a pilgrimage to UA and the surrounding area to find any pho, and I know of 3-4 restaurants that serve it, but I'd like to know your favorite (Bamboo Cafe on Bethel and Pho Noodle House on Lane w/ the drive thru are my favorites, Babmboo Cafe taking the #1 spot).
    I love pho. I haven't had it in a few weeks. I want it now.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. i go to the pho noodle house on lane, cause i'm in UA. it is the best in the world.

      Delete
  76. huh, you have to scroll to the bottom to leave a comment? Weird. Anyways, I like to have 1 apple, cut up, peeled, and cored, with light caramel sauce...stuff? I have no idea what the hell it's called, but that stuff is the shit. It tastes like freaking candy, and it's like, 45 calories a serving. Awesome. I wear a 12-14 too, and I just feel terrible like, all the time. Especially if I try to eat a bagel, or pasta? Yeah. Instant self-loathing. Not trying to bag on you or anything, you're awesome. Just....ya know. Talking everyone to sleep. Okay. Bye.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. are you saying that i should hate myself more because i wear a size 12?

      "I wear a 12-14 too, and I just feel terrible like, all the time. Especially if I try to eat a bagel, or pasta? Yeah. Instant self-loathing. Not trying to bag on you or anything, you're awesome. Just....ya know."

      it sounds like you think i should hate myself more.

      Delete
    2. hope i'm not being out of place here, but....

      not that i know what what's-her-face's intent was.....or how sarcastic you were being (we still need that font), but maybe the size is just puts her personal 'too much' weight. and it really doesn't matter what they number the size, clothes are all cut differently and body shapes... well practically nothing fits anyone well anymore. everyone's different, yea?

      for me, that number is 130lbs, which puts me at a 10. keep in mind i'm only 5'2. my weight fluctuates A LOT, like between 125 and 140. i don't even have to get on the scale anymore to know; if i look in the mirror and feel fat, i'm over 130 guaranteed.

      she did say you were awesome ;)

      Delete
    3. I am reminded of what Sir Mix a Lot once said "36-24-36 . . . only if she's 5'2". Size is just a number. I think your overall health and most importantly how you feel about your health/fitness is what matters. As long as you are comfortable in your own skin and comfortable with yourself you are doing just fine. If you don't like where you are at and you want to change it, that's fine too. People come in all shapes and sizes and that is a good thing.

      That said, I can also relate to health/size/weight and how that can tie to depression and self image

      Delete
    4. i was being snarky. i'm not unhappy at all being a size 12, and i don't think that is especially big since i am 5'8". i just don't want to blur the line here between being self deprecating in a humorous way about yourself, which is jokey and light hearted, and commenting or being deprecating about other people and the size they are, which is totally different and fucks up the vibe around here.

      Delete
  77. You can do the dip thing with regular yogurt, too, you just have to drain it first. Line a colander with cheesecloth, put it over a bowl and let it drain for a couple of hours.

    ReplyDelete
  78. i fucking love you. i love that you tell people how it is and do what you like regardless.
    i don't even like make-up stuff that much but reading what you have to say makes me feel less hopeless about it.

    my cheer me up, not too unhealthy breakfast/snack:
    cook up some oatmeal, grab some frozen berries- microwave them just a minute so they aren't frozen anymore, put them in the oatmeal with some splenda, mix it up. its so good!
    some days i use a small spoon of real brown sugar, or maybe some chocolate chips if i need a real sweet thing to make me happy.

    i've been "recovering" from an eating disorder and i've become a bit bigger than feels comfortable for my stature, but reading your health/dieting stuff makes me happy because you make me feel like it's not such a huge damn deal to be tiny, it's just important to be healthy.

    ReplyDelete
  79. If you like eggs, buy the liquid version, real or substitute, and microwave in a ceramic cup or ramekin. Throw in some cheese of choice, and top with salsa and Fage 0%. It's a good quickie breakfast or snack with lots of protein, low fat/cals.

    I'm a huge fan of turkey bacon, but I use it as a sandwich ingredient. Cut slices in half to make shorter before microwaving on a plate with paper towels to absorb the water that comes out. Then apply to sandwich. One of my fave combos is Nature's Own low-cal or double fiber bread, Wholly Guacamole guac OR fresh avocado, Borden's FF cheese slice, some m'waved and mashed up egg OR egg salad, and whatever seasoning you dig - dijon mustard or horseradish are nice. For me, it's all about the textures and the spiciness.

    Another thing I do with Fage (or other FF Greek yogurt you like) is to mix into full fat salad dressing to make the dressing less fattening. You can also make your own dressing from scratch, depending on how much time you have to mess with it. For this and things like smoothies, I find that a Magic Bullet is my best friend. So many uses!

    To add to dip mixes - Hidden Valley Ranch works really well mixed in Fage, and some stores have a store brand version that is just as good to me.

    Anything you can add garlic, horseradish, salsa, chipotle, or hot sauce to, do it! The extra zing seems more satisfying.

    This post is SO USEFUL and I love it. I hope we can do this again and again! I've picked up a lot of great NEW tips, and I'm gonna get one of those Yonanas machines pronto!

    ReplyDelete
  80. I know it's so Pinterest but kale chips are the best if you want something crunchy and salty. I will rip the ribs out of some kale Mortal Kombat style, toss them in a bowl with some olive oil, spread them on a cookie sheet, and sprinkle either just salt, or salt and paprika, or salt and garlic powder. Bake at 300 for 20 minutes, et voila. You can also crumble them up and sprinkle them on popcorn. Mmm.

    Raw, unsalted almonds are the bomb. Unsalted sunflower seeds are a close second.

    If you have a Costco around they sell these bags of various dried berries covered in dark chocolate (the brand is Brookside, I think?) and a handful of those is great for a sweet craving.

    If you ever do peanut butter and celery, I just tried making coconut butter (throw a shit ton of unsweetened shredded coconut in the food processor, crank it for like 30 minutes, the end) and it's really yummy on celery or on toast with a little honey if you can spare the carbs.

    ReplyDelete
  81. Roasted seaweed is great when you crave something salty. It has a relatively low level of sodium compared to other salty snacks as well :)

    Natalie, thank you for being real. You are a breath of fresh air in the poopheap of the Internet.

    ReplyDelete
  82. Yum! When I used to diet, I remember always trying to force myself to eat those really shitty snacks (like plain celery etc) that I just didn't like. As a result you don't feel satisfied and your craving for food doesn't go away. I've since decided that it's better to snack on things that you like, even if the calories are higher as it serves to curb your actual cravings. The most important thing is that you are eating things that are healthy and in appropriate portions. Some of my favourites:

    -Kozy shack rice pudding
    These are surprisingly low in calories, and this particular brand only puts really natural stuff into their rice puddings. I used to dislike rice pudding as a child, but this stuff is delicious! It's basically comfort in a little plastic cup

    -Veggie chips
    These may not be satisfying if you are looking for something that tastes like a Lays potato chip, but they're good in their own right. Tasty, crunchy, salty... definitely satisfies that craving. I adore these. I buy them from the grocery store, the tri-colored kind, not sure the brand name. Great with hummus or dip or on their own.

    -Mini bocconcini and olives
    This snack definitely mandates the fancy olives from the olive bar (smoked ones, spicy ones, etc). The salty olives go really nice with the neutral taste of the cheese. I love this snack because it is satisfying in small quantities. The olives pack tons of flavour and the cheese is filling. Yum.

    -Chocolate Mousse
    For a sweet tooth, a little more labour intensive, but I love a good chocolate mousse (Here's a good recipe: http://www.ricardocuisine.com/recipes/3589-chocolate-mousse). Pair it with some raspberries... yum! Has a very rich chocolate flavour, so a small amount is satisfying. I find it will last you a few days refrigerated.

    -Cheese and water crackers
    I love cheese. Just about any kind... brie, gouda, edam, etc. Look for one with a lower MF/MG (milk fat) percentage. It is all about portion control... a healthy portion of good cheese with some water crackers (those thin, whitish crackers, very low in calories), definitely will always be my favourite snack.

    Also, since you did mention meals, here's a couple of my regulars. I'm a vegetarian and it's hard sometimes to find appealing meal options that are not carb laden, here's a couple of my faves (in terms of low cal recipes)

    -Chana Masala
    This dish is basically comprised of chickpeas, tomatoes, onions, and spices. Serve with a modest amount of rice and you have a very satisfying, good for you vegetarian meal.

    -Cellophane Noodle Stir fry
    May not be as low in calorie as the ones you posted, but a great low calorie option as well! These noodles absorb flavour really well... I like to stir fry them with some soy sauce, green onions, eggs and veggies... delicious!

    ReplyDelete
  83. I just wanted say thanks Natalie, I found this post very helpful and it left me feeling better than I did before I read it.

    ReplyDelete
  84. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  85. ok..i must admit i don't actually know the health details of this snack, but im in a total phase of addiction for it right now, n i hope it lasts cos it tastes soo good....
    i try and have a plate of fruit every morning with some toast, say perhaps a sliced apple and a couple of strawberries, some banana.. and i swear, just glooping some maple syrup over it makes it seem like the most delectable delicacy, u drizzle a bit over it and then scoop up all the excess syrup with the fruit :-D makes fruit seem extremely appetising. people probably just already do that normally, i just discovered it..there is my contribution :-)

    btw dont know why my author title shows up like that..

    ReplyDelete
  86. Great post, great comments, this is an awesome bunch of people! Somebody already mentioned both of these, I think, but good things are worth repeating. You can strain your yogurt to make it dip-ier. It works on any yogurt--throw a piece of cheescloth in a sieve or colander, dump in your yogurt of choice, and leave it in your fridge for a couple of days. It gets all thick and cream cheese like. The other thing I like to do is make guacamole. I realize this is not an especially low-caloric choice, but it is healthy. Chips are a problem here, because I don't know about you all, but my plan for exiting the world of the living is to just start stuffing myself with chips until I croak. I love the little bastards. So instead of chips, I use sliced up jicama. It's pretty tasty, and it's crunchy and goes well with the guac (unlike carrots or cucumbers, in my opinion). If anyone is unfamiliar with jicama, look it up because it's useful and tastes delicious on its own with some chili powder and lime juice.

    ReplyDelete
  87. Anonymous9/07/2012

    I don't want to turn this into some sort of embarrassing group-hug therapy session, but I just wanted to say that it's really encouraging to see someone I look up to being honest about having depression and not giving a fuuuuck what people think. Also you put up comics every single day, and you blog, and you run your shop, and you have a kid and other real-life stuff... when my depression's having a party it's so easy to use it as an excuse to let shit slide and just wallow in bed all day being self-pitying. So I hope this doesn't embarrass you, but I just wanted to say I already knew you were a badass, but finding out you were a badass despite your depression took your badassery to the next level. If that makes sense. Anyway. I don't have any good snack ideas, just wanted to say that :)

    ReplyDelete
  88. Sometimes it's hard for me to resist drinking pop. If I must have a fizzy drink, I'll have a club soda. The key is to find a good one that has no flavour and tastes just like cold, bubbly water. It's very refreshing and I find that I don't even miss the sugar. My favourite is Canada Dry Low Sodium.

    ReplyDelete
  89. My go-to snack is fancy popcorn. I pop plain kernels on the stove so that it doesn't have any fake butter on it. Then I put some olive oil, salt, and spices. Currently my favorite is chili powder, but garlic powder or just salt is really good too. You don't have to use a lot of oil, just enough to make the spices stick. Plus the little bit of fat fills you up really well. It's good and snacky, tastest great, and is almost no calories.

    ReplyDelete
  90. I really like Chobani Vanilla fat free greek yogurt. I take sliced strawberries and blueberries, mix in a packet of Splenda, leave it for a few minutes to make a syrup and then I mix the fruit into the yogurt. It's like dessert! It takes like strawberry shortcake, yum!

    I really liked your blogs on the push liner (never heard of that before, but I love it now that I've tried it) and the dry shampoo (I was always afraid to try it, but your recommendation helped!).

    ReplyDelete
  91. When I need something legit tasty, I always head to the cheese zone. Alas, so many calories. So I take half the cheese I actually wanted to eat and then get an apple and top an apple slice with a very small (like the size of a quarter) cheese slice.

    God, typing that out is so depressing, but it gets me out of eating an entire block of cheese in one sitting.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. i consider myself fortunate that i don't like cheese very much. that is one thing that is a million billion calories that i just don't care for. small victories.

      Delete
    2. I feel your pain, fellow cheese-lover. I cannot keep it in the house or I will completely devour that shit. Even the super boring shredded mozzarella we use to make pizza. I will eat it like popcorn, except popcorn that's all shredded and gets all over the kitchen floor, because of course I just stand at the fridge and eat it.

      Delete
    3. trestelle light provolone slices

      Delete
  92. I fucking feel you, Natalie. I've got Major Depressive Disorder also known as "I-Want-To-Lie-In-Bed-Like-Charlie's-Grandparents-In-Charlie-And-The-Chocolate-Factory" syndrome,so I definitely feel the urge to spend most of my time wrapped in blankets in bed. I respect the shit out of your adherence to your diet and fitness regimen despite your mental "blah"ness.

    ReplyDelete
  93. I love a gluten-free brown rice tortilla (crisped up in the toaster oven) dipped in either hummus, guacamole (I love the wholly guacamole 100 calorie packs), or salsa and vegan cheese melted together in the microwave (I like Daiya brand). <3 Love your food posts.

    ReplyDelete
  94. Also, frozen bananas in the food processor make soft serve! I got that idea from Kris Carr (author of "crazysexydiet") and it tastes awesome with vanilla extract and caocao powder.

    ReplyDelete
  95. I had never heard of Arctic Zero until reading this - Life changing! Also, try the Fage with a packet of taco seasoning mixed in.

    ReplyDelete
  96. I love dessert. I substitute regular ol popsicles (40 calories) when I am tempted to have way too much ice cream. Cold, sweet, and usually satisfies the craving.

    ReplyDelete
  97. what do people do about the muffin top belly issue? it became a thing once i started menopause, and the rest of me is of normal proportions. my total calorie intake must be too much or i'm not working it off-or both. should i just fewer calories? what would make me stronger in general? i feel like good snack and food choices like these will help, but i want to feel stronger overall. wouldn't post baby ladies have same issue? don't love it. help!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. i gained a lot of stomach fat and its just from eating carbs. try to eat fewer carbs and if you do eat a good amount try to figure out something active to do quickly to burn it off like going for a jog or doing pushups and ab exercises or lifting weights. it helps relieve stress if you do something about your mistake and also its a good chance to blast some music you like!

      Delete
  98. I have a borderline stalkery love for plain Greek yogurt. I use it in place of sour cream in recipes or to make dips, to dilute the shitty Trix yogurt my husband keeps buying for the girls ("What?! Yogurt is yogurt!"--stupid husband), I throw in some fruit and granola for breakfast, I add a little chocolate protein shake powder and some chocolate chips for when I have raging PMS. I get those huge bags of small bags of chips for school lunches, and nobody likes Flamin' Hot Cheetos but me, so I use it to cut the flaminess as well.

    Right now, my favorite dip is San Marcos chipotle salsa mixed in with some yogurt, eaten with sliced red peppers or homemade tortilla chips (corn tortillas cut into chip shapes & baked in the oven).

    Re: fat shaming
    Guess what? No one can say anything and make you feel like shit unless you give them permission to do so. I'm fatter than all y'all, and I feel absolutely zero shame about that. I know my worth. Much of the shame fat women feel stems from not being considered sexually attractive to men in general, which I think is utter bullshit. I was so much happier once I internalized the message that I'm not obligated to be fuckable to every male I come into contact with, and there are plenty of men who like fluffy ladies.

    I had a shit year last year, and this year is slightly better, but I've lost 50 pounds since the end of January. I don't really care how much weight I lose, I just want to be as healthy as possible so I can live as long as possible, because I have a special needs kid who needs and will for the rest of her life. I have that mommy arrogance thing where I think I'm the only one who could possibly care for and about my kid properly, hence the longevity issues.

    ReplyDelete
  99. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  100. My candy substitutes are:
    Blue Diamond oven roasted almonds coated with dark cocoa
    http://www.bluediamond.com/index.cfm?navid=467
    The butter toffee ones are fantastic too.
    http://www.bluediamond.com/index.cfm?navid=456

    Keeping my desk drawer stocked with Luna bars keeps me from the vending machine when I need a snack fix at work.

    ReplyDelete
  101. As soon as the grocery store opens tomorrow I am getting some greek yogurt, that sounds fucking delicious. And I am terrible at eating my veggies.

    ReplyDelete
  102. Do you think the Greek yogurt mixed with dip mix would cover up the fat-free taste? I like a small amount of fat in my dairy. I can't WAIT to try the crackers! Can you buy Artic Zero/crackers at the grocery store? I live in C-bus but not by a Whole Foods store.

    My healthy snack recommendations: No sugar added apple sauce, mandarin oranges/pears in light syrup cups, fruit leather, edamame with spray Butter or Molly McButter, baked potatoes with margarine/2% cheese/a bit of sour cream/fake bacon bits (better than a bag of potato chips), broccoli cooked with a bit of olive oil topped with sunflower seeds, frozen gogurt, romano/parmesan/asiago dried cheese in tomato soup. I always have a Cliff bar on me when I'm out so I don't have to drive through. They are very palatable. That's more to save money than calories, but they are about 250 and have 12 grams of protein in them, so that's not bad when you pair it with a side of fruit and maybe something else relatively healthy like low fat yogurt or a Baybel. Definitely better than a Big Mac combo meal.

    Thanks Natalie for making me re-evaluate my eating habits and remember the healthy snacks I used to love! I grew up eating a lot of frozen/fast food and it's hard to change, but I have eaten a lot less of it lately and can tighten my belt three more notches than four months ago. Crutches are great, but I find that not keeping foods you have issues with in the house solves a lot of problems. Let yourself eat them sometimes but go out and buy a scoop of ice cream instead of a tub. It takes time to get used to, but I now eat protein and fruit/veg in every meal instead my old dysfunctional habit of potato chips for breakfast or popcorn for dinner (the stomachaches!). Not having that food around also reduces cravings, but don't expect to change habits overnight. You have to wean off of fast food and packaged meals if they are a bit part of your diet. Like I said, it's taken me four months to get to the point where I am now. And don't beat yourself up for how you look or what size you wear. Be grateful for what your body is able to do and your health. Throw some healthy snacks in with your typical food and see how they make your body feel. That's what has helped me change how I eat the most: I realized healthy foods taste and make my body feel better than foods without a lot of protein/fiber/vitamins.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. i've bought that arctic zero in columbus at whole foods and (strangely enough) huffman's market in UA. i've also bought it off amazon since i have prime and they dont charge extra to mail you frozen stuff, and the price is pretty similar to what is in the store. i use amazon, typically, because they always have the choc/PB, and it makes me mad when i go to the store and all they have is maple or coffee or something.

      i agree with all your tips... when i say "crutch" i just mean the foods i eat that are good for me that are marginally indulgent to eat. there is a list of stuff i just can't buy because i have no self control, and if i want ice cream i will just go out to whit's or jeni's and get a scoop and go home. i can't have multiple servings of anything on my danger list or i will just eat it all instead of regular food, and then be obsessed with just living off nutella and cheese balls and noodle roni and stuff that is just bad news.

      Delete
  103. If you like Bananas:
    Peel and chop about a half bunch of bananas and freeze them. Blend frozen bananas with cinnamon, ginger and enough water to not fuck up your blender like a tablespoon or two. Put the blended mush into your freezer and boom: banana sorbet/ice cream. You could add honey or stawberries or chocolate. Basically you're just freezing a really thick smoothie.

    ReplyDelete
  104. Peel a banana, cut it into chunks, and put it in a tall glass. Add ice cubes, 2-3 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder, and use a handheld food processor to blend the heck out of it. If you want it extra fluffy, pump up and down while blending.

    Bam. Chocolate faux-milkshake. I am your new best friend.

    ReplyDelete
  105. Kale Chips! Dehydrate some big Kale chunks (without the stem) for about 20 minutes in the oven, spraying beforehand with a bit of no calorie cooking spray and topping with some salt and black pepper. Pull it out, toss it in a bowl, and munch away. It's still green and ew looking, and you're fully aware that you're just eating a leaf, but it tastes and feels like an ultra thin potato chip, for damn near zero calories. Frakking amazing.

    ReplyDelete
  106. have you tried powdered peanut butter? it has way less fat than real peanut butter. it's kind of hit or miss: my husband likes it better than regular peanut butter, my sister hates it, i like it ok. I like to mix up a couple tablespoons and dip apple slices or celery in it.

    ReplyDelete
  107. Ice cream! I guess other people already know that frozen bananas are magic, but here's the one I know of. My Dad started doing this thing where he would freeze bananas (at least two of them), and then chunk them in the blender with some sort of berry for added flavor, mix it up without adding any liquid so that it has the consistency of ice cream (tricks your brain) and the wonderfulness of natural sugar and whatever other good things are in the fruit, without any added anything. It's awesome! And super simple. Frozen bananas, maybe something else, blender, bam.
    I'm assuming my parents have a decent blender, since I don't think he added any sort of liquid...the berries may have served as that softening factor.
    The main thing is to peel the bananas before freezing. It seems obvious, but I didn't think of it when I first tried, and I've heard of other people doing it, too. I like to think that I'm intelligent, but there's nothing like pulling a banana out of the freezer and realizing there is no way to get it peeled and that your brain is a pile of stupid.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. OH now you tell me. I have a bunch of bananas in my freezer right now and I did not peel them first. Did not even occur to me that they wouldn't just peel like they do at room temp! Oopsie.

      Delete
  108. Skotidakis Jalapeno Greek Yogurt Dip from Costco. OMG. Sooo freaking good. I eat it with red pepper strips and carrots. I could eat it every day. Skotidakis makes other dips too, but in my area I can only find the jalapeno one. Also, the 50 calorie sharp cheddar individual servings from Costco. One of those and a piece of fruit is my go to snack. Lots of good ideas on here. Now I want to go grocery shopping. I have purchased a bunch of things based on your recommendations Natalie (moisturizer, shampoo/conditioner, that Physicians Formula powder stuff) and liked it all.

    Perhaps in the future you could talk about your depression/anxiety, if you wouldn't mind. I'm dealing with anxiety right now.....trying to figure out what is a normal amount and what needs to be medicated....trying to find the right medication etc. I totally identify with your "anxiety girl" tshirt....able to reach the worst possible conclusion in a single bound....thats me!! Great blog!

    ReplyDelete
  109. The only things that fixes my chronic depression (besides da drugs) are exercise and not being fat. That said, I do like to eat. Here's something that is delicious if you like beans and the dip (which you clearly do). I eat it for dinner--more than a few times per week. It's probably best consumed in your own home. So, I get some fat free refried beans that I dump into a bowl in the recommended serving size. I then add one light, laughing cow, chipotle queso wedge, a bunch of hot salsa, and as much finely chopped fresh spinach that my lazy butt has managed to cut up. Sometimes, if I'm feeling a need for meat, I might add some spicy turkey pepperoni, chopped pretty fine. Then, I cover that with saran wrap and stick in the microwave for about a minute and a half. Sometimes, I add a tbsp. of light sour cream (or plain, FF Fage yogurt) and tabasco when I take it out of the microwave. Then? I take the 27-30 SPECIAL K cracker CHIPS (not the crackers, the cracker CHIPS) that you get for 110 calories, and I dip THE FUCK OUTTA THAT BEAN DIP. It's delicious. Arctic Zone for dessert, and I'm all full.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My BMI has been so high for so long that I can barely remember what it feels like to be at normal weight. Ten years ago I was diagnosed with PTSD and Major Depressive Disorder, but when my depression failed to respond to 5 different antidepressants the diagnosis got revised to Bipolar-NOS. I do remember that early in my diagnosis I lost 60 pounds over a span of ten months to surprise my then-boyfriend when he came home after his deployment. I felt amazing at a normal weight, and my depression went into remission until some life events worsened my depression and I gained it all back plus some, and stayed there. The worst part of my illness, even worse than the suffocating depression, are the horrible meds. Over the last ten years I've been on almost all of the FDA approved for bipolar ones, and they fucking suck. I'm on lithium now, which gives me gross scalp problems and recurring skin boils (painful AND gross), and my doctor is a huge asshole. I live in a remote area so I don't have any choice in medical providers. However, I am trying to keep my chin up and I am working hard to lose weight and to try to feel better. I was going to try Paleo, but I agree with Natalie's comments that it's better to just focus on wholesome, healthy foods instead of cutting out entire types of food. Peace out, fellow blog-readers.

      Delete
  110. Trader Joe's is my go-to for low-cal, pretty satisfying snacks. You can eat 38 of their Sea Salt & Black Pepper rice crisps for 120 calories, or 4 big pieces of teriyaki turkey jerky for 60 calories. They also have roasted, salty, sesame flavored seaweed in little packages that's, like, 30 calories for 10 pieces. Gotta check your teeth afterward, but hey...nothing's perfect :-).

    ReplyDelete
  111. Anonymous9/12/2012

    YOU. ARE. MY. HERO.
    seriously. you are awesome. it's so nice to read a blog by someone who is so down to earth and honest and strong.
    i struggle with MDD and EDNOS (not so much EDNOS anymore, but the MDD does catch up with me sometimes) and i totally understand the emotions that come with eating and being a size that just doesn't feel comfortable. but you take care of yourself, and that is really fantastic. you are an inspiration and i am starting to sound a little creepy so i'll back off now, but thank you for this blog and letting us into your world.

    ReplyDelete
  112. I keep banana chips (slices of dried banana) and wasabi peas (dried peas with wasabi crustiness on them) in my desk at work. They're really good and you can keep munchin' away on them. I got both from Trader Joe's. I also like to snack on cherry tomatoes when they're in season.

    ReplyDelete
  113. I can't get on the greek yogurt bus with y'all. Remember that movie Threesome when Lara Flynn Boyle was totally PMSing one day and chucked a yogurt at Blond Baldwin? That's what I felt like when I tried greek yogurt.

    ReplyDelete
  114. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  115. I am super late to this amazing snack party, but one of my favorite summer lunches is an open-faced avocado-tomato sandwich. It's great for taking to work if your office has a toaster.. just throw the mats in your bag and go!

    • Two pieces of good quality, whole grain bread, toasted
    • 1 avocado mashed up (easier to eat this way without the slices sliding all over the place)
    • 1/2 tomato, sliced

    Spread the avocado equally on each toast and top with tomatoes. Salt and pepper that muhfucka to taste.

    DELUXE VERSION: More calories but still delicious and mostly wholesome. Prepare as listed above but drizzle with a little olive oil and crushed pistachios.

    ReplyDelete
  116. HEY DOES ANYONE KNOW HOW TO MAKE KALE CHIPS? I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO FIND ANY RECIPES.

    Just kidding. I have nothing of value to contribute considering I just ate a peanut butter brownie. But, keep on... keep truckin, y'all.

    ReplyDelete
  117. I eat spaghetti squash...as much of it as I want! It's only 40 calories per cup. I make some killer tomato sauce, with a ton of vegetables. Also, the squash does not taste like anything, so make some awesome sauce, so you have something awesome to taste.

    Baking the squash:
    Cut it in half
    Scoop out the crap (not the squash, only the crap)
    Bake at 375 cut side down (on foil) for about 45 minutes
    Dig out the squash (it will be in strings like spaghetti)
    Work really hard at un-chucking the strings while it is still hot

    Eat with sauce! You can refrigerate it and heat it up in the microwave; it does not get all squishy.

    P.S. you can only salt and bake the seeds in the same way that you would pumpkin seeds.

    ReplyDelete
  118. One of the things I like to have as a dessert/meal is oatmeal. While visiting my uncle this summer, I realized that he has NOTHING sweet in the house. Not even an old box of Red Hots. Nothing. He did have oatmeal, though, and I had just gotten natural peanut butter & raisins from the grocery store. Cook up a serving of oatmeal (I use regular oats, not quick cook or anything, and it only takes like 90 seconds in the microwave & they're allegedly better for you) then stir in a spoonful of peanut butter & sprinkle on some raisins.

    It's like a bowl of oatmeal cookie, & it really sticks to your ribs.

    ReplyDelete
  119. I LOVE that there are folks on here (like me) who say things like, "When I'm too lazy to slice a cucumber." :P

    Anywho, YES kale chips are freakishly delicious.

    I do air popped popcorn, and I still melt butter over it. However, you can just do 1/2 a tablespoon or so of butter, drizzle over with salt, and shake the crap out of the whole shebang right away, and it's tastay!

    Thanks so much for the yogurt dip tip! My husband will eat a mountain of veggies if I provide him with ranch dip. I usually use the Daisy Light Sour Cream (which is shockingly just as good as regular sour cream), but this will be even better!

    LOVE LOVE LOVE your blog - and your comics. Keep it up! :D

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. OH YEAH! And Cruncha-ma-me is awesome too. It's like eating yummy salty grass, if you can imagine that being a thing.

      http://www.amazon.com/cruncha-ma-me-Edamame-0-7-Ounce-Pouches/dp/B005QZ6SL4/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1347665052&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=crunch+amame

      Delete
  120. Totally cool snak, yo! OK, so you take a box of macaroni, i like the slightly bigger kind cause it's easier for the sauce to stick to and it's easier to pick up with a fork. you boil it up to your preferred cookedness.

    then you take a can of black beans and strain them rinse them. then you sort of saute them in a pan with some garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and a good bit of olive oil. then when it gets good and saucy, add it into the pasta. store it in a tub and stick it in your fridge.

    when you want some, just get as much as you want and nuke it till it's not or eat it cold. it's super good and not very fattening. the blackbeans have protein so it keeps you going and doesn't pack on the pounds.

    peace yo.

    ReplyDelete
  121. TOFU: i used to eat those noodles too i forgot thanks for reminding me!! i also used to buy mori-nu lite tofu. its a huge rectangle of tofu with no weird after taste and it has 120 cals but if makes u so full!! i used to mix it with ratatouille and melted light cheese its legit so satisfying and filling......
    YOG and ice cream: i try not to keep ice cream in my house anymore (but when i rlly need it i get nestle real dairy white&dark chocolate or maple or natural vanilla). instead i buy olympic 0% plain yog (not greek but thick anyways) and its 35% calcium and 12g protein and 80 cals per serving and then i take nice handful of blueberries in a bowl with cinnamon and i warm it in the microwave for 45 sec-ish and take it out and mix it until its liquidy and then i let it cool and then mix it into what becomes the best blueberry yogurt ever. you can also make a whole bunch of other yog flavors to add to your tub like 1. smashing strawberry and stevia or 2. taking like a tbsp of hot water and letting instant coffee dissolve in it 3. smashing mini wheats and adding them in and letting it soften overnight its a really thick wholesome texture. 4. honey but dont mix it beforehand its best if u dip your spoon in a bit and then take a spoonful of yog. 5. mix 1 or 2 mini okios lime yog (tastes like keylime pie--- my fave) into a big tub of plain. 6. dissolve nesquick syrup in a tbsp hot water and then mix it in, 7. put a bit of malibu coconut into your yog for some pina colada flavor 8. a few drops of almond extract with berries 9. crushed low cal biscotti .. and more! . ive also done a sort of dip by simply crushing garlic and mint and adding it to plain yog and it tastes like tzaziki and its rlly good with tomatoes and carrots.

    ReplyDelete
  122. -Apples & cinnamon : almost like apple pie. You can even warm it up in the microwave
    -Becel light margarine with St - methode whole grain bread
    - boiled green beans (don't overcook) with ketchup or bbq sauce as a replacement for french fries
    - best cheese: light provolone by trestelle. so stinky in a rich (not low fat way) and only 60 cals a slice and 25% calcium
    - cheese (go for blue cheese once in a while) and grapes
    - light cream cheese once in a while
    - cereal (check calories) with skim milk and add a very small drop of vanilla extract to the bowl
    - home-bottled skim milk and coffee drinks (with stevia if you have it or use lactose-free milk for a sweeter taste). you can experiment and add a few drops of vanilla or almond extract. my fave is 2 drops vanilla extract and a pinch of cinnamon.
    - banana warmed up in the microwave and once its super hot put a square of Grand Cru 72% chocolate (50 cals and 15% of your daily iron) and mix them until you get a hot banana chocolatey rich mixture ---- recent fave!!!!!!!!!!!
    - pesto sauce with a really high density of basil and use a low fat cheese and some pinenuts and olive oil but all those fats are healthy and satisfying
    - soups!!!: store a low fat hearty soup such as carrot or squash or minestrone or tomato or mushroom or chicken soup broth with cooked soft carrots and cellery and dill and chicken if u have
    - salads : arugula with balsamic and low fat cheese and tomatoes
    -kiwis
    - crispy spinach (go to a chinese resto for this)
    - deli low fat content turkey or stuffed chicken
    - 1 part chocolate milk 2 parts skim milk : its good enough!
    - baked carrots in a bit of honey
    - microwave cooked asparagus
    - all roasted veggies (onions, mushrooms, peppers, squash, eggplant) soooo yum and colorful and caramelized
    - low fat cottage cheese
    - egg white whipped with skim milk and added to a pan coated with low fat margarine and add blueberries and cinnamon and cover pan and it will become rlly poofy after like 5-10 min and take it off right away and it with a bit of maple syrup to dip into. if this is too complicated white cooked and dipped in maple (real) syrup is good too.
    - fish or chicken: get some recipes u like and cook a real meal. be a boss.
    - chicken or turkey cheese burgers with tomato and lettuce and a bit of bbq sauce or ketchup and low cal whole grain bread as the bun

    ReplyDelete
  123. btw eating these things and working out 3 hours a week i got to like 90 pounds and looked ano -- not my goal but im just saying its super effective. now im like 115 because i went on a carb rampage this summer and became addictive to challah and muffins and bagels and cheesebagels and raisin bread and desserts and was never hungry for real food and my sleep cycles got all off but now that university is starting its easier to form a normal food plan and sleep schedule but theres little time for exercise so i need to watch what i eat and try to lose 5-10 pounds and eat well and stay active when i can. i know its way too oversaid but being active is the key to a healthy metabolism and its all about making choices like running to the metro instead of busing or taking the stairs or having good posture and doing little muscle workouts here and there to make sure your protein goes to the right place and that your joints and bones and muscles get warmed up and stimulated to maintain their density and mobility and flexibility. if u want to lose weight its also good to not eat a lot all day like light carbs like veg and fruit and whole grain bread and cheese and yog etc and then eat a hearty meal at night like chicken or fish with veggies or soup or salad and yog for dessert so you sleep heavy and happy!

    oh ya one more snack i forgot is seaweed sushi paper with lox or crab and a bit of avocado and sesame seeds and wasabi and soya and cucumber too if u like.

    ReplyDelete
  124. also a good way to lose weight is sit at your computer for hours and read natalie dee comics! they replace the entertainment i usually seek from eating food when im bored LOL

    ReplyDelete
  125. ahh also drink lots of tea. now for my weirdest suggestion, sex&masturbation also help you digest , yepppp no lie

    ReplyDelete