Tag: crunch

PB & J Sorbet

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This super simple sorbet is easy to whip up any time of day for a tasty treat in as little as three ingredients. If you have a little sweet tooth, you’ll love this alternative to ice cream. No dairy, gluten, or added sugar involved. Basically, think of it like a dessert smoothie…but better. Oh, you may have noticed that I’m kinda in love with anything PB & J…if you don’t feel the same way, just omit the nut butter for a classic berry sorbet.

Ingredients: (makes 2 servings)

  • 1 cup frozen berries (I use a mix of strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries)
  • 1 heaping teaspoon peanut or almond butter
  • 1/4 cup of almond milk
  • Optional: 1 teaspoon cacoa powder for a slight chocolatey taste
  • Optional: 1/2 cup plain yogurt (Greek for protein, coconut for dairy free)

Simply blend all ingredients together until it’s the consistency of sorbet and enjoy! Feel free to add some toppings, like coconut, chopped nuts, granola, cacoa nibs, etc. for a crunch.

One Healthy Breakdown: if you’ve had a bad day, sweeten it with sorbet!

Roasted Chickpeas Two Ways

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Hummus takes a back seat to these crunchy sweet and savory roasted chickpeas. Roasted chickpeas are super easy, tasty, and healthy. Chickpeas are power packed with plant-based protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Whether you like sweet or salty, you’re in luck.

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Sweet Roasted Chickpeas: top with coconut oil, cinnamon, cardamom, and sea salt.

Savory Roasted Chickpeas: top with olive oil, rosemary, thyme, garlic powder, tumeric, sea salt, black pepper, and a tiny bit of cayenne pepper (optional.)

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Simply prep your sweet and/or savory chickpeas and roast in the oven at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool and pop ’em as is for a snack (great on the go!) or add roasted chickpeas to a salad for a full (vegan, gluten-free, dairy free, meatless Monday) meal.

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One Healthy Breakdown: pass on the potato chips, opt for roasted chickpeas!

Crunching Cravings

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Thanks to Elise of Kale & Chocolate, for sharing her chewy story on One Healthy Hamptons!

Recently, one of my awesome clients came to me with a situation:

She nourishes her body regularly with vibrant, nutrient-dense meals. Fitness is a fun part of her daily regime. When it comes to her health, she feels better than ever.

Except…

photo(194)Every night, during family time, her husband heads into the kitchen to pop a huge bowl of movie theater popcorn. You know—that caloric bomb swimming in salt and mysterious bright yellow butter.

And, every night, that bowl of popcorn would seep into her senses. And before she could stop herself, her hand was digging in—over and over.

I knew this smart, savvy, health-conscious woman wasn’t actually craving that kind of popcorn. She usually makes the right choices, and truly prefers whole foods over processed & fat-laden options.

So, what was she really craving?

Together, we dug deep and went through a roadmap to discover her cravings, peeling back the layers and looking for any emotional triggers, too. We still couldn’t crack the crunchy code.

She filled up on nutritionally balanced smoothies for breakfast. Lunch was usually a big vibrant bowl of veggie or lentil soup, and she was enjoying dinners that included some combination of fish (or other protein), sweet potatoes and sautéed leafy greens.

She told me that when the popcorn appeared each night, she wasn’t hungry. She felt satiated, and noticed that her energy levels were sky high. So, what was ultimately the problem?

She was missing the CRUNCH. While her meals were nutritious & delicious, her smoothies, soups and softer foods weren’t cutting it with her urge to crunch.

Craving the crunch is quite common. When we’re stressed from a long day, we subconsciously clench our jaw. Chewing a crunchy food in your mouth releases this tension. And when you don’t satisfy your need for crunch in your meals, then you’re much more likely to turn to the less healthy options in between. (Hello chocolate chip cookies!)

When we think of balancing our meals to prevent cravings, the “protein-fat-carbs” macronutrient trifecta is at the top of our minds. (And it should be for steady blood sugar levels.) But, we don’t often consider the importance of balancing texture to keep us satisfied & satiated.

In the spirit of recognizing our craving for crunch (minus the calorie-laden, nutrient-deficient chips, popcorn & pretzels), here are my favorite ways for you to munch & savor crunch as part of your meal or for a mid-day snack.

Crunchy Meal Toppers:

For a creamy smoothie or an extra thick smoothie bowl, top it off with nuts, trail mix, homemade granola, seeds, cacao nibs, coconut chips or chopped up apples, pears, or frozen fruit. (If you haven’t checked out Breakfast Criminals yet, you should! I’ve been totally inspired to step up my breakfast game with some pretty creative smoothies & toppings.)

For a satiating meal of oats or quinoa, put walnuts, almonds or any combo of nuts and fruit to add more texture.

For beautiful salads in a bowl or mason jar, think about including the crisp vegetables like carrots, red pepper, cucumber, cabbage, celery, jicama, and broccoli. Then, sprinkle some kale chips, nuts, seeds or roasted garbanzo beans as a finishing touch.

For that piping hot bowl of soup that will warm you up from this inside out, pair it with flax crackers or a side of carrots & cucumbers.

crunchy-wideCrunchy Standbys:

Kale Chips (or sweet & spicy here)
Pumpkin or sunflower seeds
Nuts—almonds, walnuts, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, cashews, pistachios
Trail Mix
Roasted Chickpeas
Raw veggies
Apples, pears
Frozen grapes
Homemade Granola
Cacao nibs
Chocolate (Keep it in the freezer for that extra snap when breaking off a square.)

Just in case you’re curious, my client now happily enjoys a crisp apple and a handful of almonds while her husband still eats his popcorn. She feels amazing and completely satisfied.

One Healthy Breakdown: A little crunch goes a long way.

*Elise Museles is an attorney turned Certified Eating Psychology & Nutrition Expert. She helps women stuck in a motivation-to-frustration cycle adopt a more joyful & positive approach to nourishment that starts with the food on the plate, but ultimately extends to all areas of life. Enter a delicious world full of freedom, ease, and fun at Kale & Chocolate. For daily inspiration, join Elise on Facebook and follow her on Twitter and Instagram @kaleandchocolate.

Crunch into APRIL!

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Get ready to crunch into April! Spring is springin’ out there and before we know it, beach season will be upon us. Let’s work those abs and whittle that middle in time for Memorial Day! If that sounds good to you, just remember these two things:

1. Crunches are only effective with proper form. Slow down and think consciously about the ab muscles working on each and every rep. Keep the lower back flat on the floor, pull the belly button in, and use the abs, not the arms or the neck, to lift you straight up, shoulders off the ground.

2. Abs are made in the kitchen. Crunches will strengthen the muscles, but in order for those muscles to show, a healthy diet and fat-burning exercise are a must! (that means more carrots and less chocolate bunnies.)

Now that we’ve established that, let’s get ready to feel the burn this April. Just print, pin, or save this calendar and get your crunch on all month long!

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One Healthy Breakdown: it’s crunch time, think beach + bikinis!

Pomegranates are in Season! Do You Know The Pom Trick?!

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picstitch(13) LOVE me some pom! Pomegranates are now in season and these juicy red fruits are just as sweet on nutrition as they are on taste! Pomegranate, which protects against heart disease and cancer, is full of phytochemical compounds. The juice and seeds are the edible parts of the pomegranate fruit, both of which are packed with nutrients. A cup of pomegranate juice actually has more antioxidants than blueberries, cranberries, green tea, and red wine!

The seeds are the best part. So juicy, crunchy, sweet, and refreshing! But, do you know the trick?! It’s virtually impossible to get these little buggers out of the fruit without getting bright red juice pretty much everywhere. But there is a way! Just cut the pomegranate in half and immerse in water. Pull apart the fruit within the water to avoid the mess. The seeds will sink to the bottom while the debris will float, remove as much of the skin and white debris as possible (it’s edible, just bitter!) Strain the seeds and enjoy! Pomegranate seeds are amazingly tasty alone, in a salad, in a parfait, and even as a healthy ice cream topping!

One Healthy Breakdown: these healthy, fruity seeds are worth the work!

All About Arugula

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Arugula is one of my favorite foods. Not like one of my favorite greens, but actually one of my favorite foods. Kale, spinach, romaine – those are all good greens, but to make them truly enjoyable, you need a little somethin’ somethin’ to dress it up. Arugula packs SO much flavor, it really holds it own…on its own. I’m not lying when I say that I can snack on plain arugula like people snack on chips or popcorn. That may sound extreme, but it’s true, I wouldn’t lie to you! No, I don’t serve arugula with salsa or hummus, but my body does crave arugula like others may crave potato chips. Point being that you learn to love healthy foods the more you incorporate them into your daily life. Ok, back to the arugula…

photo 1When I make an arugula salad, (which is quite often) it’s not about what I can load it up with, it’s really about enjoying the fresh strong flavor of the curly little leaves. Plus, arugula packs as much nutritional value as it does taste. It’s got anti-cancer phytochemicals, folic acid and Vitamins A, C and K, which aids bone and brain health! This hydrating veggie is packed with iron and best part is that it’s available year round!

Chances are, if I’m making a side salad, it most likely has arugula in it. Today, lunch was a bed of arugula with butter beans and avocado. Simple yet delish.

photo 3Some other great arugula salad add-ons are: beets, tomatoes, nuts, figs, parmesan, watermelon, pears, and so much more. Get creative! Also remember, arugula is not just for salads. It goes great in omelet, a top a sandwich, burger, or pizza, or add it to any pasta dish for a peppery kick.

One Healthy Breakdown: I’m ALL about Arugula.

Healthy Crunchy Salad Topper

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I don’t know about you, but I loooove a little crunch in my salad.  I often turn to toasted nuts for a quick healthy crunch, a little protein, and healthy fat.  Here’s my newest crunchy combination:

photo(50)In a toaster-safe tray, combine 1 cup garbanzo beans (chickpeas,) 1/4 cup pine nuts, and 1/4 cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds.)  Sprinkle with sea salt, pepper, garlic powder, and a pinch of rosemary (or spice of choice.)  Toast for about five minutes, until golden brown and crunchy.  Let cool and use as a salad topper or a snack when you have a craving for something salty!  This hits the spot and adds protein, fiber, and antioxidants!

One Healthy Breakdown: who needs potato chips anyway?!