Well, hello September!
I’m slow to motivate but at least my calendars are getting some action. It’s my first time using washi tape. I’m going crazy with it…
I LOVE the “back to school” nostalgic feeling…
New friends…
New school clothes…
New planners and pens that write like silk…
And new intentions to set.
Even though I resigned from teaching almost 9 years ago, I still feel the same way every September.
Planning my lessons, covering every inch of the bulletin boards with name tags and helper charts, and putting dates on the calendar, well, I was all about that.
I still am.
When my kids go back to school, the “brand new start” vibes wash over me.
Just watching them…I learn so much. Things that I probably was born with but forgot somewhere down the line during my 45 years in this world.
Eating intuitively is a big one.
Jack is especially good at this. There are many times when we will be eating dinner, and he just stops.
“Jack, you’re not done. “
“I know. I’m full. I’m not hungry any more. I’m done. “
He’s even joined me with meditating each morning. Grant it, he can only sit still for about 3 minutes, but he tells me it calms him down for school.
Well, okay. He’s listening to his body. Easy.
For adults, not so easy. Portion control, curbing cravings, numbing out with food, busyness…a lot gets in our way.
When you are tired, hungry, running on empty for most of the day, it’s extremely difficult to make decisions, do your best, and actually be healthy.
There’s ONE thing you can implement immediately, I mean today, in order to start paying attention to that gorgeous body of yours.
SNACK, SNACK, SNACK
Eating every 3 hours keeps your metabolism boosted, blood sugar level stable, and helps you focus and feel energized throughout your day.
During my teaching days, I used to drink a few cups of coffee and skip lunch. By 3 pm, I went crazy, eating everything in site. And of course, it was mostly junk.
Late afternoons can be killer. There have been times where I actually put my head down at the table while helping the kids with homework. I think I almost passed out a few times!
When you design your snacks, follow this formula for a well-balanced nutritious snack:
Healthy Carb (fruit or veggie) + Healthy Protein (nuts, seeds, quinoa…) + Healthy Fat (avocado, coconut…) = A damn AWESOME snack!
Here are my top picks for healthy, gluten-free and plant-based snacks (oh, these are super-quick and easy to make):
Tip: Batch the recipes so you can keep the snacks in containers and pull out when you need to them. Most are portable especially if you have to travel for work and spend most of your time in the car.
1. Apples or celery with raw nut or seed butter (tahini, almond, sunflower, etc…)
2. Crunchy veggie sticks ( cucumber, celery, pepper, etc) and dips (hummus, white bean dip, spinach dip etc…)
White Bean Dip Recipe
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
½ onion, diced (1/4 cup)
1 15 oz. can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
Sea salt to taste
Directions:
In a food processor, blend all ingredients together. Add water as needed to create smooth consistency. Try 1/8 cup of water to start. Season with salt.
Makes 4 servings.
*If kept in an airtight glass container in fridge, the dip will last for 4-5 days.
*Try to serve warm with your veggies for snack.
3. Leftover quinoa drizzled with cinnamon; add coconut milk and bananas, heat and enjoy warm oatmeal-like porridge.
Coconut Berry Quinoa
Ingredients:
½ cup cooked quinoa (make ahead of time according to package directions)
½ cup strawberries
¼ cup coconut flakes
¼ cup chopped pecans
1 tsp. cinnamon
Directions:
Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Serve warm.
Serves 1
4. Chips, Salsa and Guac
Ingredients:
1 tomato, quartered (1 cup)
1 cup fresh blueberries
1 Tbsp. lime juice
1 Tbsp. fresh cilantro
1 tsp. sea salt
1 avocado, peeled, pitted and cubed
Directions: Pulse all ingredients, except for avocado, in a food processor. Place pulsed ingredients in bowl. Add avocado and mix with rest of your salsa ingredients. Serve. *Makes 1-2 cups and tastes best if served immediately.
The Berry Avocado Salsa is a great one to dip the chips into… the sweet twist gives it somethin’ special.
I usually make Rock the Tacos for dinner, but I sometimes make the spicy chickpeas for a snack.
Just mix the chickpeas with extra virgin olive oil, sea salt, lime juice, chili pepper, cumin, paprika and bake for 3-40 minutes (350 degrees F). I like mine extra crunchy so I go for 40 minutes.
6. Smoothies – mix any of the following: 1 fruit, 2 – 3 leaves of dark leafy greens (kale, spinach, or collards) and/or veggies, ice, almond, coconut or hemp milk, protein powder (Vega is preferred brand), carob powder, etc.
Here’s my favorite blended creation:
Check out my 5 Step Method for Making Smoothies Vid>>>
and if you want to know my #1 trick to making smoothies ahead of time, go here>>>
These two resources will save you a lot of time.
7. Juices- experiment with combos and even freeze for juicy Popsicles.
Here’s my go-to morning juice recipe:
8. Power Balls
*Special thanks to my beautiful client, Cathy Shaw, for her awesome balls (okay, that doesn’t sound right but it is what it is!)
I have more ideas to share with you so I developed a healthy snack cheat sheet. You can download it for FREE.
Stick it on your fridge for easy access.
Click the image below to receive your goodie. From me to YOU!
Remember my dear friends, build your healthy snack with a good carb, protein and fat and feel fierce all day long. And the snacks above are also kid-approved! Wa hoo!
Do you have a favorite snack you LOVE to munch on? Share with me in the comments below, and I’ll add it to our list.
Did you like this post? Feel free to share it with your friends. I know they’ll be glad you did! Thank you with all my heart. 🙂