Fun and Healthy Snack Ideas

Eating healthy is something that everyone should be doing.  Not just those with health issues.  Over the years I have definately had my struggles with eating healthy - when I don't feel good the last thing I want to do is cut up veggies and make a salad.  Often the last thing I want to do is eat at all - I would love to just live on popsickles and fruit snacks when I don't feel great.  Refined sugar is not good for the immune system so my husband and I are doing our best to stay away from it most of the time.  I am also staying away from wheat which is actually a lot harder than staying away from sugar - but I seem to be doing ok with it.  Here are some of my current favorite snacks which have no white sugar in them:

Gummy Frozen Fruit: I don't love the texture of dried fruit like raisins - so I get the no sugar varieties and then pop them in the freezer.  Then when I want a little something reminiscent of gummy bears I take some out and eat them!  DELICIOUS!  The texture of frozen dried fruit is heavenly if you like that gummy texure.  The best are cherries and apricots.  YUM!

Strawberry non Ice Cream :   I take fresh frozen whole strawberries and cut them up as little as possible (fine slices work best) then whip up organic whipping cream and at the last minute add fresh vanilla bean and avage necter.  Put the cream over the strawberries and if you need a little more sweetness drizzel the whole thing with avage again.  My husband and I knew that we just couldn't give up ice cream - but with this invention we don't even miss it.  I had some ice cream after doing this for a few months and was definately dissapointed with the ice cream.  This also gives you fiber with the whole strawberries and is much more satisfying as agave is much more gentle on your body than refined sugar - doesn't seem to create the cravings that junk food does.

Organic Carrots:  Ok so this one is not very oiginal at all - but for years I thought that carrots were bitter and even thouh I kinda liked them I wouldn't eat many of them raw ( except the ones that I grew which never were very many).  Well, my mama told me that the organic ones are delicious and so like an obedient child I went and bought some the same day.  LIFE CHANGING!  I get the big Costco bag or organic local carrots (whole not the baby ones which are slimey) and eat about 3 at a time when I need something to chomp on.  The flavor is amazing and sweet and just yumminess. 

Brussel Sprout - Sprouts: for this one you need to have a garden.  This was born out of my experience farming with my husband's family in the early spring when we didn't have much to harvest.  Plant brussel sprouts (yes even if you hate the soggy yellow stinky ones you had at great aunty's house as a kid) in your garden this spring and then in the fall you will have brussel sprouts.  That's all fine and good but don't dig up the plants when the winter comes.  Next spring they should send out little shoots of deliciousness which are so yummy that I never even brought them into the house - just eat them right in the garden.  YUM!

Kale Chips: You may have heard of these - just take some nice firm kale and bake it drizzeled with olive oil, pepper, salt and maybe chilli flakes.  You have to bake them until they are crispy but not bured (if they get burned they will taste bitter). You can use these like chips and dip them in hummus or something else or just eat plain.  I know some people don't like the flavor but if you like kale these are amazing!

Secret Smoothy:  I just start dumping stuff in the blender usually something like this: 1/4 cup organic plain keifer, 1/4 cup organic carrot joice (or other juice preferably veggie juice), frozen banana, some frozen berries, maybe some honey or agave - then I blend and drink!  YUM!  I know people who add spinach leaves and you can't even tell! Or flax meal, tofu etc.  A great way to secretly get fruits and veggies in for kiddos as well as good pro-biotics with keifer or yogert!

I would love to hear your ideas for yummy and healthy snacks!