5 Healthy Snacks To Always Have In Your Purse This Summer

Summer weather is finally in full swing. The days are getting longer, and I couldn’t be happier. Running out for errands sometimes ends up with impromptu hiking dates being made or taking the scenic view home. There’s nothing quite as beautiful as watching those purple rose skies at dusk. Not great is being hungry while you’re out having fun. This is where bad choices happen. Fast food, connivence stores, no buenos. 

Having a couple of healthy nibbles on hand, could help you pass up the candy bar at the gas station in of moment of hunger. Try some of these new products to mix it up with your usual almonds. My goal is to have them in my everyday bag without making my bag squishy at the end of the day. I’m looking at you travel mug. I got your number. I love filling up a two ounce containers full of things like, 

1. Navitas Naturals Organic Superfood Power Snacks 

In combinations like blueberry hemp, cacao goji, citrus chia, coffee cacao, or lemon goldenberry. you’ll be able to find something to please your tastebuds. They are full of tasty goodness, travel great, and offer nutrient-dense organic snacking on the go. 

My favorite is the blueberry hemp which is made with organic superfoods such as chia, maca, lucuma, camu and maqui, as well as other raw foods including sesame seeds, cashews and sunflower seeds. There are no refined sugars, preservatives, or artificial colors and flavors. You’ll also be getting protein from the hemp and chia seeds, along with healthy fats and fiber. All this goodness with the tiniest of snack bites. If you pick my blueberry favorite, you’ll also get antioxidants, vitamins including A, C and E, and minerals such as iron, potassium and calcium into your body.

2. Powbab Superfruit Chews

I talked about these tangy treats before, and cannot stop raving about baobab. One baobab chew a day gives you 100% daily antioxidant dose per chew with daily dose of Vitamins C & E. They’re a good source of Vitamin A, and when you combine them with pomegranate and acai berry, your body will thank you for eating them. All natural, organic, just giving you raw, unprocessed whole fruit & other natural ingredients. Think how good you’ll feel after having some organic baobab fruit pulp which is naturally 50% fiber.     

3. KIND Healthy Grains Bars

I was a little turned off from KIND after the controversy with the FDA, but after I discovered their newest product on the shelf, I had to admit to myself, “Come on, you know it’ll taste good.” They have over 10 varieties of Healthy Grains Bars to choose from, and with a foundation of six super grains, including sorghum, I was willing to be swayed. I throughly enjoyed my Popped Salted Caramel Bar. It was a subtle flavor, with 20g of whole grains in each bar, and fits perfectly in my purse along with my wallet and all of life’s necessities.

4. Justin’s Snack Pack

You’re already familiar with Justin’s healthy nut butter pouches, but if you visit Target starting this week you can pick up Justin’s new Snack Pack. One side has Justin’s nut butter, the other side has gluten-free pretzels, packaged in 100 percent recycled plastic. A dream made in snacking heaven when you want a little crunch with your pick up me protein. You can choose from Justin’s Chocolate Hazelnut Butter and Pretzels; Classic Almond Butter and Pretzels; or Maple Almond Butter and Pretzels. You’ll only be able to find Justin’s Snack Pack at Target, as part of their "Made to Matter" collection, which brings together 31 leading natural, organic and sustainable brands to provide better choices for all. So who knows what else you’ll discover while you’re there.

5. Earthbound Farm Organics Freeze Dried Fruit

There are several brands of freeze dried fruits out there. Freeze-dried fruits are similar to dried fruits, because they’re dehydrated. This makes for a great crunchy texture, as you get your healthy snacking going. You can leave them in your bag without any spoiling. Perfect for our stash and go. I’m partial to Earthbound Farm’s. Their product lines are organic, no additives, nothing but the pure goodness of food. 

Let me know if you have any new products you love to have in your purse without having to worry about them. You never know when you’re going to spend a little more time outside having fun. No reason to go hungry or end up eating some not so good for you sustenance. Now you have some ideas for setting and forgetting your health snacking in your bag.

Melt in Your Mouth (and we're not talking about M&M's!)

We love a good snack as much as the next guy (or gal), but we don’t love extra calories, especially post-holidays.

Try this amazing recipe for a sweet and savory guilt-free snack that’ll most definitely satisfy your snack craving.

Spicy Popcorn Cashew Mix

-2 cups of air popped popcorn

-2 tablespoons of chopped and toasted Cashews

-1 teaspoon of olive oil

-1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

-1/8 teaspoon ground cumin

-1/8 teaspoon smoked paprika

-1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Toss it all together (we suggest using your hands) in a big bowl and enjoy your healthy snack!

Nutritional Info:

163 calories

9 grams of fat (2 grams of sat. fat)

19 grams of carbs

3 grams of fiber

5 grams of protein

"An Apple A Day"

News Flash!

An apple a day really does keep the doctor away!

For every 200 grams of fruit there’s a 32% decrease in stroke risk!

One large apple = 200 grams of fruit. It’s that easy. And delicious!

Here’s an easy snack to whip up that’ll give you those 200 grams of fruit, and satisfy a late-afternoon (or late-night) craving:

-1 large apple

(It doesn’t matter which type- we love a Gala, a Pink Lady or a Green Apple.)

-juice from ½ a lemon

-a pinch of large sea salt flakes

-1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon

(optional, or add more if wanted)

-1 teaspoon of honey

(optional, or add more if wanted)

1. Cut up the apple into slices, (removing the core,) 

and halve the slices to make smaller bites. Place into a bowl.

2. Squeeze the juice from ½ a lemon all over the apple. 

Use more lemon juice if you love lemon!

3. Sprinkle the sea salt and cinnamon all over the apples and give it a good stir.

 

4. Drizzle the honey on top, stir if you’d like.

Enjoy! And keep the Dr. away!

To Eat, Or Not To Eat?

To eat or not to eat…that is the question! Or rather, that’s the question Heather asked ActivewearUSA Magazine readers this month in her featured article, "Am I Really Hungry?"

We’ve* been lucky to have Heather on-hand to dish out fitness advice on the regular---how many members took advantage of the complimentary fitness consultations she's offered in the past, or heard her speak on panels at the various charity events she’s hosted?

(*Everyone at Pilates Platinum, including all of our members from all 4 studios!)

If you’ve been missing out, fear not!! 

Thanks to the growing popularity of fitness and wellness websites and blogs, (Yay pilatesplatinum.blogspot.com!!) trainer tips and tricks, and health and wellness advice from Heather and fitness ambassadors all over the country, are available for everyone at just a click of a button.

Click on over to Activewear USA and enjoy their latest and greatest article called, “Am I Really Hungry?”

Heather shares, “Knowing about how our body works will help up make the right decision when it comes to what and how much to eat before and after workouts.”

Everyone is unique. Every body is different.

Learn what your “magic number” is, and stay on track!

Get Outside!

Last month was another beauty here in Los Angeles.  Flowers are blooming, the sun is shining bright, and we’ve even had some rainy and windy nights! Have you explored anything new or tried something different to “Get Outside” lately? Share some of your highlights in the comments below! And read on for some of my favorites from March. J

Outdoor dining with family! A big perk of this beautiful weather is being able to enjoy a nice meal outside. My family came to Los Angeles to visit this past month and I made sure we spent as many meals outdoors as we could.

Spring Time brings Poppies! One of my favorite flowers. I snapped this photo at a friend's house- these are from her garden and made me smile.

Such a great reminder: Happy By Choice! I saw this Smile Sticker near the beach and it reminded me of how much I have to be happy about.

The carrots at the Santa Monica Farmer's Market were so beautiful this week! I washed, peeled, cut them up and have been snacking on them all week long.

Healthy Foods to Banish Belly Fat and Speed Up Metabolism

You’ve heard it before: you are what you eat. So, I like to occasionally remind myself to eat clean to stay lean! Here are a few healthy foods (that are quite tasty too) that’ll help you banish belly fat and speed up your metabolism.

Bananas

Super easy, super cheap, super healthy. Eat a banana a day to help beat puffiness. One banana = 422 milligrams of potassium, which helps limit the amount of sodium in your body, and therefore fighting bloat.

Green Tea

I’ve written about my love of Green Tea several times but the health benefits are amazing and I just can’t stop sharing how good it is for you. Sipping three cups a day is shown to rev up your metabolism enough to burn 30 calories-- just by sipping!

Oranges

Orange-you-lucky if you like oranges! This fruit is so high in vitamin C, which helps curb fat absorption. Studies also show that the more vitamin C your body intakes, the less likely you are to have a bigger waistline.

Spinach

Another amazing de-bloater that’s easy to incorporate into your diet- throw some spinach (frozen or fresh) into a smoothie, steam on the stove, or sautéed with some olive oil and you can decrease your odds of gaining belly fat. This leafy green has a lot of calcium and vitamin C to help nourish, and de-bloat your system.

Whole Grains

Don’t be afraid of carbs! Complex carbs are a flat-ab friend. The amount of fiber in whole grains helps to keep insulin levels low, which studies show may actually shrink fat cells.

Yogurt

Yogurt doesn’t just have to be a breakfast food. I oftentimes have some non-fat yogurt with granola and fruit as a light lunch or a mid-day snack. It’s delicious, healthy, and it helps de-bloat your body. Yogurt with Live and Active cultures encourage the growth of good bacteria in your gut, and decreasing the bloat-causing kind of bacteria. 

Try adding some of these delicious and nutritious foods to your routine and you’ll reap the benefits of a flat-belly diet. Remember, you are what you eat!

Not Your Regular Pesto

Happy healthy Friday! Today I thought I’d share a recipe that has become an easy and healthy go-to for me: Kale Pesto! Using kale instead of basil creates a homemade pesto that is just as tasty as the classic, but even healthier. This recipe is really easy to make and uses just a few simple ingredients. Plus, it’s a great way to get in your extra greens.  Use this pesto in your favorite pasta recipes, or even substitute it in lasagna or a chicken dish.

What you’ll need:

food processor

½ cup of pin nuts

2 cups of fresh kale (firmly packed, I also remove the large stems, which is optional)

2-3 cloves of garlic

½ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon of pepper

¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons to ½ cup of olive oil (depending on the desired consistency)

What to do:

           

Place the pin nuts in a dry skillet, and toast, shaking occasionally until the nuts are golden brown, about 3 minutes. (Be careful not to burn the pine nuts!)

Place the garlic cloves in the food processor and pulse until they are minced.

Add the kale to the food processor, then add in the toasted pine nuts, and then the salt and pepper. Pulse until the kale is finely chopped.

Add the cheese, and pulse until cheese is incorporated evenly. (Be careful not to over pulse, the pesto should stay a little chunky.)

Drizzle in some of the olive oil and pulse. Continue to add olive oil and pulse until the pesto reaches the desired consistency.

Enjoy!

What I like to do is combine sun dried tomatoes, olives, steamed broccoli and some chicken into a bowl of whole-wheat fusilli pasta, and toss everything together with the pesto for a delicious and nutritious meal.

Please share with me how your pesto comes out and include any variations you may have made in the comment section below. I’d love to hear how you like it! You’ll be surprised at how many dishes you can whip up using this twist on the classic pesto.