5 snacks to get you ready for summer

Getting fit with Being Latino

Fit Latina Tips for the Week:

Refueling your body between meals is an important way to keep our energy levels from dipping and it can helps prevent us from going crazy once it’s finally mealtime.  However, it’s easy to get bored with the same old handful of nuts or fruit.  Here are my five favorite snacking options that I nosh on to satisfy mid-day hunger.

1. Newest current obsession – Kale Chips. One of my girlfriends introduced me to homemade kale chips and I was a little apprehensive at first…then I tried them and now I can’t get enough. To make them, tear kale leaves off the stalks and place them on a baking sheet. Lightly brush olive oil on the leaves and lightly sprinkle with Sazon or Italian seasoning. Bake at 350 degrees in the oven until the leaves are crisp and then sprinkle with grated parmesan.
2. When you want something familiar – Apples Slices and Nut Butter. Growing up, my siblings and I loved spreading peanut butter on apples and going to town on them.  That snack has always been comforting and satisfying.  Now, I’ll experiment with different types of nuts – I really like almond butter – but there’s so many other options too. Top it off with pistachios, raisins, a dusting of dark chocolate shavings or sunflower seeds for an extra nutrient boost.
3. Sounds bizarre but tastes amazing – Cucumber Chips. One of my favorite bad-for-you snacks would be barbeque chips. For me, it’s about the seasoning and taste as opposed to the crunch so what I do is slice up a cucumber and sprinkle the slices with chili powder and a little garlic salt – trust me, I know how weird this sounds.  It’s a great way to add produce to your day and you get the salty taste you’re craving while slashing calories and sodium.
4. When nothing but dessert will do – Fruit Cream Pie.  Sometimes you just have to have something decadent and depriving yourself will only make you focus on those cravings. I will take a cup of vanilla Greek yogurt, crumble in a graham cracker and then stir in slices of banana, strawberries or whatever my current favorite fruit is.  It’s a great way to treat yourself to something that tastes like you’re splurging without killing your day.
5. If you need to go for chocolate, go Dark Chocolate.  Stop eating candy bars or milk chocolate – these are PACKED with sugar and more calories than you even want to think about.  Get a bar of dark chocolate and allow yourself to have a few squares (notice I did not say eat the whole bar!).  It may take some getting used to but dark chocolate has some great antioxidants in it and can grow to be quite satisfying. The higher the percentage, the less sugar it has.