A few of the Girls on Food are doing their best to enjoy food but keep it on the healthier side so we can give the upcoming holidays 100% of our stomachs. Our favorite healthy foodie swaps are below:
Jillian: Banana Nice Cream is all the rage in the health foods world right now, especially for vegans like me that still want to enjoy yummy desserts. Dairy is very inflammatory to the body and causes a myriad of health problems like heart disease and cancer. Plus, ice cream is sugary and fattening. But the main ingredient of Banana Nice Cream (bananas of course!) is chock full of potassium, fiber, magnesium, folate, and other cancer fighting nutrients. This dish is so healthy that you can consume Banana Nice Cream for breakfast, as a pre-workout snack, dessert, or pretty much anytime of day.
To make one serving, slice up two ripe bananas and place in a Ziploc bag or container in the freezer for a few hours. Put slices in a food processor and blend until they break down and produce a whipped, creamy consistency like ice cream. This only takes a couple of minutes and it’s pretty cool. Who knew bananas could do that! Dress it up with different flavors and toppings, especially if you want the banana flavor to be subtle. My favorite is Reese’s Nice Cream! I blend the bananas halfway, and then add some ground cinnamon, peanut butter, and cocoa powder. Finish blending and top with semisweet chocolate chips. I also topped mine with fresh raspberries, unsweetened organic coconut flakes, and pecan pieces. It’s seriously delicious and tastes just as good as dairy ice cream, but without taking a toll on your health!
Reno Tastebuds: Every few months I get on a health kick and start reevaluating my life. Ok, that’s a bit dramatic, but I do evaluate what choices I make regarding food and beverages. Who would’ve thunk I would be whipping coconut oil into my coffee every morning? I love a good sugary coffee creamer more than anything. Especially pumpkin spice or sweet cream, but you really can’t beat the health benefits of what coconut oil has to offer. I did a lot of research and after curiosity got the best of me, I caved and tried it out for myself. I was extremely pleased with the taste, and with the texture as well. When you blend the coconut oil with the hot coffee, you get a frothy creamer that gives your coffee a hint of tropical bliss. I was sold, and I have actually made this part of my daily routine. Be careful though, blending hot liquid can cause splatter and you don’t want to burn yourself.
Ellen: Sometimes a girl just wants chocolate in snack size. Instead of reaching for a candy bar which is packed with excess sugar and preservatives, go for one of the delicious healthier snack bar options instead. Kind Bar and Lara Bar make some of my favorites! They come in a variety of flavors to mimic your favorite candy bar or cookie, yet are made with more wholesome ingredients which actually contain some nutrient dense substances – like whole nuts or dried fruit.
Also, plain water can be, well, plain. So I totally understand the desire for soda. Yet soda is absolutely toxic. It has complex sugars your body has a difficult time breaking down and nasty preservatives such as Aspartame (which has been linked to cancer). Sugar-sweetened beverages have high levels of sugar and drinking these in excess can significantly contribute to tooth decay which, over time, can result in frequent trips to a Dentist in Santa Barbara for dental work to repair damaged teeth. Plus studies show that people tend to go over their recommended daily calorie intake because of what they drink! Ditching soda really just makes sense.
The great thing is that there are many sparkling water options to fill the flavor gap. You can buy them pre-made at the store, or make your own at home with a SodaStream (I have one and love it!). If you go the SodaStream route you can buy your own soda syrups, some of which claim to be natural and/or use Sucrose, a more simple sugar. Or you can do what I do, and just add some fresh lemon juice (which has the added bonus of alkalizing your body!). Just make sure that if you buy sparkling water at the grocery store you check the ingredients! Not all of them are made the same. There are some that include the same junk as sodas, so just be on the lookout. Arrowhead and Trader Joe’s sparkling water are a couple brands that I go for.
Julianne: I totally get where Jillian is coming from on milk. I’ve actually curbed a lot of the milk/dairy I was ingesting by replacing it with almond milk. But sometimes I still get cravings for something creamy at night. Instead a batch of ice cream, cupcake or some sort of high sugar dessert, I recommend 1 cup of non-fat Greek yogurt. I like to add 1/2 tablespoon of flax seeds for an extra “oomph” to it. This may sound a little strange, but I also add a very light drizzle of fig balsamic reduction. It’s a great swap for syrup and sugary toppings. This filling switch will provide you with less fat, sugar and more protein than other dairy based desserts!
