Food Combining with Fit Snacks

Food Combining with Fit Snacks

Cooking a delicious, healthy dish is all in the details. When selecting foods to add to a meal we should be selecting foods that taste amazing (that’s a given) and have a health benefit to go with it. If the food we eat does not have a health benefit, then what purpose is it serving us? 

A good rule of thumb: If it’s not working for us, then it’s likely working against us. 

Whole foods are the way to go! Combining colorful (especially dark colored) vegetables typically will increase the nutritional benefit because certain vitamins are better absorbed when paired with other vitamins. Therefore we have greater access to the nutrients stored in our food, the good stuff. Some examples of using food combining include using foods to make a complete protein and combining vegetables to increase nutrient absorption. You can combine foods from dark chocolate to turmeric and much more.

Why would we want to make a complete protein?

Protein is the building block of our tissues, meaning we need protein to build muscle and any cell in our body if you think about this. This is why protein is also important for healing and recovery.  Often times people think increasing protein intake with increase bulk, however protein is crucial to maintaining a lean and cut physique. If our diet is vegan, vegetarian or primarily vegetables we likely are not getting foods with protein that is highly bioavailable. This is just a big word that means the food contains all of your body’s essential amino acids. Complete proteins are easily absorbed and taken up by the cells. A complete protein is typically an animal based protein or grains such as amaranth, quinoa, chia etc. When you do not have a complete protein it is best to create a complete protein by combining the right foods.  

Food combining to make a complete protein:

Eggs and oatmeal make a complete protein. Try it! Add 1 egg to your oatmeal, then cook the oat meal for a thicker more filling meal. Don’t be afraid of change, if you think about it these are the key ingredients to oatmeal cookies.

Combining foods to increase nutrient absorption:

Add Black Pepper and Tumeric to a dish to eliminate inflammation. Tumeric has powerful anti-inflammatory properties in curcumin the major anti-inflammatory component of tumeric.

Snack on a sweet and healthy treat of Dark chocolate and Apples. We have the perfect Dark Chocolate, packed with nutrients and flavor with very low sugar. Introducing our June Fit Snack partner FlavaNaturals.  Learn about the immense benefits of flavanols from Flavanaturals.com. This is the dark chocolate highest in the plant based antioxidants, flavanols. Flavanols ultimately help your body maintain nitric oxide levels to relax your arterial walls and increase blood flow. This combo includes the powerful antioxidant quercetin and essential flavanols.

Chocolate was your weakness, now it’s your strength!

It’s great to take vitamins, but don’t you want to tap in to your body’s natural ability to absorb nutrients you need from food you eat. In other words don’t let your body get lazy. If you support the process, you’ll be surprised your body is capable of some pretty amazing things. 

Dark Chocolate and Apples. Don’t forget the perfect dessert for either of the two meals below.

Fit Fajitas

1 Beet Tortilla

1/2 c. Broccoli Leaflets

1/4 c. Red Bell Pepper, chopped

1/4 c. Red Onion, diced

1/2 c. Red Cabbage, chopped

1 tbsp coconut oil

2 cloves Fresh Garlic, minced

1 whole clove Fresh Garlic

Seasoning: Garlic powder 1 tbsp, Sea Salt 1 tsp, 1 tsp Turmeric, Black Pepper 1 tsp, Oregano 1 tsp

1 chicken breast, boiled & shredded into large chunks

1 tsp coconut oil

Aminos Spray (Braggs)

  1. Boil chicken and 1 whole garlic clove, for 20 minutes or until light pink in the center and let cool 5 minutes.
  2. Using hands shred chicken into large chunks and lightly coat with Aminos spray. Coat chicken with garlic powder, then add the pepper, oregano and Sea Salt. Stir and mix well before adding to pan.
  3. Sauté 2 cloves of minced garlic with red onion and red cabbage in coconut oil while adding turmeric for 2 min. Add broccoli, red bell pepper and chicken. Sauté until chicken is fully cooked and has no pink in the center.

Tip: if chicken is dry add 2 tbsp water and sauté for 1 more minute

Nutritionist Tip: By boiling the chicken first helps to ensure you do not over cook your meat and keep the moisture. Over cooking meat can have a negative impact on your gut and can increase inflammation. This meal is great for healthy digestion.

SunFresh Spirulina Green Eggs

5 whole Eggs

1/4 c. Onion, diced

1/2 c. Red Bell Pepper, chopped

1/2 c. Red Cabbage, diced

5 Fresh Cilantro leaves

1/2 clove fresh garlic, minced

2 tbsp coconut oil

1 tsp. SunFresh Spirulina

1 tsp. Oregano, dried

1 tsp. Parsley, dried

1 tsp. Tumeric

1 tsp Freshly ground Black Pepper

Pink Himalayan Salt, pinch

Instructions:

  1. Whisk eggs, adding SunFresh Spirulina, Oregano, Parsley, Turmeric, Garlic powder, Sea salt and Black pepper.
  2. Saute Onion and 1/2 garlic clove in coconut oil for 2 minutes. Add Red Bell Pepper, Red Cabbage and fresh Cilantro leaves.
  3. Add more coconut oil to the pan then pour in egg & spirulina mixture. Scramble eggs with vegetables or combine to make an omelet.

Nutritionist Tip: Macros and Micros at work! Notice the variety of seasonings, each one has major health benefits and all contribute to fighting inflammation. Inflammation is caused not only by poor food choices, but also by stress. Keep inflammation down and increase your lifespan.

SunFresh proteins and Flavanaturals are two amazing Fit Snack partners both making the best of their particular product. SunFresh Proteins ensures they have the highest quality spirulina though a sustainable means. Flavanaturals is your Sneak Peek at our June Fit Snack box and is unique in that it contains the highest levels of flavonoids which are super nutrients that support brain, heart and skin health.

Enjoy and don’t forget your tasty treat apples and flava bars. If you want to try Flava Naturals sign up for our June Fit Snack box today.

Top 4 Ingredient Snacks You Must Try For Back To School!

Top 4 Ingredient Snacks You Must Try For Back To School!

We’re making back to school easy. Exams, schedules and staying on top of work and extracurriculars can be hard. But eating well shouldn’t be. Here are our top 4 ingredient snacks that will keep your kids (and you) energized at school or work. The best part is that they hardly take any time to prep…

Fit Snack’s Top 4 Ingredient Snacks to Make at Home:

  • Red Ants on a Log (the Fit Snack way!):  
    • Ingredients: Celery sticks, natural peanut butter (or almond butter), mixed nut crumbles, and gogi berries
    • Instructions: simply spread nut butter over celery sticks, top with mixed nuts and dried gogi berries – YUM! Place in tupperware and go.
  • Greek Yogurt Breakfast Bark
    • Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups plain Greek yogurt, 3 tbs maple syrup, 1/2 cup Quaker Real Medleys SuperGrains Blueberry Pecan Granola, 1/2 cup blueberries, 3 to 4 sliced strawberries (add chia seeds if you want some extra nutrients too!)
    • Instructions: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside, mix Greek yogurt and syrup in a bowl until combined. Pour onto prepared baking sheet and spread into a thin layer. Top with Real Medleys SuperGrains Blueberry Pecan Granola, blueberries, and strawberries, place in the freezer for two hours, or overnight, until the bark is fully frozen. Slice into desired squares when ready to eat!
  • Almond Energy Balls:
    • Ingredients: 1¼ cup gluten-free rolled oats, 1¼ cup chopped pitted dates, ½ cup no-salt added unsweetened almond butter, 1 teaspoon pure almond extract
    • Instructions: Place ingredients into food processor and process until smooth.  Use spoon to scoop out and create firm energy balls that stick together. Chill…
  • Zucchini Chips: 
    • Ingredients: 1 lb (about 4 cups) thin sliced Zucchini, 1/8 tsp salt, 1 ounce of finely grated Parmesan cheese, 1 garlic clove finely grated or 1/8 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
    • Instructions: Preheat oven to 230 degrees (F), use a knife or mandoline slicer to cut zucchini into thin slices, place cut zucchini in a bowl, add salt, Parmesan cheese, garlic and vinegar, toss to coat, bake for 1 1/2 hours.

 

In a rush? For those of you who don’t have time this week to make homemade snacks.  

Enjoy our recommended back to school go-to’s with links to order!

ALLY’s Bar

FRUIT and VEGGIE BAR:  This bar was inspired by Ally’s favorite Juice. Naturally sweet balance of apples and carrots and a spiced up with ginger. 5 – 9 servings of vegetables and 2 – 4 servings of fruit per day, is a difficult standard to meet each day! With Ally’s bar not only can you meet your nutritional requirements more easily, you can also enjoy sustainable whole food energy on the go!

Enjoy 20% off with code fitsnack at allysbar.com

 

 

Kala Fava Beans: Consider these your new go-to. With a selection of flavors like Pineapple, Sea Salt and Vinegar, Pepper and Curry, you’re never bored with what Kala has to offer. These beans are flavored just right so they taste more like chips than beans. These little beans are packed with protein and iron and are one of the tastiest superfoods out there. Featured in our Sept Fit Snack box!

Rise Buddy Pizza Rice Chips: Fit Snack delivers pizza? Only in the most efficient way possible! We love the quirky and unique products that Rise Buddy has shared with us and we want to share these yummy chips with you. These whole grain chips are made from brown rice, oven baked and gluten free. AND they come in delicious flavors like Pizza, BBQ, Sour Cream and more. Available on Amazon!

Raw BRaw Bite Coconut Bar and Ingredientsite Organic Fruit and Nut Bar: Looking for a snack that car seriously fill you up? Raw Bite has you covered. Though each bar is smaller in size, these fruit and nut bars are full of fiber and protein, and they only contain natural sugars. If you have dietary restrictions, this bar might just be the golden ticket. Every Raw Bite bar is dairy free, gluten free and corn free. For anyone who is vegan, paleo or trying to eat more organically, Raw Bite is worth checking out. Visit www.rawbite.us and use code  FITSNACK for 20% off through 09/30/2017.

Ricaroons Coconut Energy Bar: Ricaroons has somehow managed to make their protein bars taste more like a dessert than a healthy snack. Ricaroons uses three different forms of coconut: coconut oil, coconut flakes, and coconut palm nectar. Coconut digests smoothly, converting to energy with a minimal insulin effect. This means that with coconut comes consistent energy rather than a spike and crash like from most other sugars.  Each bar is nutrient-packed that provides long lasting energy and they are the perfect snack for anyone on-the-go. They even have Pumpkin Spice flavor for the fall! Visit www.rickaroons.com/buy and use code SNACKFIT for 15% off through 10/2/2017.

Getting Back Into the Work and School Routine is Easier with Fit Snack!

Getting back into the school routine is now just a bit easier with snacks that keep you energized and focused. With no artificial ingredients you and your kids can snack stress free. Follow links to our discounted snacks and get ready to hit the books!

Fit Snack is now offering office boxes to awesome offices around the nation! Visit www.fitsnack.com/office to get more information and a free sample box for qualified offices!

Sweeping the nation with healthy snacks!

The Trick to the BEST HOMEMADE Pumpkin Seeds!

The Trick to the BEST HOMEMADE Pumpkin Seeds!

Seeds Please!

It’s pretty normal to carve pumpkins and throw the seeds away or in some cases wash, salt and bake – boring!  We don’t usually take the pumpkin carving tradition to the next level… which is making the BEST, most mouth watering pumpkin seeds you’ve ever tasted.  This year, we are inspiring a different tune to that story.  Pumpkin seeds are power houses packed with nutrients.  We at Fit Snack can’t stand by and watch you toss those amazing power house seeds into the trash.. We just can’t to it.

Here are 3 simple steps to making the best pumpkin seeds you’ve ever tasted. *inspired by Food Network

  1. DRY YOUR SEED – After washing, spread the seeds in a single layer on an oiled baking sheet and roast 30 minutes to dry them out.
  2. ADD SPICES – Toss the seeds with olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil for sweet, salt for non-sweet and your choice of spices (see below).
  3. BAKE –  Return to the oven and bake until crisp and golden, about 20 more minutes.

Spice Options:

  • Sweet Chai: Toss with cinnamon, nutmeg and coriander + lakonto sweetner or raw sugar for desired sweetness!
  • Spicy Indian:  Toss with garam masala, red chili powder or ground red chilies; mix with currants after roasting.
  • Mexican: Toss in Taco Seasoning – yes… we said taco seasoning! Add red chili powder for spice; mix with slivered pine nuts.
  • Italian:  Toss with dried oregano, garlic powder and Parmesan cheese
  • Barbecue: Toss with brown sugar, chipotle chile powder and ground cumin OR use your favorite bbq seasoning

5 Ingredient Roasted Poblano Salsa

Now to add to your Halloween Party Fun and impress your guests! Let’s talk chips and dip. You know RW Garcia is one of our all time favorites that is why they are featured in our October Fit Snack Box.

RW Garcia Mixed Bag Chips

Here is a super easy 5 Ingredient Roasted Poblano Pepper Salsa to go with your RW Garcia Mixed Bag Chips.

  • 2 Roasted Poblano peppers (you can roast on stove or in oven until skins are blackened). Set aside to cool.
  • Fresh tomatoes (option to cut out the core)
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon lime juice
  • small handful of cilantro (if you don’t like cilantro, you can just use it as a pretty garnish)

Place it all in your blender or food processor, grind away and it’s ready to go. Chill and enjoy!

Don’t forget you only have 3 days left to get your hands on our packed October Fit Snack Box.  Here is a 30% discount on your first box.  We hope you have the best Halloween ever!

30% off Halloween Sale Link

30% Off. Sale ends 10/31 at Midnight.

 

Have a Happy and Healthy Thanksgiving

Have a Happy and Healthy Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a time to gather with family, share stories, and ( let’s be real) eat copious amounts of food. Just because you’re eating stuffed turkey doesn’t mean you have to feel like one though! Stay on top of your healthy eating game by making healthier versions of holiday classics.

Side Dishes:
-Roasted Carrots with Farro, Chickpeas, & Herbed Creme Fraiche from Cookie + Kate
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-Crunchy Apple, Cranberry and Walnut salad from Danette May
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-Creamy Non-Dairy Garlic Mashed Potatoes from Brooklyn Farm Girl
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-Quinoa Butternut Squash Stuffing from Gimme Some Oven
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Main Dishes:
-Butternut Squash Mac n’Cheese from Pinch & Yum (Hey, some of us consider mac n’ cheese a course all it’s own!)
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-Herb Roasted Turkey from Ina Garten
Dessert:
-Crazy Good Yet Healthy Pumpkin Pie from the Healthy Foodie
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-Clean Eating Pumpkin Pie from the Gracious Pantry
-Lightened Up Apple Crisp from Spark People
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Drinks:
Non-alcoholic sangria from In Sonnet’s Kitchen
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-Cinnamon Apple Spritzer from La Croix
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Fit Snack Tip: Make room for all the delicious food by going for a family walk before the meal! Have a happy and healthy Thanksgiving from the Fit Snack team!
Happy (Healthy) Halloween!

Happy (Healthy) Halloween!

Fun costumes, spooky decorations, mugs of apple cider…what’s not to love about Halloween? If you have a sweet tooth, trying to avoid binge-eating candy can be a challenge. Luckily, there’s many healthier alternatives that will put you in a festive mood without causing cavities. Here’s five of our favorite healthy Halloween recipes, that are equally yummy year round!

1.) “Candy Corn” Chicken Quesadillas
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Cheesy in both senses of the word! Make these with whole wheat tortillas  for a bonus nutritional boos     Recipe from Boulder Locavore 
2.)  Devilish Avocado Sriacha Eggs
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Replace mayonnaise with avocado for a scary good twist on the classic deviled egg! These spicy eggs are high in protein and healthy fats, making them the perfect appetizers.
3.) 3 Ingredient Banana Mummies
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Gluten, dairy, egg, soy, and nut free? Check check and check! These frozen treats made with banana, coca butter and coconut sugar are sure please even the pickiest of eaters.
4.) Cheese Witches Brooms
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These party snacks are the perfect size to satisfy salty cravings!
5.) Veggie Skeleton
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The only time veggies should be spooky! Mix up the dip for whatever sounds good to you. We’d serve the veggies with home made hummus. Just blend olive oil, garbanzo beans, tahini sauce, garlic, lemon juice in a food processor and enjoy!
-Happy Halloween from the Fit Snack Team!