FOOD FINDS - Munchies! For the snacker in all of us :)

I am a snacker! I love munchies - anything like chips, pretzels, crackers, popcorn. If it's sitting out, I'll be the one hovering closely grabbing small handfuls at a time, until I've consumed mindless calories that I later regret. This can be a big problem when trying to maintain a healthy weight.
 
Here are two snacks that I recently ran across that are healthy, satisfying, and taste great!
 
1.)  Popcorn Indiana Chip'ins All Natural Sea Salt Popcorn Chips
 

• 120 calories per 20 chips
• no saturated fat
• 210 mg sodium
• no sugar
• 2% iron (important for women!)
• all natural, with just 3 ingredients (vegan, kosher, and gluten free!)

 
2.)  Back to Nature Sweet Potato & Cinnamon Crackers
 

• 130 calories per 30 crackers
• no saturated fat
• 190 mg sodium
• 4 grams sugar
• 4% iron
• 15% vitamin A
• all natural, made with real vegetables 

Place serving sizes in snack baggies and when you get the munchies, you can just grab a baggy and snack away, guilt free! :)

Smoothies Pack a Healthy Punch!

Smoothies are ideal when you need to fit a whole lot of nutrients into your day quickly. The key is combining the right foods so that they're not only healthy, but they also taste good :)

Here's two of my favorites:

Lean Green Smoothie - Ideal for breakfast to help you feel full longer!

Combine 2 bananas, 1 cup baby carrots, 1/2 cup natural applesauce, 1 cup vanilla almond or soy milk, and as much kale as you can fit in a blender and mix well. Makes 2 servings. Store 1 serving in airtight container in fridge for the next day.

Mid-Day Energy Smoothie - Perfect blend of protein, carbs, and antioxidants to keep you moving throughout the day!

 

Combine 3/4 cup vanilla almond or soy milk, 1 cup frozen mixed berries, 1/2 cup natural applesauce, 1 1/2 cups chopped kale in a blender and mix well. Makes 1 serving.

These are two very simple ones to get you started on your own healthy creations. Enjoy!