Vegetarian Snacks Under 100 Calories

I often see a lot of snacks with meat or seafood that are under 100 calories. The list usually includes some highly processed pre-packaged food as well. Since my goal for 2013 was to reduce processed food here is a list of 25 snacks, yes 25, I have come up with. These snacks are all vegetarian and have high protein. I do have some options with eggs to if you don’t eat eggs, skip those!

1. Omelet: 1 egg and ½ cup veggies and spices
2. 1 rice cake and 1 tbsp. peanut butter
3. ½ cup cottage cheese and 1 slice cantaloupe
4. 1 medium size banana
5. 10 animal crackers
6. 1 cup chopped mango
7. 2 tbsp. guacamole and 5 chips
8. 1 hard-boiled egg
9. 1 cup canned mandarin oranges
10. 9 pretzels and ½ tbsp. chunky peanut butter
11. 1 cup sliced apples and 1 oz. low fat cheddar – personal favorite!
12. 10 baby carrots and 4 oz. Greek yogurt ad 1 tsp. ranch mix
13. 4 tbsp. hummus and 2 celery stalks, sliced
14. 3 almonds chopped and 4 oz. Greek yogurt and a drizzle of honey
15. 2 tbsp. fat free bean dip and 1 small wheat tortilla and 2 tbsp. low fat cheddar
16. 2 tbsp. light guacamole and 2 celery stalks, sliced
17. 1 pack low cal instant oatmeal
18. ½ cup edamame, shelled
19. 2 cups watermelon
20. 25 dry-roasted, unsalted pistachios
21. ½ cup baby carrots and 2 tbsp. hummus
22. 2 egg whites with a slice of whole wheat toast
23. ½ cup cucumber and 2 tbsp. hummus1 small apple, sliced and ½ tbsp. peanut butter
24. 1 small apple, sliced and ½ tbsp. peanut butter 
25. 3 cups air popped popcorn

Sources:

Spark People

Dr. Jackie Newgent

Roasted Vegetables - Bhel Style

Looks yummy huh?!!

I think roasting vegetables was one of the BEST things to happen to vegetarians! Steamed veggies have a texture that doesn't suit my pallet and I do think they lose nutrients and taste. For those of you who are not familiar with Bhel, it is an Indian Street Food that is full of flavor and crunch. For this recipe I have paired up those same flavors to make this a fun side. I also chose vegetables that are high in protein.  

Ingredients: 

• Cauliflower, cut into 1 inch florets, 1.5 cups
• Broccoli, cut into 1 inch florets, 1.5 cups
• Lemon, halved 
• Purple Onion, finely chopped OR Onion Powder - Optional
• Cilantro, finely chopped
• Rosemary, 1/4 tsp 
• Sunflower Seeds, 1/4 cup 
• Vegetable Oil, 1 tsp
• Coconut Oil, 1 tbsp
• Salt, to taste 

Direction: 

• Preheat oven to 450. 
• Cut up the veggies in a large bowl - use less or more veggies depending on your portion size. 
• Add melted Coconut Oil, Salt, Rosemary. If you plan to skip fresh onions you may add onion powder in this step. NOTE: Don't add the fresh onions now, they will burn during the roasting process. 
• Give it a quick toss to make sure everything is coated evenly. 
• Line a baking sheet with some foil. NOTE: the baking sheet sides need to be about 1 inch. This is very important, if they are higher than that the steam won't escape causing the veggies to steam instead, i.e. they will be mushy! 
• Coat the foil vegetable oil and place the florets on the sheet. NOTE: They should not be overcrowded as that will cause it to steam as well. 
• Cook for about 15 - 20 minutes. I like to brown mine a tad. 
• Let the veggies cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet. 
• Once cool, move them to the serving bowl or dish. 
• Drizzle some fresh lemon juice, cilantro and onions (onions are optional). 
• Sprinkle the sunflower seeds in the end for an awesome crunch! 
• Serve! 

I usually eat this as lunch. I gain weight very easily so this is a good alternative to stew and salad for me. This pairs up very well with Tofu Sticks (recipe coming soon). 

High Protein Snack

Stack following:

• Cracker
• Hummus 
• Chopped Dates
• Sunflower Seeds
• Rosemary 

**Repeat and start munching! **

Veggie Stirfry with Peanut Sauce

Ingredients:
1 Zucchini, thinly sliced
1 Summer Squash, thinly sliced
1 Carrot, thinly sliced
1/2 Green Bell Pepper
1/2 Red Bell Pepper
1/2 Cup Tofu, 1 inch cubes
2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
1 Tablespoon Creamy Peanut Butter
1 Tablespoon Water
1 Tablespoon Light Soy Sauce
Salt, to taste
Optional: Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce
1 Tablespoon EVO or Ghee

Directions:
Heat up the Ghee/Oil in a Wok or non-stick pan, over medium heat.
While this is heating up, heat up the Peanut Butter, Soy Sauce and Water (in the microwave) for 10-15 seconds, stir.
Sautée all the vegetables for 7-10 minutes. Add in the salt and any other seasonings you prefer.
Once they soften up, add the tofu and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.
Serve over rice.
Optional: drizzle some Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce to spice things up!!

Spiced Oatmeal

Ingredients:
1/3 cup sliced soaked Almonds
3 cups water
1 cup rolled oats
2 tablespoons raisins
1/4 teaspoon ground Cardamon
1/4 teaspoon ground Cinnamon
1 tablespoon Chia seeds
1 Banana, peeled and sliced
2 tablespoons Maple Syrup

Directions:
Bring the water to a boil.
Add the oats, raisins, spices and chia seeds, reduce heat.
Simmer for 10 minutes.
Drizzle with maple syrup and almonds.
Serve with a sliced banana.

NOTE: This is an Ayurvedic meal that is recommended for people that have the Vata-Pitta Dosha.

Green Tea: Benefits

Over the years Green Tea has become one of my favorite go to drinks at Starbucks. It has a lot do with the fact that they carry the Tazo Zen tea. I rave about this tea brand all the time BUT that's not what this post is about. So lets get started! 

I did research this and some of the information listed below comes from credible sources like WebMD. 

Benefits:

• Fights Cancer
• Lowers Cholestrol
• Reduced plaque and bacteria in your mouth
• Prevents cavities
• Protects against heart disease
• Prevents dementia
• Full of antioxidants
• Speeds metabolism
• Prevents diabetes
• Antiviral agent
• Maintains a healthy circulatory system
• Strengthens tooth enamel
• Prevents food poisoning
• Promotes healthy skin
• Prevents bad breath
• Acts as a powerful detox agent 
• Enhances weight loss 

I usually drink one to two cups of the Zen Tea. There is something oh so relaxing about this. In the summer I usually brew the K-cups over ice! 

Prepping for the week: Smoothie (Breakfast/Snack)

So here's the deal, I have a very busy morning ... Like everybody! So I cheat, well kind of! I chop up and portion out my fruits so I can whip up a quick smoothie in the morning! The smoothies I make are full of fiber and protein. Let me know if you would be interested in more smoothie recipes :)

December Workout Update

December (2012) Workout Update: 

I continued my workout from last month, despite my Asthma concerns. This month was rough and I gave it my best but life happens .... Details below!

I always started with a warm up and it was followed with a short 20 minute walk in the treadmill with no incline. This eventually progressed into my current workout on the treadmill (listed below). Keep in mind, this is gradual. I can't stress this enough! It took me weeks to get to this point, well I could actually say months. Now before I tell you what exactly I am doing, please keep in mind that I do have asthma and am by no means lean. Having said that I am not saying that chubbier people can't run. If I can, so can you! Just do it in small sections like me. 

Total Time: 70 Minutes

Calories: Approximately 470-500

Incline 3.5 - I maintain this incline all through the workout time, including warm up and cool down. 

Repeat the following 7 times:

Minutes 1 through 3 - Speed 2.7 m

Minutes 4 through 6 - Speed 3.3 m

Minutes 7 through 9 - Speed 3.5 m

Minute 10 - 5.2 m - RUN! RUN like you see a clearance rack WITH Black Friday deals! HAHA :)

Repeat! 

I workout 3 times a week - Monday, Wednesday and Friday. I am a morning person and have a pretty demanding day job so my workout time starts at 5 a.m. Yes waking up that early, even for a morning person, was a tad hard but coming home from work and being lazy is a great feeling!

December 3: 490 Calories
December 5: 550 Calories
December 7: Sick -- My Asthma decided to come visit. I had to change my workout routine. I changed it to something that didn't involve too much cardio but still got rid of some calories.
December 10: Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred (JM30DS) - Day 1
December 12: JM30DS - Day 2
December 16: Apartment Flooded - We lost a pantry full of food, clothes, electronics, home decor items etc. :(
December 25: Just when I thought I had the apartment organized and could get back into the working out routine, we were hit with a snow storm that knocked all the power out, cars under trees and iced in. I am telling you this was not my month!
BUT we restart!
December 30: JM30DS - Day 1
December 31: JM30DS - Day 2

In case you missed ... 

Why I started this section: 

Lets face it, no one truly enjoys working out. I didn't either! My life is a constant battle between my love of food and not wanting to get fat ... well fatter! I also love to cook and bake which doesn't help either. At some point on the battlefield I decided enough was enough! I truly enjoy walking. Yes, walking on the treadmill gets a tad boring, but trust me listening to some music or watching TV makes the time go by so much faster! As most aspects in life, people tend to do better when held accountable for things. So lets just do that! Trust me after doing it for a few weeks you will feel horribly guilty and oh-so yucky when you miss a workout! And after that, ... well you are hooked at this point and well on your way to an awesome new you! 

How I stay motivated: 

This didn't come easy! The system that worked for me was to reward myself for every successful week I had. I would grab myself a magazine or a nail polish or an eyeliner or some cheap jewelry from Forever 21. I kept it under $5 and made sure there was no food involved, it would defeat the purpose of working out. With time this gets easier and then no rewards are needed :)

To be perfectly honest I also had a great support system that kept me on track by holding me accountable. If you can get some friends to follow this with you, do it! If not, I can be your support system! 

I'm making myself unstoppable. Why don't you join me?!!

Healthy Dessert

Here just a quick post on a healthy dessert option. Just get some Greek Yogurt, I use the Chobani - Vanilla Chocolate Chunk, strawberries or blueberries, and some almonds or walnuts. ENJOY!!