Snacking Well

Being on a long-term dietary cleanse means thinking ahead all the time about what's to eat.  In particular, I want to always have great snacks available to keep me happy until the next meal time rolls around.  I either want to eat fresh fruit and veggies, or something salty and crunchy (but not chips, pretzels, crackers).  I've found a bunch of great snacks, and thought I'd share them here.  First are nuts and seeds, with many variations.  I eat plain as well as roasted nuts, and sometimes flavored ones with curry or tamari flavoring.   We buy pumpkin seeds (pepitas) and spread them out on a baking sheet, drizzle them with tamari, toss them around, then bake them slowly until they turn golden brown.  These are salty and crunchy and good for you too. 

I like Livin Spoonful gluten free, vegan, raw sprouted crackers.  They come in a variety of flavors and are crispy and beautifully flavorful.  We just had "pizza" flavor this afternoon and nearly swooned with the pleasure of such yummy taste!  I also buy Mauk Family Farms raw breakfast crusts, and raw wheat-free crusts.  They are a lot like bird seed cakes, mainly seeds pressed together.  One version is a little sweeter because they contain goji berries. But again, if you want something chewy, crispy, and filling, these are your babies!   Another favorite is San-J Tamari Black Sesame Brown Rice Crackers.  They are actually black in color, and we love them just plain, or with some avocado or egg-less egg salad.  All of these items are found at the local health food stores, sometimes in the "raw food" section.

One of my favorite all-time snacks - or meals, for that matter - is what we call "Red Rice".  On this plan, I can eat 1/2 cup of brown rice or quinoa each day.  I mix olive oil and tamari into the grain to taste, warm it up slightly in the microwave (if it is cold), then add 1/2 avocado (chopped) and a sprinkling of cayenne pepper.  It is so deeply, deeply satisfying, and easy too!

We roast vegetables in a 425 degree oven.  Put them on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper, and when they start to look a little toasty brown, remove immediately.  These can be refrigerated and eaten cold with salads or as finger food throughout the day.

Finally, I've been making soups and eating them between meals, or sometimes the soup is the meal.  My most recent favorite is this "Cream" of Broccoli Soup, which has no cream at all but is wonderfully fresh tasting and simple to make.  In a quick half hour you can have a pot of soup that lasts days.

I'm always looking for more ideas.  But for now, these items have been lifesavers!