Snack on This!

If you have a busy schedule like me, not only do you need power snacks for that energy kick but you need something you can carry around with you. Recently, I purchased this raw, organic and vegetarian trail mix called "Go Take a Hike!" by GoHunza. Doesn't it look beautiful? The ingredients are as follows: goji berries, mulberries, golden raisins, cacao nibs, cashews and pistachios. It is so tasty and delicious!

Not crazy about what's in this one? Check out their website for a one that suits your taste buds by clicking here.

You won't be disappointed.

A Breakfast Idea: Hummus and Veggie Sandwich

I have been experimenting with meals for the past few weeks. What I realized is that breakfast is the most important meal. A nutritious breakfast, I have noticed, is more veggie and fruity. My challenge was to eat a balanced breakfast consisting of fruit, vegetables and body-friendly carbohydrates that was not time consuming to make and yet delicious to eat. I started my day by eating fruit, usually either a banana, or a pear or an apple while preparing for my actual breakfast. Because my goal was to get as many nutrients as possible into my body, I made sandwiches. Here is one that I absolutely love to eat for breakfast:

Ingredients:
2 slices of either whole wheat or whole grain bread
1/4 yellow bell pepper
1/4 red bell pepper
1/4 orange bell pepper
1/2 avocado
Hummus

Preparation:
Spread hummus on the bread. Slice the peppers and the avocado to preference and layer your sandwich.

I am sure there are variations on this recipe all over the web because this is as simple as it gets and it does not take more than 10 minutes to make! Note that the bread can be replaced with a whole wheat or whole grain bagel. Use your imagination with the veggies.

I will post more meal ideas as I go along... The important idea to take from this post is that breakfast should be a burst of energy.

Enjoy!

Smart Apps for Smart Shoppers

Grocery shopping can be an overwhelming experience considering the vast presentation of products on the market, the ambiguity of ingredient lists that are suppose to be informative and the selection process of nutritious meals that doesn't require multiple trips to the store. To make things less stressful, I have been on the hunt for the most helpful smart phone apps on the market. Here are my favorite five you can download to your phone for free:

1. Organic Diet Buddy by Saagara. This application has a color coded safety guide for fruits and vegetables. It also has a Farmer's Market locator and a nutrition calculator. 

2. Fooducate. Fooducate lets you learn more about a product by scanning its bar code with your phone.

3. Whats On My Food. An app that warns you about pesticides.

4. Shop No GMO. Lists you products with no GMO content.

5. Whole Foods Recipes. Very easy to use with features such as a shopping list for the recipes you are making. 

Click on the names to find out more about an app or to download to your phone for free.