Are you a snacker?

For many people, snacking is necessary.  Snacking may help regulate and boost metabolism, balance blood glucose levels, and reduce levels of triglycerides in the bloodstream. High fiber healthy fat snacks can get you to your next meal!

For me this works... I need to eat every 3 to 4 hours, and sometimes life doesn't allow for this. I have breakfast very early before dropping my daughter off at school, and the midday is always my busiest time, so I need a snack to hold me until lunch.

What can I say... I'm a fan of snacks- they make me not binge, stop cravings, and choose healthier foods on my main meals.

Keep in mind: ONLY because this works for me. (I might recommend something different for some of you.)

My snacking advice...

1. Stay away from processed and eat WHOLE FOODS (you know, the ones that come from the Earth, not a bag or box with a lot of ingredients.)
2. Always HAVE some with you (in your purse, car, etc)
3. DON'T SNACK if you are NOT hungry.
4. Try DRINKING WATER before reaching for a snack.

Here is my list of fave healthy snacks:

• Hummus with carrots and celery
• Berries and (a handful!) of nuts
• Apple with almond butter
• Homemade granola
• Trail mix
• Fruit with small amount of kefir or cultured cottage cheese (if dairy is OK for you)
• Kale chips
• Homemade herbed popcorn
• Chia Pudding

and my newest addition to the "snack arsenal"...

Sweet Curry Roasted Chickpea Mix

Eat this snack treat on its own or add a cupful to basmati rice, yogurt, or a bed of greens with a tamari dressing!

Ingredients:
1 cup dried chickpeas
1 Tbspn olive oil
1 Tbspn Organic Maple Syrup
1 Tbspn curry powder*
1 cup roasted and salted cashews
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 tspn sea salt (optional, as the cashews have salt already)

Instructions:

Soak chickpeas overnight in a medium bowl with a lid.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Rinse chickpeas with cold water and place on a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Place another piece of parchment paper over chickpeas.  This extra piece of parchment paper will prevent the peas from popping all over your oven- think popcorn!

Bake chickpeas for 25-30 minutes.  Start checking at 20 minutes.  Eat a pea and test its texture.  You want it to be more crunchy than chewy.  Be aware so the peas don't burn though.

When done, place peas in a bowl and ad all other ingredients.  Stir well to make sure all ingredients are evenly coated.

* Be creative! If you like spicy, try with cayenne pepper too, you can always adjust as you mix it all!

What's YOUR favorite (healthy) snack?