The beginning of the New Year is a wonderful opportunity to hit the reset button and affirm some new positive health goals. Sometimes it can be difficult to stick to our resolutions because the rules we impose on ourselves are too restrictive and promote deprivation. Not a very joyous thing to do to yourself!
That’s why I bring you some joyous news! I’ve teamed up with California Almonds as the Canadian spokesperson for their new Life Squad, a team of nutrition, fitness and culinary experts headed by American actress and host of television’s “The Biggest Loser,” Alison Sweeney. Together, the team and I will share tips that will help fuel your day so you can stay healthy, stick to your goals and continue to feel fabulous in 2014!
It’s a perfect fit because as you know I’m a lover of all things almonds! They are one of Mother Nature’s most perfect foods, in my opinion. Whether it’s almond milk, cookies made with almond flour, or a trail mix, almonds are a joyous choice.
A simple habit that I recommend for a healthy 2014 is snacking. As a guideline, you want to avoid going longer than three to four hours without eating. That being said, the key is to listen to your body. If you are truly not hungry, don’t force yourself to eat but also recognize that if you go too long without eating then you may lose your appetite altogether. When this happens, your blood sugar dips, which can promote low energy and slow down your metabolic rate. Listen to the cues your body gives you!
These snack ideas will keep your blood sugar balanced, cravings in check and metabolism working as efficiently as possible.
To celebrate my partnership with California Almonds, here are some wonderful ways to include almonds into your daily snacking:
Sliced Granny Smith apple with crunchy almond butter, sprinkled with cinnamon. As you’ve probably noticed from my Instagram feed this is one of my favourite snacks!
Chewy Almond Butter Cookies (page 219 in my book!)
Homemade trail mix: simple toss together 1 cup goji berries, 1 cup raw cacao nibs, 1 cup almonds, 1 tbsp cinnamon and ½ cup mulberries. You’ll have a yummy nutrient-dense trail mix for weeks. A joyous serving would be ½ cup.
Dreamy Banana Cream Smoothie
Joyous reasons to love almonds!
You get a lot of nutrition from every almond. And just 1 ounce (28 grams):
Is an excellent source of antioxidant vitamin E and magnesium.
Provides 6 grams protein and 4 grams fibre.
Is a source of calcium (8% DV), potassium (6% DV), phosphorus (15% DV), and iron (6% DV).
Has 13 grams of good unsaturated fat.
With that in mind, a handful of almonds is the perfect snack!
So tell me, what is your favourite way to use almonds? Have you ever tried ground up almonds as flour in a recipe? I love using it in pancakes!
I LOVE almonds! I find them delicious in their au naturel form, but I also use them other ways. Once a week i make almond milk in my vitamix, and occasionally I bake with almond flour, usually to make banana bread.
ReplyI love using almond flour and raw almond butter in recipes, and snacking on raw, unsalted almonds.
ReplyWhen I eat almonds Im usually just eating them raw! Ive tried them in GF recipes but haven't had much luck yet.. However, homemade almond milk is amazing. Im studying to become a holistic health therapist, and included in the program is holistic nutrition as well. i love your blog and get a lot of inspiration about which direction I want to go once I finish school!
ReplyI'm a quite surprised you don't mention anything about soaking almonds... Any thoughts?
ReplyYes, soaking almonds helps to increase their digestability!
Almonds are great for our health. If you are working out for building muscle, almonds can be a great source for additional calories in your post workout shake. It has all the essential nutrients such as protein, carbs and fiber which is also good for digestion.
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