Organic Chocolate

I have been Sun-spired.

Sunspire is an organic chocolate company, who offer healthy alternatives to Nestle and Hershey’s products.  Over the weekend I became weak at the knees at the delicious thought of eating a Moundsbar.  These dark chocolate, coconut covered two-bite candy treasures contain 10g of fat and 230 calories. Now before I reveal the nutritional information about the Sunpire coconut bar I must warn you that the organic version is thirty calories more.  So then why would I advise eating this bar opposed to a standard mounds bar? The Sunspire is

Taste the Sunpire.

all natural, hence “organic”, you are not wasting your diet cheat splurge on processed sugar and chemicals, but the real stuff.

According to LiveStrong.com organic foods increase antioxidant and vitamin content, while decreasing chemical residue.  Not only are Sunspire products organic and delicious, but gluten and dairy free.

Besides their organic version of the infomous Mounds bar, Sunspire also changes the meaning of M&Ms. SunDrops are non-artificial color coated milk chocolate drops.  These drops of heaven are 180 calories per bag, beating the M&M bag measurement of 240 calories. I have and will always be completely obsessed with chocolate, but due to my change for a healthier lifestyle I aim to stick to all natural cocoa.

 

Cookie Consumption

I am a cookie monster.

I remember when my mother would open an entire package of Oreo cookies (70 calories per cookie) for our family to snack on as desert.  I have three brothers, so it was a struggle to grab as many cookies as possible before they’re all gone. Once I had a secure pile on a napkin I would twist off a cookie top and lick the wonderful cream filling then eat the chocolate cookie whole. Not only were Oreos a custom Belmont household dessert, but Keebler fudge sticks, Chips A’Hoy, pecan sandies, and homemade cookies too.  Now I obsessively gaze at the oversize, multi-portion, and massive calorie container in the shape of delightful cookies, outside of bakery windows.  So how do I get my cookie fix when I am so restrictive about my diet?

Honestly, there is no way around the high-carb intake of a cookie. I snack on Barbara’s Snackimals (120 calories per serving) on a weekly basis, never more than two bags a week.  However there are the times when you need to enjoy a large, soft, fresh-baked cookie.  During those deadly craving times I venture home to whip up a batch of low-calorie baked cookies.  These low-calorie recipes often produce small, light, but craving satisfying cookies for your pleasure. One alternative recipe I stumbled upon is from Taste of Home, Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies (66 calories per cookie), basically chocolate chip banana bread in the shape of a cookie! Just be careful to not bake cookies amongst my fellow cookie monsters, we tend to eat entire batches.

 

Not for Me Smoothie

I am not a smoothie girl.

Due to my obsessive food condition I read numerous diet articles to discover new tips about how to make the right food choices.  In my reading I keep coming across smoothies for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  I have saved a bunch of smoothie recipes in my phone to one day try, but I have yet to pull out the blender.  Last weekend during a day of researching for a paper I suffered a miner heat stroke.  The refreshing idea of a smoothie entered my thoughts and prompt me to order a strawberry-banana smoothie from the Barnes and Noble cafe.  After my first taste I remembered why I am not obsessed with smoothies, but I proceeded to drink it.  I am not bothered by the texture, but the odd aftertaste.  The Barnes and Noble cafe is not known for their smoothies, but I am not dying of thirst to try one from a different location.

Smoothies are a great low-calorie, high-protein (if made with skim milk), and nutritious refreshing drink.  They are the meal option for those who are unable to sit down and indulge on a real meal (like me).  The next time I am in the need for refreshing summer afternoon snack I may attempt to make a blueberry smoothie, or just stick to a loveable pint of frozen yogurt.

 

BBQ Careful

I attend BBQs for the delicious free food.

Summer is here and my stomach is rumbling for mouth-watering BBQ food style meals, like hamburgers, hotdogs, bratwurst, grilled chicken, corn on the cob, and baby back ribs.  I apologize if my long list of barbecue favorites has made you hungry.  Just like in my previous discussion regarding Easter, I have mixed feelings these days to barbecue foods.  I can’t remember the last time I had a hotdog, so those are not my temptation problem.  No my downfall the summer stems from the fact that I am a bratwurst girl.  The charred grilled casing, placed on a light hotdog bun, drizzled in ketchup, with minced pickles sprinkled on top; this is my summer obsession dream food.  Unfortunately the average bratwurst casing conceals 283 calories and only 12g of protein.   The white bread hot dog bun adds on 110 calories, bringing my total well over 300 calories.

The secret combination of spicy, melted pepper-jack cheese and charred grilled chicken.

Now I know that on average a person should eat between 300 and 400 calories for every meal, so my summer bratwurst temptation meal is not too bad.  Its only when I compare it to my healthy alternative barbecue grilled meal that puts the bratwurst to shame.  My healthy alternative is the magnificent Taste of Home Grilled Pepper Jack Chicken Sandwich, this recipe makes me think bratwurst who? Now this sandwich packs over 300 calories, just like the bratwurst but the 33 grams of protein will allow me to not reach for chips.  Next time you’re at a barbecue consider your grilled white meat options before indulging in pork.

 

Fast Food Free

I have been Big Mac from since 2009.

Those were the days.

Not only have I been McDonald’s free since 2009, but all fast food.  I can’t remember the last time I ate a mouth-watering fast food burger and fries, but I don’t miss them either.  For most food addicts fast food is one of the hardest items to give up, but I found it to be simple.  Don’t stop, don’t eat, and you won’t miss the guilty satisfaction from eating fast food.  Before parking your car in the parking lot remind yourself that a McDonald’s Big Mac contains 540 calories, 29g fat, and 1040mg of sodium.  This in comparison to a frozen Amy’s Organic All American Veggie burger patty, 140 calories, 3.5g fat, and 380mg of sodium.  The nutritional information doesn’t lie, so don’t talk yourself into eating such a guilty pleasure with no nutritional awards.

Now I want to be clear that I am fully knowledgable of the craving for a ground beef patty with melted cheese, lettuce, onion, pickles, and ketchup served on a bun.  My advice is to not submit to this craving on a dime, but really invest your calories by going to a set down restaurant instead.  The Boston Burger from Boston’s Gourmet Pizzeria is over one thousand calories, so split it with a friend.  Not only do you enjoy a fun night out, slash calories, but diminish your burger craving.  More importantly this scenic craving route will not sync into your daily routine, which is the worst consequence to eating fast food; it becomes a habit.  So the next time you consider wasting your calories on a driveway binge, consider more long-term options for greater satisfaction!

 

Youthful Delights

I honestly can’t remember the last time I had any J-E-LL-O.

A youthful cup of JELLO

I remember indulging on those gelatin jigglers as a child, but nothing since receiving my diploma from high school.  Traditional Jello gelatin creations don’t turn on my calorie warning lights (10 calories per 1/8 package), but I generally don’t crave them either.   Then again when was the last time I traded my chips for someone’s pudding cup (120 calories per cup)?  In my opinion chocolate pudding cups along with Jello jigglers lost their appeal when I discovered chocolate mousse and fruit snacks.  So along with waistline my palette expanded past the taste of flavored water and smooth pudding.

A tempting mousse.

In comparison to pudding, the mature decadence of a chocolate mousse cup can on average have 454 calories. That’s almost four times as many calories!  The caloric differences are not as drastic between Jello and Welch’s fruit snacks, which are 130 calories per serving. Oddly enough, I can’t remember the last time that I ate some fruit snacks instead of protein packed string cheese, yogurt, or protein bars.  Not only have I matured in taste, but in smart, balanced nutritional food consumption too!

 

Fairbanks Salads

I had one of the best salads over the weekend.

Romaine lettuce, chopped peppers (red, orange, green, yellow), grated Parmesan cheese, crasins, sunflower seeds, and balsamic vinaigrette; the makings of a delicious salad.  Unfortunately this delicacy I found at the

The delicious lightness of a salad.

local Fairbanks cafe ACRC, so the calorie count is unknown.  Sometimes the calorie counts can be ignored for the sake of hunger.  Especially, now that its springtime in Alaska when the temperature rises and I begin to crave fresh, water-based food like fresh fruit and vegetables.  Nothing is better to eat on a hot Alaskan summer day than a salad.

In my previous post, Fruit Perspective, I suggest to counterbalance the carbohydrates with protein.  This is why you should dress your salad up with nuts and dried, or fresh fruit.  Another decadent Fairbanks summer salad is ,Gambardella’s, chicken, blue cheese, walnut, pear salad.  I am not sure what else is on their menu, because when I eat there I have blue cheese salad on the mind. Again, no calorie counts to be found, but the taste throws my calorie counts out the window.  Unlike, ACRC’s salad find Gamberdella’s inclusion of blue cheese dressing and crumbles threatens the healthiness of this main course. My over-consumption advice is to order the salad with the blue cheese dressing and crumbles on the side.  Then attempt to only use half of both “salad accessories.”