How to Eat Healthy Without Getting Bored

So you either already learned how to eat healthy, or you’re now learning to eat healthy, but you can’t possibly eat another carrot stick or suck down another green juice and don’t even get you started on scrambled egg whites for breakfast every.single.day. Sound familiar? Ever wish you could just invent new foods? It’s something I hear about often from my clients. They are b-o-r-e-d with their healthy routine. After a few weeks or months of following various diet plans, it’s easy to lean too heavily on the same few healthy foods and meals. (Your refrigerator just called, and it’s really tired of yogurt, too!) So while I can’t conjure up a variety of broccoli that tastes like chocolate or transform salad greens into pasta or create a new fat burning food, I do know there are hundreds of tricks to put new zing in your old healthy eating standbys. Learning how to eat healthy doesn’t have to be the most boring thing you’ve ever done, and staying healthy doesn’t have to be an exercise in monotony. How to Eat Healthy Without Getting Bored Shake up your yogurt routine Make it savory: Instead of adding fruit, cinnamon or honey to your yogurt, add ¼ cup of chopped cucumbers, ¼ cup of tomatoes, ½ teaspoon of olive oil, and a dash of red wine vinegar for a tangy, Mediterranean-inspired snack. Pair it with raw veggies. Make it dessert-worthy: Add 1 tbsp of natural peanut butter and 1 tsp cocoa powder for a peanut-buttery chocolate treat. Note: you can do this with oats too! Make it tea-licious: Green tea doesn’t just belong in a mug. Sprinkle in 1 tbsp of matcha powder and stir some antioxidants right into your bowl. Add sex appeal to sandwiches Try something richer: Spread on a little healthy fat, from hummus, mashed avocado or a nut butter. Crunch it up: Sprinkle sliced almonds, finely chopped walnuts, or cashews on turkey or grilled chicken wraps. Make it ethnic: Mango chutney or spicy salsa can give your sandwich some flavor pizzazz.   Un-blah food with more flavor Turn up the heat: Cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, wasabi or hot sauce make so many dishes more interesting, from your morning eggs to your evening chicken breast. Diet food does not mean tasteless food. Remember this always. Rediscover zest: Add fresh lemon or lime juice, white balsamic vinegar, pomegranate champagne vinegar or ginger rice vinegar to kick up the flavor profile of savory dishes, especially fish. Make it earthy: Add mixed mushrooms (shitake, Portobello, Oyster) to tomato sauce, stir fries or tacos for a woodsy, hearty flavor, or if you’re sick of lettuce wrapped turkey burgers try portobello mushrooms with the turkey burger in between.  

3 Ways To Use Hummus (Dedicated)

I’m in love with hummus. Some people always have milk in their fridge, I have hummus. If we’re going to be a society fixated on convenience, immediate gratification and taste, I’m so glad that smashed and seasoned chickpeas are out there because they fit the bill better than anything else in all of those categories. When the American hummus craze first kicked in, we went pretty conventional with it. You’d find carrot and celery sticks or maybe a bowl of pretzels next to a dish of store-bought hummus. Nowadays, I’m finding out of the box hummus all over the place, so I thought I’d share my three favorite ways to get this nutrition superstar into your mouth.   Middle-Asian. I’m so in love with Avocado and Cucumber Nori Rolls that there is a photo of this amazing wrap on the wall of my office in the waiting area. The combo of Middle Eastern hummus, avocado and cucumber marries perfectly with Asia in this nori-wrapped, un-sandwich that works uh-mazingly for vegan and vegetarian clients, as well as gluten-free eaters and those looking to slim down. If you’re bored with your usual salad, or looking for a carb-less sandwich. Give this one a go! Transcending. If flavor is what you want, you’ve got to combine za’atar — which is a blend of sesame seeds, thyme, sumac, salt and pepper — with your hummus. I tried this one with a seasonal cucumber tzatziki hummus from Tribe and it was amazing. Make a bucket full and serve it up with endive leaves or on top of high quality crackers with thinly sliced radishes. I put it out alongside tapenades and bruschetta with a bottle of rose when I want to make a celebration get together. Per-fec-tion!   Portable-yum. I’ve been a cheerleader of individually portioned hummus from the minute I saw ‘em. I recommend all of my clients toss a hummus snacker in their lunch bag, gym bag, purse and office fridge because they are so easy to turn into a snack (with a handful of crudites) or meal (paired with soup, loaded onto a sandwich or piled on top of a salad) in seconds. They work as an after school snack for your picky eaters and hallelujah there’s no clean up for you!   Happy hummus eating, everyone. There are more ways to spread some garbanzo love than in a dish next to some veggies. Be creative and the deliciousness will follow!