I’m a muncher, a nibbler, a grazer. I snack. Constantly. Many have noted that this might be the reason why there’s no exponential relevance between my weight and the amount of food I gobble down on a daily basis, I just think I’m bloody lucky. It’s probably less alarming now I’ve been proper exercising, but God knows how I got through the past 27 years without becoming a jug of lard! Now, today’s not all about my fatty rolls – it’s about healthy snacks!
Recently I’ve been drawn to the clean eating trend. I see very little chance of turning clean eating into my lifestyle (some extra chicken wings Colonel please!) but it’s definitely an eating habits that makes sense to me and that I’d like to incorporate in my diet. What is clean eating? In essence it means that you are more mindful of what you’re eating – this way you’re choosing the healthier from the non-healthy options. For instance, a clean eater will pick a plain yoghurt with honey and fresh strawberries rather than an artificially flavoured and coloured option. Makes sense, right? Here’s a couple of snacks which I’ve been enjoying lately and which fall into the ‘cleaner foods’ category.
✓ Overnight oats: also known as the most photogenic breakfast on Pinterest. Overnight oats are by no means limited to early hours of your day – they are a perfect snack, ideally after a workout because oats are just under 3% complete protein. The contain betaglucans which reduces cholesterol and they also contain a number of antioxidants. If you’re unsure which oats are ‘cleaner’ than other then I recommend Primrose’s Kitchen (click here) which are made in Dorset! A recipe for my favourite overnight oats will be on the blog next Saturday so keep your eyes peeled!
✓ Raw energy balls: you can buy these – they are called Bounce Bliss balls and they are bloody expensive! Almost £2 per a tiny balls. I know, I know, it’s packed with all the good stuff so it must be more costly, but Jeeeeesus, £2?! So one day I came home and made my own bliss balls and they were bloody delicious. And cheap as chips!
✓ Porridge: the ultimate sweet English breakfast for those working in an office – I didn’t even know porridge was a thing before I moved to the UK! Now you have to be a little more careful with porridge because most supermarket brands contain high levels of sugar and all things artificial. I’ve recently tried Moma porridge which has the most intriguing flavours – coconut & chia, super seeds, cranberry & raisin! It’s not too expensive either and the company shares their porridge tips on their website too (click here)!
✓ Chia pudding: Chia seeds have become a synonym to Pinterest healthy eating. I have to admit, I have not mastered the perfect texture yet but I’m not giving up. I’ve tasted a Chia pudding made by someone else once and it was deeeehlicious! Chia seeds are rich in omega-3 fats and antioxidants and I want to stuff my face with them soaked in a chocolate pudding. One day, one day!
✓ Cookies with cocoa nibs: incorporating clean eating into your diet does not mean you will be left with just seeds, nuts and oats for the rest of your life, oh dear God, no. But instead of buying a pack of Maryland cookies (although they are delicious and I definitely won’t say no to them if I’m handed a pack or two), try to make your own! It’s super easy and there’s a ton of recipes on the internets that you can follow. My favourite is the 3 ingredient base with just mushed bananas, oats and peanut butter – you can then add whatever your heart desires – I prefer cocoa nibs or little chocolate chips when I’m feeling naughty. Sometimes I even put peanut butter in between two cookies so they’re like my own version of Oreos, muhaha!