Health and diet food getting you down? Try adding something to spice up your bland diet food!
Brown Rice Cakes: They’re filling and kill my craving for bread without making me consume as many calories or carbs, but BOY can they be bland! The flavored ones often leave me feeling like something’s missing, and they always have some funky chemicals in them that I’d prefer to skip. Plain and unsalted is the best because it makes a great base to build some wonderful things on- pizzas, salads, sandwiches. These are a few of my favorites-
+ raw almond butter, berries or dates, honey/agave, & cinnamon
+ peanut butter & 1/2 a sliced banana
+ hummus, tomato, & avocado
+ tahini + chives + capers
+ arugula, goat cheese or vegan feta, sliced figs, & balsamic vinegar
Raw tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, & various veggies: Raw culinary vegetables are great for fiber, minerals and vitamins. When people start to diet though, they try to go all out and eat just raw fruits and veggies, and let’s face it- it’s too hard to go that bland so fast. These dips and spreads are great healthy toppings for your raw veggies:
+ cashew cheese
+ hummus (garlic, roasted pepper, or basil are all good)
+ vegan ranch (for vegetarian/omni version, use yogurt and milk instead
+ tapenade
Water: Water is great. We all need water to survive. Water is a pivotal key in dieting- drinking more water will keep your body hydrated and keep you less inclined on overeating. It gives you a lot of energy and keeps your organs healthy. For some people who are coming off of soda and other sugary drinks, plain water just doesn’t cut it. For those who need a little flavor:
+ lemon
+ cucumber
+ pieces fresh melon or fruit
Salad: Sad little leaves with no dressing. How boring! Try adding these to your plain salads to spice them up a bit:
+ grilled vegetables (light on the olive oil)
+ lentils, beans, corn and or peas (protein is king!)
+ celery (adds a surprisingly delicious punch to your salad)
+ balsamic vinegar, hummus, or vinaigrette dressing
+ dried fruit (goji berries, apricot, cherries are all good- avoid those that
have added sugars and sulfates)
+ herbs (tarragon, chives, basil etc), spices (onion, garlic, chilies, pepper etc)
I guess the point is, if you’re going to diet and eat diet food, try to not sway into extreme dieting. If you’re a soda drinker who loves french fries, try weaning yourself off. Don’t expect your body to just accept raw carrots as the new french fry. The intention is great, but it won’t stick and soon you’ll be back to the french fries. Over time, your tastes will change and you’ll find yourself enjoying “diet foods” and finding your own combinations to play with.
To good health,
Joyce
