Food for thought

Thought I would do a post JUST on the LEAP friendly foods and snacks I have found after hours of reading labels over the past few months. In addition to Emily's Pinterest boards (where there are tons of ideas depending on what your non reactive foods are) there are LOTS of good things out there to help you feel "normal" (a relative term) - you just have to "dig" a little! It's not just for anyone on LEAP either - anyone wanting to eat "cleaner" can benefit! I've had a lot of people ask me "What do you EAT?" and here are some of the things that have made life more enjoyable as I have adjusted to my new lifestyle! It is so important to have healthy, portable snacks when I need them and these have totally made life easier. I know now that you do not have to sacrifice flavor when you give up the things you thought you loved. You just need to find better alternatives to the "bad" stuff.

Detoxinista has a great collection of recipes that just happened to fit my needs. The Almond Butter Fudge and Double Chocolate Cookies proved that I didn't have to give up "sweets" forever - I just had to make healthier ones! Eureka!
http://detoxinista.com/

Matt's Munchies were one of my GOLD MINE finds - yummy little squares of fruit with coconut topping - feels like candy! Island Mango are my favorite new sweet treat!
http://www.chefrobertsdirect.com/

I adore cereal. But there are so many ingredients in the "normal" boxes that I thought i was doomed from having a sweet, crunchy alternative. Then I found Oats. Best. Stuff. Ever. And I can pronounce all the ingredients. Coconut is my Fave!

Tell me if you can find popcorn with 3 ingredients. I double dog dare ya! This stuff  from Popcorn Indiana is such a wonderful treat while watching a movie, and I need to buy extra bags because my guys love it too.

I stumbled upon Stretch Island Fruit snacks when I was looking for "all natural" energy for my first 1/2 marathon - these healthy versions of "fruit leather" have become a staple in my purse for snackmergencies. I order them by the case from Amazon! I rotate flavors for variety (-:
Stretch Island on Amazon

This recipe for Chocolate Avocado Mousse saved my life. OK OK that is a little dramatic - but it felt like a decadent treat when I needed it. I subbed honey for the agave until I could challenge that - and it is great both ways.

Totally digging these Cocoroons - the brownies are my favorite - just one takes care of that sweet tooth! Even thought they are not what most would call typically "sweet", once your taste buds have adjusted they taste like candy.

Most potato chips are LOADED with yucky ingredients - but these ones from Good Health are just chips, oil & salt and they are TOTALLY DELICIOUS. So delicious, my son is addicted and I need to buy more than one bag at once. Thanks Emily for this great tip!

Speaking of chips, have you ever heard of Plentils? I found them by accident in the organic section of my local supermarket. It's just nice to have something to CRUNCH on! I do not question how they turn lentils into chips. I eat and enjoy them and that ignorance truly is bliss.

Popcorners are another amazing crunchy find - I love modern technology. Technology that turns popcorn into triangle-y chips of goodness. Major yum factor!

I thought cereal was a thing of my past until I found Udi's - and now I am in love. It is great with my almond milk and so much better than all those sugar-laden cereals! Try it - the vanilla/almond is my favorite. The natural/honey is great too, sometimes I do 1/4 cup of each if I am feeling really wild & crazy (-:

These snack bars by Coconut Secret are a recent find. I have tried the almond coconut one and found it to be very decadent - had to eat it off a plate because the chocolate melted fast but I really liked it. Not sure if I could eat more than one a week though! But what a nice treat!

I found this coconut sugar and was happy to have something to put in my coffee to sweeten it up! I also sprinkle it on my oatmeal. Haven't tried baking with it but that's coming soon.

Believe it or not a lot of the above things I found at Marshalls/TJ Maxx/HomeGoods! Their food section has an awesome selection of healthy, unusual treats! I am still in "discovery" mode. Grocery shopping takes me a little longer, because of all the reading I do - but it's worth the time to make sure I am staying on program.

Those are just some of the things I have found during my LEAP adventure. I look back on me at the beginning of all of this, when I was terrified of starting LEAP because of what I would have to give up. All the "fun" food I would be missing out on. Now, I have 'fun' experiencing the REAL tastes of REAL food and knowing that when I eat the foods that help my body, I feel great. I don't "miss" anything because there's nothing to miss- I have a whole new inventory of snacks to choose from and I am finding more things all the time!

Keep an eye out for hidden ingredients - once I find one I put down whatever I am looking at and move on. It's not worth it to me. I remember what I felt like when I ate "that stuff" and I am not willing to feel that way again. I am following Emily's rule of "If it's real, you can eat it" and realizing how many things out there are NOT even real! Scary stuff!

Hoping these things help you realize that you have options when it comes to snacks, and you do not have to "settle" for anything less than YUMMY when you are trying to change the way you eat for the better.

Much Love
Diana