Thursday, November 26, 2009

My top ten healthy affordable foods

My top ten healthy affordable foods

10. Simply More Peanut Butter-
This is my favorite new peanut butter that is sold only at wal-mart in my area unfortunately. I hate going there. It has added fiber and protein from flax seed and it has a great consistency.


9. La Tortilla Factory Tortillas
These are awesome tortillas that are high in fiber and taste really good. They are HUGE as well. I made amazing burritos last week with these.


8. Laughing Cow Cheese
This low-fat cheese is my crack. Not really but I put it on everything from baked potatoes to wheat thins. It is creamy and delicious. I recommend the garlic and herb flavor.


7. CLIF Kids Z Bars
These have the great taste and energy giving properties of a cliff bar for a fraction of the calories and about half the size. They are perfect when I wake up before working out or after work when I am hungry during my commute. P.S. They are cheaper in bulk at Sam’s Club.

6. Eggs
Yes as simple as it is eggs. I really love them and would eat one everyday if it was healthy. I often eat an egg and a half (1 full egg with an additional egg white). For breakfast I put it on an English muffin or alone. I have dabbled in egg substitute (mostly in baking) but still feel strongly about eating the real thing.
5. Silk Light Soy Milk
I have for years had an aversion to soy milk for no real reason. I decided to try it when I found out it has less calories than real milk and I was pleasantly surprised. I really like it. I sometimes buy the light vanilla and chocolate versions for an extra special treat.


4. Black Beans
I did not eat beans at all, period, until last year. Living in Philly I tried new things, beans being one of them. I LOVE black beans. Alone, in a burrito, in soup, mixed with rice, quinoa, and veggies, the possibilities are endless. Close runners up in the bean world are chick, kidney, and great northern.


3. Arnold Sandwich Thins
These one-hundred calorie wonders save my life. I use them for breakfast sandwiches, Boca burgers, and I even put cream cheese on them sometimes. They are a great sandwich making tool.

2. Greek Yogurt
I love the thick creamy ness of Greek yogurt. Some people equate the texture to sour cream, but I still like it. I get the fat-free version and mix it with fruit for a mid-morning snack. I also use it to bake with to reduce using oil. It is a great source of protein.
Quick tip regarding Greek yogurt: It is more expensive than regular yogurt, so I looked up online and found a way to make it myself, kind of. Get a big tub of regular, plain, fat-free yogurt, line a strainer or colander with paper towels and empty the entire tub into the strainer. Put the strainer in a bowl and let it sit in the fridge over night. All the extra liquid will drain off and voilia, Greek yogurt for half the price!


1. Apples.
I eat an apple every day. They are amazing, cheap, and versatile. In oatmeal, with peanut butter, baked, or all by themselves, apples really are a magical fruit.
So I am a fan of honeycrisp apples, but they are super expensive so I usually just buy a couple every few weeks. I consistently buy 7-8 gala apples a week, and at the store a few weeks ago they were selling them in cute little paper bags for 99 cents a pound. I grabbed a bag and weighed it to make sure I wasn’t buying too many. I went to check out and was surprised because my total was more than I thought it would be. I got to the car and looked at my receipt and realized that I bought $11.00 worth of honeycrisp apples! Opps. It was a happy mistake that I enjoyed, but will make sure I never do again.