7 Quick Takes: healthy snacks edish

Of course I'll need to preface this by stating that I'm not any sort of licensed or unlicensed nutritionist. Nor am I in any sort of shape in which I am even remotely thrilled at the prospect of wearing a bathing suit in public. So take these with a grain of gullible.

In a perfect world I would enjoy inhaling carrot sticks between my three squares, have all the time in the world to shell and roast Edamame, and grow my own tomatoes but the shoe just doesn't quite fit and I'm still a few weeks shy of being perfect. I'll have great intentions to chop and appropriately store fruit and vegetables but my priority list jumbles easily and I've had to make some compromises in the healthy snacking department. I tend to eat all day long and have found the following foods help me do just that without gaining back the weight I gained during both pregnancies at the same time. Also, I veer more toward less sugar and starch and more fat rather than low fat and high sugar. But I really like sugar and am about to pop my 8th and 9th Reese's Eggs of the minute into my greedy mouth. So you should totally listen to me.

1. Snapea Crisps. these market themselves as a salad topper but since I tend to kill and mold all greens four seconds after they're purchased I just eat this by the handful instead. You have to eat 20 'peas' before you hit 100 calories and they totally hit the Cool Ranch Dorito craving spot. I promise. Julia even likes them and she only likes junk food, kidney beans straight from the can, and antacids so I'm sure you'll like them too.

2. Hummus. Super original. To enjoy with your faux Doritos and to help slow your crunch snarfing roll. Or to eat with slices of the bell pepper that hasn't gone bad quite yet.

3. Iced Coffee. I usually finish my morning coffee in the afternoon with Almond milk and Agave nectar over ice. Super exciting.

4. Better 'n Peanut Butter. Could they not have come up with a Better 'n Awful Name? I first saw this on Gina's stellar site and it is amazing. It has almost half the calories of regular peanut butter,

(I know - more sugar - lose some) doesn't have that delicious inch of oil to mix in like natural peanut butters tend to, is nice and sweet for my sweet tooth, and can be found at Target or Trader Joe's. I like it on bananas or my finger but you can eat it however you'd like. I'll let you.

5. Tea. I'm horrible about drinking water. When I'm not inhaling Reeses Eggs after dinner I try to drink some tea. Any tea at all. It ups my water intake level about 3/4 of a small mug about four days of the week. Go Grace go.

6. Chia Seed Smoothie. (remaining faithful to the cause) Or any smoothie at all. Sometimes I'll make 1.5 times the normal amount and 'snack' on the .5 throughout the morning or afternoon if Julia doesn't kill it first.

7. Etc. Greek yogurt, eggs (I prefer cooked, you might prefer raw), any and all cheese in or out of moderation, lunch meat, reluctant water, and leftover organic overpriced baby food (thanks Sebastian). Or you could just stick to the Reese's. Or not listen to me at all. 

For scads of prettier takes, go see Jen.