Eating healthy shouldn’t mean having to give up all your favorite foods. There are lots of ways to continue eating junk foods like burgers and pizzas simply by substituting some of the ingredients with healthy alternatives. Granted, Gummy Bears and fun sweets like that, I can’t necessarily help you with. That’s a battle you have to decide if you want to put up a fight but I can try to ease the pain of some of those greasy foods that make our tummies feel so satisfied.
Make your own veggie burgers
If you’re in the mood for burgers, why not try making your own homemade veggie patties? *Innocent vegetarian plug* They’re super easy to make and all you need are normal household ingredients such as black beans, bell peppers, onion, egg, breadcrumbs, and cumin. Surprisingly veggie burgers do REALLY well on the grill because the black beans hold them together but these suckers can also be pan-fried. Just make sure you use coconut oil over other fatty oils to ensure maximum health control. Slap those veggie burgers on a bun and splash on some chipotle mayo, cheese, lettuce leaves, tomatoes and a slice of avocado. *Cue salt bae*
Try cauliflower pizza base
The bread making up your average pizza base is full of carbs, which I’m sure you know. I mean pizza is literally cheese, carbs, and marinara. By switching to a cauliflower base you can make this tasty Italian favorite much healthier. Grind up some cauliflower until it reaches a rice consistency – this can be done by shoving cauliflower florets in a blender or by purchasing pre-prepared cauliflower rice. You then want to put the cauliflower in a cheesecloth, squeeze it and drain it until it’s a mash consistency. The cauliflower mash can be molded into a base before being placed on a parchment covered baking tray and left to cook. After 20 minutes, the base should be nice and crispy after which you can start to add the toppings of your choice. Cauliflower base is a different consistency to traditional pizza base and may not cook as evenly, but it has an undeniably great taste. Be sure to snap a picture and caption your home cooking photo with “Perks of being a cauliflower.”
Use an air fryer for creating fat-free fried foods
I love my Faberware air-fryer. I use it on almost a daily basis. It is great if you're cooking for one, or cooking for a family. When it comes to French fries and fried chicken, there are several ways in which you can make the frying process healthier. Pan frying still stands and just switch your regular oil for coconut or extra virgin olive oil, which I mentioned earlier. Another way is to go completely oil-free and use an air cooker. These appliances use super-heated air to cook foods while creating the same crispy texture as found on your average fried food. I’m still in shock over this concept. These air fried foods are likely to have 80% less fat, making them ideal for anyone watching their waistline. You can also dehydrate food to create snacks like beef jerky with a reduced fat content. The gods were really looking out for us on this one.
Swap out ice cream for frozen bananas
I find it hard to resist the allure of ice cream. Especially in these atrociously hot summer months. The sad thing is, many ice creams are full of fat, they’re also full of sugar. A far healthier alternative with a very similar consistency is a frozen banana. You could simply wrap an unpeeled banana in tinfoil and put it in the freezer, however for a more ice-cream-like mixture you may want to mash up the banana in a blender and then freeze it. Explore your inner dessert spirit and add other ingredients to your frozen banana like almonds, honey, and chocolate.
Buy GMO-free popcorn
Popcorn is the go-to snack for any movie lover. On its own, popcorn is fairly healthy. It’s only when you start adding butter, salt or sugar that it becomes a less healthy option. Many supermarket packets of popcorn also have GMOs in, which help to make them more addictive. Fortunately, there are lots of popcorns on the market that don’t have these GMOs, not are they packed with salt or sugar. I highly enjoy Skinny Pop. I can't eat popcorn plain but with just a pinch of salt, I can savor each shoveling handful.
Opt for dark chocolate
Chocolate often gets a bad rep for being unhealthy, which isn't wrong if you're chomping down on white or milk chocolate. Milk chocolate is packed with fattening cream and sugar, whereas dark chocolate contains very little calories and can be a very healthy option, with some scientists even claiming that it’s good for the immune system and blood. I'm personally not a dark chocolate fan but I recently discovered Brookeside's pomegranate dark chocolate and that has changed my dark chocolate world. Find a brand or chocolate style that works for you!
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