Guiltless Pleasures

Spruce up your fruit intake this summer and enjoy summer’s bountiful treats! We know you may be enticed to snack on junk, but here are some quick snack ideas that will satisfy your cravings, while not making you beat yourself up later.

1. Up your water intake with fruit: Getting at least eight servings of water every day can be a challenge and sometimes you may be tempted to grab a juice on your way to work. Remedy this by slicing up your favorite fruit, like oranges and freezing them. In the morning, throw them in your water bottle for a refreshing ZANG to your water. You can even throw in some frozen strawberries, blueberries, lemon, or lime. The possibilities are endless!

2. Apples and honey: So you have a bushel of apples, but are tired of munching on one at work. Next time, grab the honey from the cabinet and use it as a peanut butter replacement. Less calories, but just as delicious.

3. Oranges with Cinnamon: A trick I learned from my wise Spanish host mother: slice up a few oranges in a bowl, sprinkle them with cinnamon, and let them sit. WOW…. Talk about an unusually mouth-watering combo. I felt like I was having a rich dessert without the unwanted calories.

4. Soy Smoothie: Growing up my mom’s favorite mid-morning or afternoon snack was always a soy smoothie. Depending on the fruit availability, she would whip up a smoothie using bananas (especially the browning ones that are too old to eat), strawberries, or blueberries. No guilty conscious and this snack will fill you for hours! Don’t like soy- replace it with skim milk!

5. Tomatoes, Olive Oil, and Oregano: Living in Italy taught me one of the most delicious snacks is also the most basic. It’s summer, so chop up those juicy, ripe tomatoes and drizzle them with olive oil and oregano. If you want more of a kick, throw on some balsamic vinegar. You’ll be licking your plate, literally! Want to make an easy appetizer for friends coming over? Just add some buffalo mozzarella or place the tomatoes on crunchy, toast up little bread-toasts with olive oil and garlic. E presto, we have a quick appetizer that’s sure to please all your guests.

 Lesson of the day, Mom knows best!

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Stefanie Thompson

DEX New York Cosmetics, Inc.