Must Have Foods to Never Diet Again

If you think life is about moderation and balance and you want to live the “good healthy life,” think again.

Great health and fitness depend on living the 80/20 "unbalanced" life. It’s not about eating healthy foods 50 percent of the time.  It’s not even about eliminating certain foods 100% of the time. Rather, it is about creating a lifestyle where you choose to eat and move healthfully 80% of the time, leaving the other 20% for less scrutiny, less denial and certainly less guilt.

I tell my clients “one workout or meal won’t make or break you, it’s the consistency that will.” The goal should be to give yourself delicious, nutrient-dense food options that will help you reach your health and fitness goals, without eliminating “other occasional foods” you love. For example, for the soda lover, we shouldn’t tell ourselves never to have another soda, rather we should just select portion-controlled options like Coca-Cola’s mini cans or zero-calorie options like Diet Coke.

With the 80/20 goal in mind, pack your pantry, frig and counter top with these “Top 10 Must Have Foods” the majority of the time:

1.              Beans & Legumes 

Go for chickpeas, packed with protein, fiber and iron (roasted or made into hummus); black beans, dense in protein and texture (burritos, chili, tacos); pinto, red kidney and cannellini (soups, salads, chili), and lentils (green, brown and red great in soups)

RECIPE: http://angiestewartfitness.com/2365/roasted-chilean-chickpeas/

2.              Nuts

Almonds and walnuts and great for snacking, tossing into salads or home-made granola, topping on muffins or even blending into sauces. Cashews should have their own category as they transform into the world’s greatest non-dairy cheeses and creams that can also be made into dressings, dips and sauces.

RECIPE:

Creamy Cashew Cheese Sauce

Ingedients:

1 1/4 cups cashews - soaked for at least three hours and drained unless you have a high-speed blender then you can make without soaking

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 clove garlic

1 medium size lemon squeezed

1/3 cup water

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

Directions:

Place the cashews, sea salt, garlic, lemon juice and 1/3 cup water in a food processor. Process till the mixture is smooth and add a little extra water as desired.

3.              Sweet Potatoes 

Gorgeous, Vitamin-C packed satisfaction for side dishes, appetizers and my favorite: added to soups. For a great sweet potato with fresh green pesto dressing, visit here: http://www.naturelita.com/2013/02/roasted-sweet-potatоes-with-fresh-green-pesto/

4.              Seeds

Chia, bursting with Omega 3’s, iron, calcium, fiber and protein – these  wonder seeds are awesome in smoothies, overnight oats, puddings and even a great add to your salt shaker.

Flaxseed, similar to chia, are also rich in anti-infammatory omega-3 fatty acids. A mixture of flaxseed and water also makes a great pseudo egg mixture.

Hemp seeds are a complete protein containing all the essential amino acids the human body requires and can be added to smoothies, peanut butter, salad and oatmeal.

Pumpkin seeds –  I eat a handful of these every day as just ¼  of a cup contains almost 10 grams of protein and almost 3 milligrams of iron.  Pair with Vitamin C in the above sweet potato or orange and you have yourself some great absorption of minerals to benefit the body best.

A great way to enjoy these seeds is my favorite easy granola RECIPE: http://angiestewartfitness.com/2724/crunchy-munchy-granola-with-pumpkin-cranberry-and-coconut/

5.              Lemons

Freshens juices, brings hummus alive, brightens greens and smells refreshing. Add to salad dressings, soups, vegetables and sauces.

RECIPE: http://www.loveandlemons.com/2014/02/07/chickpea-lemon-miso-noodle-soup/

6.              Peanut butter / Nut Butter

Make it fresh or buy it natural. Is there anything better than smeared peanut butter toast? Perhaps cashew butter or vanilla almond butter spread? (Justin’s Brand has an amazing one!) Add any nut butter you can think of to apples, smoothies or sauces.

7.              Hot sauce

For extra heat in your food, add a splash or two of my favorite MoHotta MoBetta cayenne garlic hot sauce (www.mohotta.com) or your classic favorite.  You will be pleasantly surprised what this heat will add to your dish or soup.

8.              Avocados

Mash with salt for a delicious buttery easy side dish, add it to pasta as an oil or cream replacement, or slather it as a spread onto sandwiches.

9. Spices and Fresh Ginger – Use spices to turn up the flavor to more sweet or more savory. My favorites are turmeric, chili powder, cumin, coriander, paprika, cayenne pepper, thyme, oregano, turmeric, and cinnamon. I often use fresh ginger as a favorite “spice” to freshen up any dish, soup or vegetable stir fry.

10. Leafy Greens

Collards, kale, spinach. Blanch, sauté, roast, or braise them in vegetable broth and serve.  Combine them into soups, crisp kale as chips or create a bright beautiful green smoothie.

RECIPE: http://angiestewartfitness.com/3349/southern-collards-peanut-soup/

For more workouts, recipes and inspiration to match your healthy eating, visit www.angiestewartfitness for your free 7-Day Ultimate Workout Plan.