Make me sweat, I'll be your friend. More on that later. The hardest thing for me is the lack of snack foods available. Think about it... all the good snack foods have carbs: chips, crackers, thin slices of party bread, popcorn. Sometimes all I need to get me through is a couple of bites of whatever. I don't need to stuff my face, I just need to take the edge off. So, what to do?
SPICE! (That's where the whole "make me sweat" thing comes in.)
Chilies contain a wonderful chemical called capsaicin. Capsaicin is a known digestion enhancer and natural appetite suppressant. Eating something spicy also tells your body you are eating something good, flavorful and satisfying. Chomping on a big, spicy pickle in the afternoon is all you need to get through until dinner. If you do decide to use pickles to soothe that jones, read the label. Make sure it is not a sweet pickle or one that uses sugar in the brining process. Otherwise that kind of defeats the purpose... you might as well have eaten a big slice of pie! Well, okay, maybe not but still, you get my point.
I also love hot sauces... Tabasco, Tabasco chipotle, sriracha. Make a low carb chicken soup, pack in lots of vegetables, use Mexican oregano and smoked chipotle powder as your spice then throw some Tabasco chipotle sauce on top right before serving. WOOO! Spicy, hot goodness. You will feel full and satisfied and ready to salsa. I swear.
Back to snacks, I also utilize fat free Greek yogurt. It has no fat, it's low carb and very filling. Greek yogurt has been strained so it is very thick in texture compared to American style yogurt. More on the virtues of Greek yogurt another day but right here I will just say I mix it with hot sauce and a tiny pinch of salt. Okay, I know, most people mix in sugar and/or fruit... I'm a more savory gal myself and I am convinced the spiciness makes me feel more satisfied.
So in conclusion, satisfy your spice tooth! I just made up that term. I need to patent it, stat.
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