Think about the foods we ban first from our kitchens when we embark on a new day of "healthy eating." We say good-bye to chocolate, cheese, alcohol, bread and bread-like products such as pretzels. That's a lot of good stuff to put on the DO NOT EAT list.
Little wonder, then, that we end up bingeing on said foods after a few weeks of post-holidays dietary piety (aka torture). The key to wholesome eating in this Badass Journey is balance. That means finding foods that seem indulgent - yet don't have the calorie and fat profile to support such a label.
My colleague Emily has one of the best eating profiles of anyone I know, and she recently shared with me a few of her food-treat favorites. Two of them contain chocolate, and one of them is all cheese. Yet they come in at less than 150 calories. Cha-ching!
So check out these not-so-indulgent indulgences next time you have a craving but need to keep calories in check....
- Laughing Cow Light Queso Fresco with Chipotle cheese wedges: 35 calories each.
Pair a couple with celery or a few whole grain crackers for a mid-afternoon snack.
- Emily's Homemade Mexican Hot Chocolate: It's chocolatey rich, meaning a little goes a long way. (See recipe below)
- Pretzel Crisps Indulgents Chocolate-Covered Pretzels: Sold in the deli section of grocers including Publix, five of these have only 130 calories and 5 grams of fat. Pair 2-3 with the hot chocolate, and you have (as Emily put it) "a majorly delicious, 150 calorie holiday treat!" They come in chocolate, peanut butter and (seasonally) white chocolate & peppermint.
- Godiva Chocolate Vodka: Um, hello!?!? Low-calorie, low-carb alcohol that tastes like chocolate! This is a no-brainer.
And so yummy, you can pour a shot or two over ice for an after-dinner liquid "dessert" that is less than 150 calories (for two shots' worth).
Emily's Mexican Hot Chocolate
Note: Makes a very small portion, but it’s so rich, you can’t drink more than this!
- 1 tbsp. cocoa powder
- 1 tbsp. sugar (or 1 tsp. sweetener equivalent)
- Dash of salt
- ½ cup skim milk
Mix the dry ingredients and add the milk slowly, stirring with a whisk. Cook on medium-low until heated through. Toss in a cinnamon stick or a few shakes of cinnamon at some point during the heating process.
