Lifestyle, food and drink, and our family life and travel adventures.
Nothing compares to the food cravings we all experience when we begin dieting. It takes courage not to think about junk or processed foods such as french fries, surgery drinks, or frozen pizza.
Perhaps, merely reading about these names is making hunger pangs.
These food items might be delicious and satisfy your cravings instantly. However, it will derail your attempts to eat healthily. Additionally, it can lead to high blood sugar, obesity, elevated cholesterol, high blood pressure, and more.
The good news is that you can try out the following flavourful recipes, which are also healthy, whenever hunger strikes.
Spaghetti Squash
Are you thinking about eating pasta?… Hold that thought!
How about swapping high-calorie pasta with antioxidant-rich spaghetti squash?
As confusing as it may sound, preparing this recipe only takes 30 to 40 minutes. All you have to do is:
That’s all! Now you can enjoy nutrient-rich spaghetti whenever you like.
Pita Pizza
Pizza is comfort food- That’s it… we’ve said it!
But what if we tell you that there is a healthy alternative to regular or frozen pizza? Would you like to give it a try? If so, here’s the recipe:
Voila! Your pizza but with a twist is ready to satisfy your craving.
Smoothies
Smoothy is an ideal on-the-go staple food. Plus, it is a healthy substitute for soft drinks and processed food.
As you use all your favourite superfoods, such as berries, spinach, sea moss, avocado, etc., you’ll never get bored of it!
To make your favourite smoothie, let’s say strawberry smoothie, add berries, banana, and milk in the blender. Start the blender slowly (to avoid spillage) and gradually increase the speed. It’ll take 30 to 60 seconds, and there you have it… A perfect smoothie.
However, if you are allergic to bananas, you can replace them with sea moss gel. It will make your smoothie thicker and nutrient-rich.
Nevertheless, finding sea moss at whole foods is sometimes challenging. Instead, you may find Irish moss, which is a type of sea moss. Of course, you can also use Irish moss (powered or gel) to enhance the smoothie taste.
Salted Nuts
Remember those squash seeds we told you to save earlier?… Yup, those will come in handy here.
If you wish to indulge in salty treats (Well, who doesn’t?), you can munch on salted and spicy nuts and seeds. These are highly nutritious, assist with weight loss, and are beneficial for Type 2 diabetes.
Simply roast them in the oven for 6 to 8 minutes at 350 degrees, season with salt, cinnamon, and other spices, and enjoy!
Tip: If you can even save them for midnight snacking in airtight containers.
Veggie Chips
If you are craving something instant and crunchy, like chips, try oil-free veggie chips. These are much healthier than store-bought chips. Plus, you can pick your favourite vegetables and seasoning.
To make delicious veggie chips, you need to:
Dark Chocolate
Are you dreaming about something sweet? Dark chocolate is your saviour. It is delicious, rich in antioxidants, and lowers the risk of heart disease.
If you’d like to add some crunch, you can melt the chocolate in a double boiler and mix some nuts and cherries. Make sure the batter is smooth.
Now, get your baking tray and add parchment paper. Grease the paper with a little bit of oil and spread the batter created earlier in an even layer. Refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes. Break the chocolate into small pieces and dig in!
Even though dark chocolate is healthy, you’ll have to keep an eye on the portion size. Eating one or two pieces is generally recommended to satisfy the cravings.
Egg Salad
Who can say no to a creamy salad? We surely can’t!
Despite that, ingredients such as mayonnaise, crispy chicken, or candied pecans contribute to the calorie count of a bowl. So, what could be the low-calorie yet healthy alternatives?
Well, you can use greek yoghurt, feta, and celery.
Now that the ingredients are ready, let’s prepare the salad. Here’s how:
Enjoy this healthy and creamy egg salad with garlic bread or as it is.
Popcorns
Did you know popcorns are actually a healthy snack? Yes, you read it right!
A 3-cup serving of regular popcorn contains only 100 calories. Additionally, it is high in fibre, contains proteins, vitamins, and minerals, and has no cholesterol.
So, if you are prone to eating chips, especially when binge-watching your favourite show, get yourself a bowl of popcorn. It’ll take merely a few minutes to air-pop popcorn or heat a pre-packed microwave.
Note: Adding extra seasoning or caramel will increase the calories; therefore, it is recommended to eat plain or lightly salted popcorn.
Wrapping It All UP
When the craving to eat spicy or surgery food strikes, it is often challenging to outsmart them. However, if you have healthy alternatives to your favourite cuisine, nothing stops you from indulging in a nutritious and appetizing diet.
So, what’s the wait for? Order the required ingredients, get your chef cap on, and begin!
This is a collaborative post.
Welcome to Birds and Lilies! I'm Lou: mother, blogger and freelance writer. This is my lifestyle blog, where I talk about motherhood, infertility and IVF, beauty, my love for food and wine, as well as my thoughts about stuff, and our real-life and travel adventures.
Contact: [email protected]
