As a person who truly loves food, I find it hard to stick to the typical meal plan that has been dictated over the years. You know what I mean - our mandatory 3 meals.
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
I find it hard to believe that the majority of us follow the same set arrangement. Aren't our bodies all made differently? Some take longer to digest their food while others get hungry very easily. I'm sure there have been times in between meals where you've felt your tummy growling, making funny noises as if screaming for food? I know I have.
That's why we have snacks.
And thank God for snacks.
When planned well, snacks shouldn't be that much of a vice, causing unnecesary worry of weight piling. Who says all snacks are unhealthy? As long as you have the smarts to choose the right snacks, you're pretty safe.
Snacking sometimes bring guilt. Come on, you don't have to be embarrassed. I used to feel bad too. You're not the only one. Eating between meals is considered greedy and normally reflects ill tolerance. But hey, some people aren't cut out for the cookie-cutter 3 meal plan!
So what snacks should you eat? Well there's no need to restrict yourself as long as you eat in moderation. If you decide to have a packet of chips, that's fine, but stop at a couple. There's no need for you to finish that huge packet. Drink water in between and you'll feel full soon enough. We tend to sometimes mistake thirst for hunger. If you're not sure, just gulp down some water. You can never have enough of this wonder liquid.
If you're looking for healthy snacks, you probably want to avoid fried stuff. You can really do without the extra oil. Baked is good, and that's the way I went with this snack I'm about to introduce.
Baked chick peas with a hint of spice. It's really easy to make. I came across this brillian idea in a women's magazine some time ago. You can choose to get a can of ready cooked chickpeas (or Garbanzo beans as it is sometimes called) or boil some. After it's cooked, place it on a flat pan and bake it in the oven until crisp/dry. Careful not to burn it. Once it's done, drizzle with olive oil and season it with your desired spice. I used a curry-like spice powder I bought from Mustapha the other day.
Trust me, these chickpeas are really good. Not only do they taste good, they are high in fibre and vitamins.
Go on, snack on some, you don't have to feel bad!
Snacking is not a sin and it can be healthy especially home-made ones!
I'm always searching for healthy snacks and I have more to share with you so stay tuned...
In the mean time, take care and eat well!