Gina's "Superfoods" (Last 5 of 10)

I enjoyed reading everyone's own list of whole grain and fruit/vegetable "superfoods"! I realize I didn't put any fruits on my list, likely because I just don't eat much fruit. Of the fruits I do eat, frozen blueberries and blackberries are my favorite. Apples used to be my favorite, until I realized they cause me to get bloated, so sad :(

Today's list consists of my favorite sources of dairy, fat, and a sweet indulgences (starting with one more vegetable!):

6) Spaghetti Squash

When you can't eat wheat, foods like this are just what the doctor ordered. Heck, even if I could eat wheat I would still eat this daily! It's a non-starchy vegetable (right Sophia??) that is the perfect replacement for pasta (well, maybe not perfect, but close). While it doesn't provide as much protein as pasta, nor does it provide the phytonutrients found in whole grain pasta, it is lower in calories, and provides more vitamins and minerals.

7) Kefir

Come on, who doesn't like fermented milk products?! haha. Yeah, if you're anything like my boyfriend, Nick, you'll despise this stuff. I love it. If you don't have a Trader Joe's near you, try Lifeway Kefir, it's just as good. I like to buy the plain variety and add Truvia and unsweetened cocoa powder. This is how I get my daily dose of probiotics (although I don't really think the amount I consume provides me with the appropriate amount for clinical purposes). It also contains inulin (a prebiotic that is the food for the probiotics), vitamin D, 11 grams of protein, and of course calcium.


8) Greek yogurt

I don't necessarily prefer Oikos, in fact I think Chobani is the creamiest. I like to eat Greek yogurt right before bed, after my popcorn. The casein in Greek yogurt is a "slow protein", which means it's absorbed slowly and studies have shown it continuously provides the muscles with energy to repair and rebuild through the night. Of course it's also good to eat on top of soup, tacos, or potatoes as a replacement for sour cream.


9) Peanut butter!

Seriously, do I have to explain? When I was anorexic I didn't eat peanut butter. Three years of my life, three years worth of peanut butter consumption, down the drain. What the heck?! Yeah it's got a lot of fat, but it's healthy fat, and when eaten in moderation (which in my opinion is about 4 T per day, and depends on how much other fat you are consuming) it's just fine! The Smart Balance brand has flaxseed oil in it for added Omega-3.


10) Lindt's 85% dark chocolate

Another one of my favorite night time snacks. I eat 2 squares of this stuff every night. Since it's 85% cacao, I'm fairly certain this dark chocolate is providing me with a decent amount of polyphenols (a phytonutrient that may benefit the heart). When it comes to dark chocolate, don't be fooled, as their is no legal definition of dark chocolate so companies can write it on their labels either way. One taste of this stuff (Lindt's 85%) and it's pretty clear that it is actually dark chocolate, and not just chocolate that has been made darker.....Isn't it great what food companies can make you believe?!

Question: What are your top five favorite sources of dairy, healthy fat, and sweet indulgences?

Coming Up

Tomorrow I will be posting my Biggest Loser review (did you watch?!) and also a "Nutrition Tidbit" regarding flaxseed. On Friday, or later next week, I will provide my list of favorite supplements and sweeteners. Now I'm off to finish the Bachelor. We stopped half way through on Monday because we were both really tired. I can't believe we managed to wait this long to finish!!

Thanks for reading, and have a great night/day!