Healthy product picks
Updated: Nov 5, 2018
It’s hard to keep up healthy routines once the holiday season sets in, so I selected some products to make it easier on you. It may look like an odd assortment, but each item was hand-picked in order to spare you a little hassle or liven up your healthy eating routine to help you stay on track throughout the holidays. My goal as always is to help you find cooking shortcuts, great supermarket products, and lifestyle solutions to make it easier to eat well. Among this list are some tools that I use in my kitchen all the time! If you decide to purchase them, I hope you love them as much as I do!
Noosh Plant-Based Amond Protein Powder
I received a sample of this to try and it won me over! A lot of protein powders are flavored with unnatural ingredients, or they have an off-putting flavor of their own. But Noosh supplies 21 g of protein and 3 g of fiber in an unflavored powder made from almonds. It’s a great vegan or vegetarian option, and an easy way to add protein to smoothies and oatmeal (both of which I’ve tried). Plus, it’s available in single-serve packets, which are easy to stash in your office desk or take with you on trips (say, to mix with a packet of oatmeal or one you pick up from a coffee shop).
How hard is it to make overnight oats, you ask? It’s not hard, I’ll give you that, and when I got samples of this product, I thought the same thing. But then I realized the beauty of this: You don't have to hassle with portioning out a lot of different ingredients, nor do you need to stock all of those ingredients (seeds, oats, a variety of dried fruits, etc). Since November is a crazy time of year, you can take a pass on assembling your own overnight oats and go for this version instead. It’ll help ensure you have a solid breakfast each day, which is one of the healthiest habits you can practice. This brand is made with organic ingredients, contains a variety of dried fruits and seeds, and gets it flavor from spices (like cinnamon) instead of added sugar or other junk. Since I always recommend starting off with 20 grams of protein, I’d suggest boosting this with some Noosh Protein Powder (or a high-protein milk, such as Bolthouse Farms Plant Protein Milk). Just dump the contents into a container, add the protein powder and your milk of choice, and refrigerate overnight. Come breakfast, you’ll have a hearty, chilled bowl of oats that will leave you energized and satisfied for hours.
I’m obsessed with Tahini and this one has a cult following (though you could also use the Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods 365 version). How does tahini change your life? Use it to elevate a store-bought rotisserie chicken, use it instead of nut butter (in oatmeal and smoothies or served with sliced apples or pear), or create a flavorful dressing for salads and roasted veggies. Staying healthy is a lot easier when food tastes amazing and tahini is one of my secret weapons for putting together a great-tasting meal or without any hassle.
Amy’s Organic Light in Sodium Lentil Soup
One of the healthiest things you can do is have a nutritious backup meal handy for times when a meeting runs late or things are too hectic to prepare lunch or dinner. This strategy helps keep you from ordering less healthful food (pizza and other takeout) that might not leave you feeling so great. Plus, many people get tired of cooking so much throughout the holiday season so a no-cook meal comes in handy when you reach that point. This Amy’s Organic soup is one of my favorite backups! I like to doctor up my canned soup to add freshness, flavor, and other healthful ingredients. My favorite: Baby spinach and feta cheese, although it’s also tasty with a sprinkle of turmeric and cumin, and topped with a spoonful of Greek yogurt. It’s a filling meal that doesn’t weigh you down!
In the past, I’ve suggested stainless steel straws to replace plastic ones—until someone turned me on to silicone straws! I prefer these to the stainless variety because they’re flexible. I’ve been using mine for about a month now and they’re cleaning up well with the pull-through squeegee cleaning device that comes with the package, but the real test will be to see how they stand up over time. Although I love having reusable straws and reducing my plastic consumption, I’ve also accepted the fact that they probably need to be replaced from time to time. Translation: If any gunk builds up, I’ll be buying some more! And in case there’s any doubt about how this is a healthful product, I have one word for you: SMOOTHIES!!
You know the feeling of getting a great chopped salad where each bite is a mix of ingredients and is evenly dressed? You can get that awesome feeling with every salad you sit down to eat as long as you have this knife! I’m telling you, don’t even think twice about this one. If you want next level salads, this knife will be your new go-to.