Meric and I have really been trying to get healthier over the last few years. It has been an interesting journey with good parts and bad parts. Eating right and exercising doesn't always come easy. It seems like we start, do well for a while and then something happens to get us off track. I can definitely say that good habits don't come as easily as bad ones. Lately Meric and I have been doing better and are getting back into those good habits.(knock on wood)
There are a few "super" food that I have found along the way. I thought I would share them with you. I talk a lot about protein but I want to clarify that Meric and I aren't doing an Atkins high protein style diet. We do a 40-30-30 style diet (at least sort of). That means 40% carbs, 30% protein, and 30% good fat.
GREEK YOGURT
I love regular yogurt and it is good for you but Greek yogurt has a little more oomph to it. The way that it is made gives Greek yogurt two times the amount of protein as regular yogurt. It is also thicker and creamier. Greek yogurt is also very versatile. Just add garlic and cucumber to plain Greek yogurt and you have tzatziki sauce to go on your Greek wrap. (Really yummy BTW). Also you can use it in cooking and baking. It is really easy to substitute sour cream with Greek yogurt to add a little bit more protein to your recipes. I am loving that Greek yogurt is becoming more popular because it seems like more companies are coming out with Greek yogurt options. I am loving the variety of flavors and brands that are coming out.
FLAT OUT WRAPS
Flat Out wraps are a food I discovered on a whim. Meric and I were shopping ate Costco when I first saw them. I had been wanting to do more wraps, so I thought I would give these a try. Boy am I glad I did! First of all they taste really good and are soft. I really hate dry wraps. Lately I have been trying out all of the flavors and I love all of them so far. These wraps are also high in fiber and protein. Comparing two pieces of bread to one wrap, you get at least twice as much protein (sometimes more depending on the flavor) and less carbs. Also I love anything with a good fiber content. The majority of people do not get nearly enough fiber in their diets and these wraps are a delicious and easy way to get some. These wraps are also versatile. I use them for all my wraps including Greek. I have used them as pizza crust too. Also if you go to their website you can find recipes for several things including desserts. There is a recipe on there that has you cook the wrap like french toast and layer it with berries and yogurt. I cannot wait to try it!
FLAX SEED
I love this stuff! Adding a little of this stuff to your diet gives you so many health benefits. Flax seed has wonderful nutrients and antioxidents. Also you get a good dose of the ever important fiber and omega-3 (good fat). And like the other foods I have listed, flax seed is versatile. I add this to protein shakes and smoothies and you can hardly tell it is there. It is easy to add to yogurts and cereal. Also throw some into anything you bake for an extra kick of nutrition. I love this stuff! Using flax seed makes it easy to get the fiber and "healthy" fat I need in my daily diet while adding antioxidents and other essential nurtients.
COTTAGE CHEESE
I need to start by telling you that I don't like cottage cheese. I don't like the flavor and hate it plain or even with fruit. With that said, I love it and consider it a super food. I love cottage cheese as long as I can't taste it alone. When Meric and I first started our diet we discovered that carbs are easy to get but protein can be a little difficult at times. Cottage cheese is high in protein so I started experimenting on ways to use it. I discovered that cottage cheese is very versatile. I love mixing cottage cheese and yogurt for breakfast and blending it with some berries makes a wonderful dessert. I also love adding cottage cheese to pasta sauce. There is a "healthy" cheesecake I make with cottage cheese that is super delicious. So even though I don't like cottage cheese after experimenting a little I have come to love it.
So there are four of my favorite "super" foods. As you can tell versatility is a big factor for me as well as health benefits. What makes them super to me is all the different things you can do with them to add variety to your diet without sacrificing nutrition. Also anything with extra protein or fiber wins my heart. Food can be so delicious and nutritious!
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