My top 10 Healthy Food Choices

I sure love trying a variety of foods. Some healthy, some, not so healthy. But there are a few foods that I like to eat on a regular basis because they taste good and I know they are good for me. You may notice a trend as you read the list. Many of the foods I enjoy don’t involve much cooking.

10. Ground Turkey. Now this isn’t that exciting, but ground turkey is a good meat alternative to ground beef. Side by side, ground turkey is not much healthier than ground beef, with one exception, the saturated fat. Ground turkey has less than ground beef. Also, Ground Turkey does have the 99% fat free option which is the healthiest and less calories, higher protein and less fat overall than ground beef.

9. Quinoa. I believe I found out about quinoa when my husband and I decided to do the Daniel Plan a few years ago. The Daniel Plan had a recipe for quinoa. When I began reading more about quinoa, I found out it was a very nutritious grain from South America. It’s known as a superfood with all the nutrients it contains. While I’ve only attempted to cook it twice from scratch (it’s a little like boiling rice), I prefer to order it from restaurants or grocery stores that contain the pre-cooked option in their deli departments.

8. Sugar Snap Peas. These are a great snack or vegetable side. They have a slight sweet taste so you don’t really need ranch. Snap Peas are an excellent source for Vitamin C (100% daily value per serving).

7. Hummus. At the same time we found out about quinoa, I also learned about hummus. We used it in place of ranch. It’s made of Chickpeas which are a good source of protein , fiber and folate. When buying hummus from the store, make sure to look for hummus that is made with olive oil and not vegetable oil. The olive oil versions are better for the heart.

6. Salad. Now not everyone is a fan of salad. But I enjoy eating a salad 2-4 times a week. It’s low in calories and high in nutrients. There are a variety of salads, but I’m only talking about the green leaf type. I prefer a salad mixed with iceberg and romaine lettuce and spinach. I like to eat my salad topped with grilled chicken and cilantro, lime dressing.

5. Cilantro Lime Dressing. There are slightly different brands and recipes of this dressing. Since I don’t eat much dairy, I prefer a dairy free recipe. I like the Briannas Home Style Cilantro Lime Dressing which is available at Walmart and Target. I also like Avocado dressings. This dressing has less saturated fat than ranch.

4. Vanilla Almond Milk Creamer. I drink 1 cup of coffee a day and I prefer to sweeten it slightly. Since I limit dairy, I like to have almond milk creamer. I like the CoffeeMate Natural Bliss Vanilla Almondmilk creamer the best. Nutrition wise, it’s fairly equivalent to other dairy based creamers except that it has .5 less grams of fat.

3. Blueberries. I don’t tend to buy these all the time since I’m the only one that eats them in my house and they aren’t always at a great price. But blueberries are a good antioxidant and healthy snack/dessert.

2. Eggs. I like eggs for the protein. But since I do have a tendency for higher cholesterol I try to limit my egg intake to twice a week. Since I enjoy variety; then this helps me alternate my foods for breakfasts.

1. Avocados. I’m not sure when I really began eating avocados, but it’s only been within the past 10 years. Now I practically want to add avocados or guacamole to every food item I eat (with the exception of desserts). I’ll even find more affordable meal options at restaurants so I can at least add the avocado. As far as nutrients go; avocados contain a bunch. They contain the “good cholesterol” and also have high fiber, potassium, Vitamin A and magnesium.