Give the Old Dog a Treat!

I had a real (to borrow an expression from Oprah) Ah-Ha moment the other day.  While walking through the grocery store, I saw a display of cookies that, in the past, would have stopped me dead in my tracks.  I am not proud to admit it, but there may have been times in my life when I could and would single-handedly eat the entire bag.  Not proud - just honest!!  These cookies had a mysterious power over me.  Without giving it a second thought, I would buy the bag, rip it open, and mindlessly eat each cookie!  Well, this time those cookies are not what stopped me dead in my tracks.  Nope, I just walked right by them without a second thought.  No magnetic pull, no watering mouth, no temptation.  Instead, I got absolutely giddy when I saw the huge display of....(wait for it) organic apples!!!  They were so shiny and red.  I even called my daughter Ash to tell her that honeycrisps were back in the store!!  It was a great day.

Well my squeals of delight over fruit made me realize just how differently I was thinking about food now.  I really was experiencing a mental transformation.  I have always enjoyed cooking healthy, nutritious meals, but my biggest downfall came to my snacking choices.  I have always had a sweet tooth and I have always loved, even craved, bready products.  So, my grab and go choices were bad - really bad.  Let me show you what I mean.  Pre Paleo, my top five favorite treats (don't judge!):

5.  Mallomars - What are those you ask???  A little bit of graham cracker, a little bit of marshmallow, a little bit of chocolate.

 
4.  Bagels - Sesame with cream cheese, to be exact!

3.  Doughnuts - Jelly for me, please.

2.  Milano cookies - These are the ones with the mysterious, magnetic field pulling me in!

 

And, without a doubt, number 1. Pizza - I am Italian and from New York.  It's in my DNA!

Well, as delicious as those snacks may be,  not one of these old timey treats is Paleo.  I haven't had as much as a bite of any of these in eight months.

But, there is good news - great news, really.  I have a new top five snacks.  They are healthy, nutritious, Paleo friendly, and really do call my name.  I am shocked to realize that I am now a person who goes to the store looking for these items.  I am amazed that I am now that person who eats and genuinely enjoys these healthy alternatives.  I'd love to share.  Who knows, maybe you'd enjoy some of these, too!

5.  Organic grass fed beef jerky - I always thought that beef jerky was a snack that my husband and boys ate at the deer lease!  Turns out that it is high in protein and minerals and really tasty.

4.  Avocado - I eat a half of an avocado almost daily.  They are heart healthy and full of Oleic Acid which has been proven to prevent breast cancer.

3.  Blanched almonds - A handful are rich in Calcium and Vitamin E.  I recently received a compliment on my skin - must be the almonds because that has never happened before!

2.  Fruit - specifically berries!  There is strong scientific evidence that berries have beneficial effects on the brain and memory.

And, without a doubt, my new number 1.  Dark Chocolate - A small amount of very dark chocolate has been proven to improve blood flow, prevent blood clots, regulate blood sugar, improve cognitive function, and serve as an antioxidant.

So, I guess you really can teach an old dog new tricks!!  My new grab and go treats are proof positive.

In closing, in lieu of a recipe, I am going to encourage you to run to the grocery store, farmer's market, or organic health food store and grab a basket of apples.  So shiny and red!

Until next time, Stay Healthy!  Be Happy!