Some addictions are bad, like crack for instance.  On the opposite  end of the spectrum, there are addictions worth having.  In my case, I have been addicted to Alexia Sweet Potato Fries.  I’ve been eating these as an after work snack for almost two months now and have yet to become bored of them.  The most appealing factor is that they are already julienned and are lightly seasoned.  Since most of the legwork is done, all there is to do is pre-heat the oven for a bit and then throw the frozen fries on a baking sheet and bake for about 19 minutes at 400 degrees.  It’ so easy, even a monkey can do it.   No wait, it’s so easy that even a monkey’s monkey can do it!   The  sweet potato fries are crunchy on the outside, and soft and sweet on the inside.  Sweet potatoes are also one of the most nutritious foods out there.  Packed with nutrients instead of empty carbs and trans fat, there won’t be any guilt eating these fries!

I know these are sold at Whole Foods…as for other stores, I can’t really say.  Happy hunting!

~ Kin

Ingredients
3 cups of frozen broccoli florets
3 garlic cloves
1.5 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
dash of salt
pinch of pepper

Chop the garlic into evenly sliced chips.  This lets them brown evenly.

Heat up the pan on low heat and add the olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add in the garlic.  Cook until the half of the garlic starts to brown. Remove from heat and let the garlic cook until the color turns golden.  If the garlic turns dark brown, it’s overcooked and will taste bitter.

Transfer the cooked garlic on a paper towel for the oil to absorb.  Leave some oil in the pan.

Steam the frozen broccoli for about 7 minutes and then sauté for about 30 seconds in the pan containing the infused garlic olive oil.  Toss the broccoli around while adding the salt and pepper.

Transfer to a plate and pour the garlic chips over the broccoli.

Last September, I wrote about my first time experience with purple yams.  Well, I finally found some at the local Korean supermarket and they were selling like hot cakes.  At $2.49 a pound, it’s not exactly the most economical, but it’s a nice treat if you’ve never had them before.

Don’t let the purple color deter you, after all, you do eat beets right?  If I can’t convince you to try this, then how about enticing you with some nutrition facts?  Purple yams are full of B6, potassium, vitamin C, fiber, and loads of antioxidants to fight those free radicals.

Cooking purple yams is easy too.  I just wrap one up in foil, and toss it into a preheated oven set at 400 degrees for about 35 minutes, depending on the size of the yam.  The meat turns a deep purple when cooked, is sweet, but not too sweet.

Head on over to the closest Jamba Juice and get your oatmeal on.  Available in three flavors, Apple Cinnamon, Blueberry-Blackberry, and Fresh Banana, this oatmeal isn’t the run-of-the-mill instant oats.

I eat one large bowl of oatmeal every morning before work, and I am dying to try Jamba Juice’s very own.  From now until January 31st, you can try a bowl of the healthy stuff for $1.00

Click on the coupon below to maximize for printing.

Jamba Juice

I was at my friend John’s housewarming party in Brooklyn today.  He had the grill all fired up and the food was delicious.  There was one food item that caught my attention.  It was the purple yam, also known as the Okinawa Sweet Potato.  I was pretty sure it was of the Japanese variety because he roasted regular Japanese sweet potatoes as well.  You would think that I would have a natural aversion with something that has purple meat, but in fact, I couldn’t wait to eat one.  The best part is that it turns your tongue purple.  I didn’t ask my friend where I could buy them, but seeing that he lived in Brooklyn, one could probably pick them up at the Asian supermarkets.

With 5 grams of protein and a good dose of fiber in every 1/2 cup…oatmeal is a righteous power food on it’s own.  But I don’t think I can eat more than a cup of cooked oatmeal as it’s filling, and I need more than10 grams of protein in the morning.  I tried adding protein powder in the past, but I just didn’t like the grittiness of it. So I added one of those incredible, edible, eggs while the oatmeal was cooking.  It didn’t affect the texture too much and it provided that extra boost of protein.  And make sure you scramble the egg first.

While New York City has mandated chain restaurants to post their calorie information, this website also gives those outside of the city an opportunity to check out the menus and calories of the food items before you even decide to step into the premises. However, caloric data isn’t only limited to restaurant data. The website contains caloric data of 70,000 foods and 500 restaurants. There is also data on the amount of protein, carbs, and fat on certain items. The website categorizes the information by generic foods, brand name packaged foods, and restaurants.

If you’re a calorie counter or are just curious, this is a website worth visiting.

http://calorielab.com

Ingredients

• 1  garlic bulb
• 1/4 of one medium red onion
• 6 golf-ball sized tomatillos, diced
• 1 ripe avocado, roughly cut
• 1/4 cup of cilantro
• pinch of salt to taste
• dash of fresh ground black pepper to taste
• Juice from half a lime
• 3 teaspoons of olive oil

Roasting the Garlic
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut the top-quarter off of the head of the cloves. Drizzle a teaspoon of olive oil over the exposed cloves. Wrap in aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes, or until soft. Let the garlic cool down. You can pick each clove out with a fork or knife. I ususally just turn it over and squeeze out the cloves. Place the cloves in the food processor.

Add the rest of the ingredients into the food processor and pulse until it reaches guacamole consistency. Serve w/ toasted whole wheat pita chips, or with lime-flavored tortilla chips.

~ Kin

For the past few nights, I’ve been trying out a new pre-workout snack.  My usual consists of organic low-fat yogurt and two slices of lightly buttered whole wheat toast.  It was getting boring and it just didn’t do it for me anymore.  My new pre-workout snack is more of a dessert, but it’s a healthy dessert.  It’s easy and simple.  I placed a scoop of vanilla fudge soy ice cream on a multi-grain waffle and I added blackberries on the side.  While I don’t think it has improved the performance of my workouts, it’s definitely a great pick-me-up before a grueling workout.

~ Kin

My favorites among the mixed goodies are bananas, pineapples and mangoes. They make perfect snacks as they are light and pack in some serious sugar for that short burst of energy you might need in case you feel like getting up from the couch and start doing some push ups.
=)

What are your favorite snacks?

~Boon