As friends, family, and other folks we run into every week notice the results I’m having personally with my nutritional ketosis run (now in week 12), one of the inevitable questions that comes has to do what do I reach for when the urge to snack pops up?
There are really two answers to that question: one, the true urge to snack (much less the actual hangries) frankly rarely happens in my world after starting my NK run, given my current level of fat-adaption (which has basically erased the need to snack between meals). And two, on the rare occasional when I do get hungry and for whatever reason it’s not time for a sit-down meal, a little advance planning makes a huge difference, and here’s what’s been on the ‘reach for’ list of late.
The Lowly Radish
Perhaps related to the lowly radish being the first vegetable I ever grew in a Texas Panhandle childhood garden, when in season (much of the year) we keep a small container of trimmed radishes in water in the fridge. They offer a number of health benefits, including a healthy dose of vitamin C and a number of other micronutrients, are packed with fiber and detoxifying agents called indoles, and carry almost no soluble carbs in their tidy red and white packages. And in their quirky, crunchy, savory way, just taste good with a healthy sprinkle of pink salt.
Boiled Eggs with a Twist
The mighty egg is clearly one of nature’s most perfect foods, and we often keep a few boiled eggs in the fridge for snacking or a quick lunch. They’re great sliced into a big lunch or dinner salad, make a quick egg salad or deviled egg platter, and we’re particularly fond of marinated eggs – try this recipe from Serious Eats.
A Tablespoon of Coconut Butter
Like many of you, we keep a jar of Artisana Coconut Butter in the pantry for all sorts of things, but sometimes just a tablespoon right out of the jar (high fat, very low carb) just tastes great and hits the spot without any kitchen prep or cook time at all.
Butter Pecan Fat Bombs
There are probably hundreds of recipes out there for various iterations of “fat bombs”; I tend to favor an uber-simple recipe of 1/3 cup coconut butter, 1/3 cup coconut oil, 1 T good butter, and 1/4 cup toasted, chopped pecans. Molded in a mini-muffin tin they’re perfectly bite-sized and easy to store in the fridge.
Feta and Olives
My lovely wife and I have long been fans of great Greek cuisine, and try to keep a nice block of Feta cheese in the fridge (in brine); try an ounce topped with a drizzle of very good olive oil (and maybe a sprinkle of oregano – try fresh), along with 5-7 Greek (or your fave) olives. Wow, isn’t that good?
Crudite and Quick Guacamole
We’re of the mind that guacamole with anything is pretty danged tasty, and love this Quick Columbian Guacamole or this Tomatillo Avocado Salsa for dipping crudite into when the impulse strikes (we often end up making that a dinner, maybe with a little bit of cold, leftover protein from the day before…).
Almond Butter and Dark Chocolate
This combination is kinda’ve a no-brainer to include on a snack list; you don’t need much, even a half tablespoon on a few squares of good dark chocolate can hit the spot.
