For example, I work in an office environment and all too often I’ll round the corner and make direct eye contact with a tempting box of donuts, what Midwest gal can resist donuts! I’ve found them to be somewhat easy to avoid after I developed a certain degree of self control but on any given day a series of stress combined with multiple task and a box of donuts could lead to diet disaster. If you count calories like I do then you know that a glazed chocolate cake donut could easily be the equivalent of a meal!
In my quest to continue going down on the scale I had to figure out what snacks would satisfy my sweet tooth without ruining my calorie count, or better yet cause me to crave more sweets. So here are my top picks for the options I reach for when I’m running low on self control or for a sweet, low calorie snack.
Dannon Light & Fit Greek Yogurt Mouse
This delightful little treat comes in at 80 calories and it’s the newest addition to my collection. My favorite flavors thus far are the Salted Caramel and Birthday Cake. My office mates can attest to my sheer delight as they approached my desk to hear me exclaim “damn this yogurt is good”! Greek yogurt has been a staple in my diet for a while now due to the high protein content and these new flavors are just awesome, they make me happy! Add about a tablespoon of granola and be sure not to talk to me while I’m enjoying my mousse!
Peanut Butter Oatmeal Balls
I began making these last year and both my sister and I loved them. They are no bake so you can whip up a batch in less than twenty minutes and they’re also an easy to grab snack. I’ll give you a version of a recent batch I threw together but keep in mind I’ve added and substituted based on my mood and I’ve always been happy with the end result. These balls are chewy and delicious with an emphasis on the chewy part. I don’t know about you chewy snacks tend to leave me more satisfied than not. Here’s what I use to create my beloved little balls:
1 Cup Quick oats
½ Cup Reduced fat or natural peanut butter
½ Cup Honey
¼ Cup Mini Chocolate Chips ( I usually don’t add these but thought I’d live a little)
1 TBS Chia seeds (I need all the fiber I can get and you can’t taste them)
A combination of vanilla extract, cinnamon and a bit of nutmeg for some added spice, probably a teaspoon or less of each. Once all the ingredients are in the bowl I mix it as best I can and (because I’m anal) I put on disposable plastic gloves to roll about a spoonful at a time into this easy to grab treat. I recently calculated the calories based on my ingredients and they came in at about 94 calories for each ball give or take a few calories. I say that because the final count really depends on the size of your balls! Oh boy, that last line just made me giggle a bit, moving on!
A square of dark chocolate
This is the last on my list and there’s reason for that. I’ve found that when I just eat one with care I’m content with that. However, if I have a large stash at my disposal it doesn’t work out well for me or the chocolate.
A co-worker keeps a stash of individually wrapped chocolates in her desk, if I’m having a bad day and want to cure a craving I’ll stop by and grab one. When I tried to buy my own stash of chocolates that bag didn’t last a week. Dark chocolate has some great benefits and while it’s definitely in my top three I find it hard to control myself when it's within arms reach.
Now I wouldn't be true to myself or my readers if I didn't admit that there are times that I cave and eat the donut, the birthday cake or some homemade treat that I make for my family. I'm human but sweets aren't my ultimate cheat (soul food is my Achilles heel) so I simply choose to make smart choices as often as possible so that the cheats are few and far between.
What are your go-to low calorie cheats?
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