Saturday Switch: Fall is on its way!

September is here and fall is just around the corner. Many apple farms will begin opening this weekend and this may test your commitment to healthy eating! Apples on their own are always a safe bet, however, the tempting treats of fall (think apple fritters) may do more harm than good. Here are four ways to avoid overdoing it when you visit a local apple farm this fall:

1. Eat a protein-rich breakfast before heading out for the day so you won't arrive hungry.
2. Bring snacks and water. Make sure that you eat something every 2-4 hours and drink plenty of water.
3. Pack your own healthy picnic lunch.
4. Indulge! Having a seasonal treat is not an all-or-nothing thing. It is possible to indulge without overdoing it. Try making your own apple crisp with fresh-picked apples. 

This recipe is so healthy that you could even eat it for breakfast with a dollop of yogurt on top!

Healthy Apple Crisp

4 medium apples, sliced (leave the peel on for extra fiber!)

2 tbsp real maple syrup

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup rolled (old-fashioned) oats

2 tbsp walnuts, chopped 

2 tbsp canola oil

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp cinnamon 

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Line an 8x8 inch pan with parchment paper (or lightly oil bottom and sides).
2. Spread the apples in the pan. In a medium bowl, combine all remaining ingredients and mix well. Spread this mixture over the apples.
3. Bake for 30 minutes or until top is golden brown and apples are tender.

In a hurry in the morning? Try this quick apple breakfast:

Slice an apple and place it in a bowl. Top it with 1/4 cup granola and a sprinkle of cinnamon then pop it in the microwave for 1 minute. Top with a dollop of yogurt or a splash of milk and enjoy! 

Saturday Switch: Breakfast

If you are struggling to make some healthy changes in your eating habits, one of the most valuable things that you can do for yourself is to begin your day with a healthy breakfast. Even if you feel that you are "not a breakfast person" or that you don't have time to fix something healthy, it is so important to "break" your "fast" to get your metabolism going in the morning. People who have a healthy breakfast each day are far less likely to overeat the rest of the day. 

Here are some quick-fix healthy breakfast ideas from GetNatured!

Saturday Switch: Making healthy muffins at home

(Photo via GetNatured)

Muffins, as healthy as they may seem, may be loaded with calories and fat. Consider this example: one single blueberry muffin from Costco contains 610 calories, 32 grams of fat, and 40 grams of sugar! Yikes!

If you are careful about which muffins you choose or, better yet make your own, they can be a good breakfast or snack food.

Here are 4 tips for making healthier muffins at home:

1. Reduce the sugar by half. If your recipe calls for 1 cup, only use 1/2 cup.
2. Replace all-purpose flour with whole wheat or spelt flour.
3. Replace 25% of the flour with protein powder or wheat germ.
4. Replace up to 3/4 of the fat (oil, butter, etc.) with unsweetened applesauce or mashed bananas.

Saturday Switch: Zucchini "pasta"

Are you trying to reduce calories and increase your intake of vegetables? Give this a try!

Thinly slice raw zucchini into "noodles" with a potato peeler and enjoy topped with your favorite red sauce. 

A cup of raw zucchini only contains about 20 calories but provides you with about 1/3 of your daily requirement for vitamin C (more if you top the "noodles" with a tomato-based sauce).  

Saturday Switch: Banana soft serve

Did you know that you can make soft serve with just bananas? This is truly an amazing alternative to high fat ice cream desserts. Give it a try!

Steps:

1. Peel and chop three really ripe bananas and put them in a freezer bag. Freeze them overnight or for several hours (long enough to freeze solid).
2. Place the frozen bananas in a food processor (blender not recommended) and puree until they are the consistency of soft serve ice cream. 

You can add whatever toppings you like or eat it plain. How about adding some Kashi or granola and eating soft serve for breakfast?

Saturday switch: Cherry cobbler

Summer is finally in full swing this year and what sounds more like summer than a fresh fruit cobbler? Don't panic! It is possible to have dessert without completely derailing your healthy eating habits. By replacing a few heavy ingredients with lighter alternatives, you can drastically reduce the calories and fat in your favorite foods. For example, here is a comparison between two cherry cobbler recipes. One contains a ton of butter and heavy cream and the other is made with much less fat and sugar. Take a look at the drastic difference! (amounts are per serving)

Cherry Cobbler, before and after:

Have you visited 101Cookbooks.com? This is Heidi Swanson's awesome recipe journal absolutely full of natural recipes. Love it! 

Check out Heidi's cherry cobbler recipe here.