Amy Beth

March 10, 2014

A Cookie-Free Snack

Creamy Citrus Crackers - a healthy snack

I’m doing an experiment on myself called “cutting out the sugar!” It’s something I’ve considered doing for quite some time, just to see if my life somehow improves by avoiding sugary substances. You see, I have a pretty significant sweet tooth. I love to finish off lunch with a piece of chocolate. A normal bedtime snack for me involves cookies and milk. Any time sweet foods are shared by someone at the office (which is often!) I can’t help but partake.

 

I know these things aren’t good for me. But it’s hard to see any direct harm they are causing when it’s just a way of life. So I’ve decided to cut it out and see if it really makes a difference. Do my energy levels improve? Does my skin look healthier? Am I a better person?

Now, I’m not going out of my way to drive myself crazy. I know there is probably sugar hidden in lots of little things that I eat throughout the day. But I’m just focusing on obviously sugary items. Think cookies, cake, doughnuts, candy, and the like. I’ll also avoid sweeteners like honey or maple syrup, but I’ll keep eating fruit. Sweet potatoes are also ok.

Almost a week into the experiment I find I’m doing ok. I don’t think I’ve been exceptionally cranky. I still find it hard to skip my piece of chocolate after lunch, but the main area where I’ve found I have to make changes is at snack times. I’ve been trying out some different things and have even dedicated a whole pinterest board to healthy snack ideas. One snack I created  recently are these Creamy Citrus Crackers. At first the thought of pairing oranges with cream cheese seemed like it might be disgusting, but it turned out to be delightful!

Creamy Citrus Crackers - a healthy snack from littleplacecalledhome.com

The mandarin orange slices satisfy my sweet tooth, while the cream cheese mellows out the tartness of the citrus and makes it feel fancy. The cracker adds some nice crunch and gives you something to put it all on!

Directions:

Spread Ritz cracker with cream cheese. Top with a slice of mandarin orange or clementine. Pop in your mouth and enjoy!

Creamy Citrus Crackers - top a ritz cracker with cream cheese and a slice of mandarin orange. Delicious!

3 responses to “A Cookie-Free Snack”

  1. Danielle says:

    We actually just tried greek yogurt and peanut butter mixture that is on your pinterest board.I have also seen it with a little honey and cinnamon. It was pretty food for a healthy fruit dip.

  2. Amy says:

    I had that the other day, too! Cinnamon sounds like a nice addition. I’ll have to try that next time!

  3. […] eating sugar is not really very fun. Even if you come up with some fun new snacks, sometimes you still just really want a […]