Chris Powell's Choose More, Lose More for Life (50 page)

  
Frozen Veggies:
Pop ’em in the microwave for a couple of minutes and they’re ready to go!

  
Raw veggies:
You can eat a lot of vegetables raw. Broccoli, carrots, celery, cucumbers, peppers, radishes, sprouts, tomatoes, and zucchini make great snacks—and you can
eat as much as you want!
Cut ’em up and pop them into a plastic bag or container to take with you anywhere. Some veggies even come cleaned and cut, so you have even less to do.

  
Bagged salads:
These are generally pre-cleaned, so you can just open the bag, grab as much as you want, and munch!
Ignore the little bags of premade dressing
and use a nice vinaigrette or other low-fat dressing.

  
Cheese:
The
right kind
of cheese (see the list of recommended foods in
Chapter 6
, “Feed Your Fire: The Recipes”) is a great source of
healthy fat. The string and pre-sliced forms are perfectly portioned, and string cheese makes a tasty snack on the road.

  
Almond and peanut butters:
These are two of my favorites: One tablespoon of the good old-fashioned stuff—
the kind with the oil on top
, which you mix in—has about a hundred calories and always hits the spot. It’s an excellent choice when you need to rein in carb cravings.

  
Pecans, almonds, and walnuts:
The healthiest of the nuts, these are delicious both roasted and raw. Go for
plain or lightly salted
versions: Smokehouse and other flavored varieties are loaded with sodium and sugar! Portion your nuts into plastic bags or containers for a terrific traveling snack.

  
Avocados:
Rich in healthy fats, these are wonderful on their own (I like a dash of salt) and are good complements to protein, carbs, and veggies alike! Peel, cut, and eat.

  
Salad dressing:
It’s easy to add zest to a salad—or other veggies—with a little dressing. The bottled kinds sold at your supermarket are mega-convenient, but make sure to avoid sugary and sweet varieties. If you’re into creamy dressing, buy the low-fat kind. Vinaigrettes are usually the healthiest choice.