Part of trying to live a healthy lifestyle is finding alternatives to ready-made snacks that are usually full of added sugars, preservatives, and unwanted chemicals. We have found some alternatives that have been “life-savers” when you are having one of those “craving moments.” Does anyone else love popcorn like we do?

Well, if you are reaching for the movie theater popcorn, beware. One large “buttered” popcorn at the typical movie theater contains about 1,220 calories, San Francisco Chronicle restaurant critic Michael Bauer reminds us, quoting a decade-old survey: “You would have to swim 162 minutes to burn off that popcorn—longer than your average motion picture.”

Oh, and don’t forget the fat content. A large popcorn has about 80 grams of fat, more than 50 ofDiet Trash them saturated. That’s almost three day’s worth of saturated fat, or what you’d get from six Big Macs! And that’s if you skip the “butter.” Succumb to the “butter” on your large popcorn and you’ll boost the fat to almost 130 grams, or two more days worth, plus four day’s worth of cholesterol. But what’s another two Big Macs when you’re already up to six?

I’m sure that’s not what you want to hear as we head into the weekend and you may be off to catch a new flick. And if you are thinking about sneaking microwave popcorn into the theater, be careful of which one you are choosing. Many types of loaded with butter and trans fat as well.

Our favorite thing to sneak into the theater (shh! Don’t tell anyone because we know you do it too!) is our homemade Sea Salted Kettle Corn. We cook it in Coconut Oil, a healthy fat, and only add sea salt. It’s delicious and you won’t even miss the butter. Try it out this weekend and let us know what you think! It only takes about 3-4 minutes to make…close to the same amount of cooking time as microwave popcorn but without all the unnecessary additives!

So we want to hear from you! What is your favorite snack to sneak into a theater?

Sea Salted Kettle Corn

• Coconut Oil: enough to cover the bottom of a large pot or kettle
• Popcorn kernels: enough to cover the bottom of a large pot or kettle
• Sea salt

Place large pot or kettle on a burner and turn on High. Put coconut oil into the bottom. Right after the oil has melted, cover the bottom of the pot with popcorn. Sea Salt all the kernels generously. Place lid on kettle. The lid will trap steam inside and help to pop the corn. Let sit for 1-2 minutes as the kernels begin to heat up and pop. Use two oven mitts or potholders, hold sides of kettle and slightly shake to agitate kernels at the bottom of the pot. This will prevent them from sticking and burning. Continue this until you hear the popcorn stop popping. Immediately remove from heat and pour into a bowl. Add more sea salt and stir through if needed. Enjoy your guiltless, chemical-free popcorn!!

Are you frustrated with your daily eating routine? I talk to so many people who say the same thing: “I’m just not sure what to eat.” Many of us desire to eat healthier, want more energy, and want to know that we are giving the best to our family…without busting the bank.  But how do we do it?

Look no further! Sami Cone, of www.samicone.com, and I have created a complete video series for you called “Pantry Solutions for Healthy Eating Plans.”   Sami asked me to come over to her house one night and do what we all dread…have someone go through our pantry!!!  She graciously agreed to film her journey of walking through each item so that you all could benefit from the things she learned about what items are healthier options, how to read labels, and more!

Check out this teaser video of our series.

Click any of the links below to access these individual videos from Sami’s site!

• Cereal
• Breads/Grains
• Pasta/Rice
• Condiments
• Canned Goods
• Baking Products
• Snacks
• Drinks

One motto in our home that helps us to make better choices is “You won’t eat it if you don’t buy it.” As simple as this sounds, it is true. We will not eat something if we have not first made the choice to purchase it. I’ve had those moments of having to say “no” to something that was in my pantry staring at me.  It would’ve been far easier had I said “no” to it when it was 2 miles away at the grocery store!

We are all bombarded on a daily basis with advertising and marketing that tells you one thing. But when you get down to it, read the label, and do a little digging for yourself, you will find that what those advertisers are claiming may not be entirely true!!  Thanks to our freedom of speech (which I’m so thankful for!) they can say whatever they want regardless of how much truth is there to support their claims.  For example, manufacturers can claim, “All Natural” on a label if it is at least 10% natural. YIKES!!

Isn’t it true that we all just go to the store and buy mostly the same things “just because?”  Or maybe you are a bargain queen like my friend Sami. She is the best at finding great deals. Through this adventure through her pantry she has learned with bargains to take advantage of and which ones to pass on by. You may spend less on your food with some of those deals, but in the process Sami found she was oftentimes sacrificing her health. You will pay for it eventually through frequent doctor visits, medicine, etc.  Sami is still a bargain shopper, but she has found how to do save money and save her health. Check out her incredible tips at www.samicone.com, for the latest on how to live healthy on a budget and other great family fun bargains!

Our family is by no means perfect but we are on a health journey.  I say journey because it is just that. Some days we go forward, some days back. But we are always moving in the direction of optimal health for our family as a whole. We want to invite you into this portion of our journey as we explore my friend’s pantry. I hope what you see here will encourage you as you try to make good choices for yourself and your family too! Remember, the bigger picture is to achieve better health for you and your family.

Take it one step at a time and add the healthier options in at a pace your family can handle…you don’t want to scare them off in the process.  Some families can just clean out the whole pantry and everyone would be on board with the decision.  For others, well, it might take a little longer, but that’s OK!

Oh, and eating healthy doesn’t have to taste bad! There is usually a healthier alternative once you learn to read labels and know what to stay away from.  I’ve got several of our favorite recipes here! My absolute favorite that we make weekly is our homemade HealthyOates Protein Bars. If you add the chocolate on top they are just like a Reese’s Cup! We make a pan a week and grab these as we run out the door to go shopping so we are never tempted to grab something less nutritious!

We hope you enjoy this series! Leave your thoughts, ideas, and comments below!

We created a yummy shake this morning! Protein shakes have been a part of our daily routine for over 10 years now so you have to get creative!

This one combined two of my favorite things…chocolate and strawberries.  I LOVE Chocolate covered strawberries, so this satisfied that craving!

“Chocolate Covered Strawberries” Breakfast Smoothie

• 1 scoop Chocolate Shaklee Cinch Protein
• 1 scoop Strawberry Shaklee Cinch Protein
• 3-4 frozen or fresh strawberries
• 1 large leaf of Kale
• 4 cubes ice
• 1 cup Almond, Rice, or Coconut milk

The Kale does not even have a taste. It will make your shake a pretty green and fill it will lots of goodness! Try it, don’t be scared! I de-vain mine first so that I don’t have to deal with the woody stalk not blending up completely. Put all ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth!  Enjoy!