Hey there, it’s Philly Phyl, your hormone coach!
I have a GREAT snack recipe today that’s good for everyone in the family.
It’s got all the tastes and textures of the best stress-busting comfort foods, but it’s healthy.
And once you get the basics of it down, you can come up with your own favorite variations. In this recipe I use green apples….
Here’s an interesting fact about green apples – researchers at the ‘Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation’ found in a study that the scent helped some people experience less migraine pain. Pretty cool, right?
Like I said, these little apple “rounds” contain a mix of amazing tastes and textures: they are crunchy, creamy, salty and sweet!
Since we are all about relieving stress this month to help keep our hormones balance so we start shrinking our bellies…., I thought it would be a fun recipe to share with you.
It is very common for people, especially women to stress eat and I am no exception to this rule… For me I like something crunchy when I’m feeling stressed, but I know a lot of people enjoy creamy foods! Voila! Since we are all about relieving stress this month, I thought it would be a fun recipe to share with you.
If you have an adventurous palate, you can turn this into a gourmet treat with a drizzle of chocolate (or fruity!) balsamic vinegar, which you can find at many gourmet and food specialty shops (and also on Amazon).
Now let’s talk a little bit about stress and what it can do to your body and life for a minute..
It can cause you to gain weight in the form of BODY FAT. Having chronically high levels of the stress hormone cortisol can 1) make you hungry and 2) increase fat storage. That can contribute to weight gain and the buildup of fatty tissues.
It can also make it harder to sleep. You get more aches, pains and headaches, it can dampen your libido affecting your sex drive and so much more. But let’s tackle the eating part for right now shall we. We want something that will help keep our hormones balance but also satisfy our cravings, so we don’t start feeling deprived.
With that being said….tonight we are making nut Butter & Apple slices (trust me this is delicious)
Serving size: 1-2 rounds
- 1 apple, sliced into ¼-inch rounds, seeds removed (for a total of 6 rounds)
- 6 tbsp natural nut butter- healthy fats for hormone production & hormone function
- 6 tsp dark chocolate mini chips (or your favorite chip)- dark chocolate helps reduce the stress hormone cortisol
- 6 tsp chopped & raw nuts as the roasting process diminishes their fatty acids which your body needs for hormone balance
- 1-2 tsp honey (optional)
Slice the apples crosswise to form the base of your “rounds.” You should have 6 rounds. Spread each round with 1 tbsp of nut butter and sprinkle with 1 tsp each of mini chips and nuts, and an optional 1⁄2 tsp of honey for extra sweetness.
Taking the time to assemble this treat makes it even more special!
Hope you enjoy it!