Fall is officially here, at least in New England, and that means chilly mornings, crisp air and lots of pumpkin and apple related treats. And, I am a big fan of sweets. If I’m being 100% open, it’s a tough struggle for me sometimes. Every once in a while, I just want something sweet. How do you make this happen without derailing your nutrition plan?
There are two things that I have learned, and I want to share those before I get into the actual recipe portion of today’s article. The first thing I have learned is that beating yourself up will do nothing for your results. You have to create a lifestyle that might allow for an occasional treat without completely falling off the wagon.
The second thing is that you have to find the nutrition approach that works for you. There are hundreds of different plans and most approaches will work. The questions is, what approach works best for you?
To give you an example, I have loosened the reigns on myself lately. I follow a Paleo and Primal eating style, which has greatly reduced my cravings for sugar and has allowed me to continue to make strides in the gym. I used to give myself one cheat meal on a specific day, and it was all built in and planned. Now that “treat” meal is once or twice a week whenever the mood strikes. Sometimes the mood doesn’t strike, so I don’t force it.
For some people, the strict approach works. I believe that works best in the beginning as you lay the foundation for fit living. Then, as you get more comfortable with your own body and knowing how you should feel, you can loosened the reigns a little bit. This is not to say that you will not have structure, but you simply have a more fluid approach to nutrition. That has helped me tremendously over the last few months, so I just wanted to share that with you.
Okay, now onto the CRISP, FALL APPLE RECIPE for you. Here’s what you need:
• 1 apple (your choice)
• 1 tablespoon of coconut butter
• A dusting of cinnamon
Slice the apple into 6-8 pieces. While you are doing that, melt the coconut butter in a stove top pan. Drizzle the coconut butter on the apples and then dust with cinnamon.
This is a great snack, because the fiber from the apple along with the healthy fats from the coconut butter will satisfy hunger. And, cinnamon is a known metabolic booster. All of these flavors together are delicious.
Here are the nutrition facts
Calories: 205
Carbohydrates: 25g
Fat: 10g
Protein: 1-2g
Give this recipe a try and let me know how you like it. I would love to hear your comments about what type of eating style works for you as well!
