Healthier Options Of Junk Food

So let's say are on a rigorous diet because you are training for a matron, an important match or maybe you just want to stick to a healthy diet for the rest of you eating life, how do you get any form of treats into your diet to keep you going? And I'm not talking about celery with peanut butter (though that is amazing especially with raisins) I'm talking chocolate, cake, alcohol, soft drinks, crisps all the bad stuff that we should cut out of our diet but secretly crave still. I'm going to try and give some insight into the foods we crave but making sure it has none of the bad additives or extras that no one should be consuming.

Fizzy Drinks:
If you refuse to ingest sugar substitutes but hate the calories and sugar content of regular soda even more; make your own vitamin C-filled fizzy fruit concoctions. You still get the soft drink vibe but with none of the chemicals. Start with two of your favourite fruit juices making sure they're neither made from concentrate nor merely fruit flavoured. Try combos like cranberry and orange, or pomegranate and pineapple they are rich in vitamins and taste like a tropical paradise, fizz them up by adding a small amount of club soda with a wedge of lime or lemon. The citric acid will react and begin to create carbon dioxide giving the drink that signature feel. This halves the normal calories of a typical fizzy drink but can still give you a nice treat.

Pizza:
With most pizza places now offering a healthier alternative, all you really have to do is order smart. Ask for a thin crust, the thinner the fewer grams of fat it will contain and calories, plus if you can find a whole wheat base this ups the fibre and protein content. Then ask for half the cheese this again cuts the saturated fat but to make sure it's not bland go with extra chicken and add heart and blood purifying veggies like artichokes, onions plus red and green peppers. Just before eating, blot any pools of extra grease with your napkin this can knock off another three to five grams of fat then dig in to your low cal pizza.

Chocolate Mouse:
You might not know that there is a healthier version of chocolate mousse out there which is not full of heavy cream and egg yolks. I'm not talking about a brands 'light version' of their well-known chocolate mousse, like fizzy drinks they will not be light on your body but more filled with artificial chemicals and what not's. However you can't find it in stores, you are going to have to roll up your sleeves and make it.

Ingredients
160ml skimmed milk
60g skimmed milk powder
60g cocoa powder
13g granular sweetener
4tsp concentrated chocolate essence
1/2tsp vanilla essence
11g gelatine
90ml water
2 egg whites
Pinch of cream of tartar

Cooking
Whisk the skimmed milk powder in to the cold milk.
Warm the milk mix but don't let it boil, whisk in the cocoa powder and allow to cool slightly.
Mix in the sweetener, vanilla and chocolate essence and put to one side.
Make up the gelatine according to pack instructions and stir in to the chocolate and milk mixture. Leave in a cool place until the mixture thickens but do not let it set.
Pour the egg whites and a pinch of cream of tartar into a large bowl and whisk until firm. Fold into the chocolate mixture a spoonful at a time.
Leave to set in the fridge before serving.

Now I'm not saying eat all these ideas as one big meal, but as I said earlier order smart, think thin, eat in moderation.

Jeffrey Nevil writes on a number of subjects including Clif Bars. To read more information about Clif Bars visit www.u-thrive.com/clif/10039/bar-x-15.aspx