By Lisa Snow
New York City Personal Trainer

 

We all want to include more green veggies in our diets, but often struggle to know how.  These easy snacks are gluten-free, cholesterol-free, and delicious! 

– Kale Chips: yummy, salty, spicy, crunchy, these little green snacks are loaded with calcium, vitamin K & vitamin A.   That’s right, vitamin A is not only in carrots!  For locally grown & locally made kale chips, try NY Naturals brand, which comes in great flavors like Spicy Miso and Bombay Ranch.  In addition to kale chips, NY Naturals also makes kale crackers and granola! (Which they call greenola, since it’s made from greens.) To give kale chips their wonderful nutty flavor, the leaves are dipped in ground nuts or seeds.  If you’re allergic to nuts, it’s important to know that most kale chips contain cashews!  For an organic and nut-free twist on kale chips, try Rhythm Superfoods brand, which comes in amazing flavors like Mango Habanero, Bombay Curry, and Texas BBQ.

– Raw Pistachios: packed with protein, you can get them plain or spicy!  For some people, cracking open the shells is part of the fun.  For others (especially those eating in the car or on a train where you’re trying not to make a mess), buying them already shelled is a better option.  

 

 

 

– Edamame: today, far too many people are eating an unhealthy, processed form of soy called “soy protein isolate.”  It’s time to get back to organic, unprocessed forms of soy like edamame!  These light green cooked beans are perfect by themselves or sprinkled with iodized sea salt.  If you want to make them yourself, it only takes a few minutes.  Buy them in the freezer section at Whole Foods (choose the ones in the shell for best flavor).  Or order them at fine Japanese restaurants.  

– Green smoothies: while making a green smoothie at home only takes about 1-2 minutes, you can also purchase one in two seconds at places like Juice Generation, a local chain with many locations throughout NYC.  Green smoothies not only taste amazing, they’re filled with beneficial enzymes and phytonutrients.