Things I wish I had always known about eating and cooking healthy

When my husband and I started our journey to try and be more healthy, I honestly didn't realize how easy it could be.

Once you change your mindset, and start eating healthy, you realize how your body should feel.

And if I had discovered some of the tricks and tips I learned from this journey a long time ago, I think I would have started it earlier. So here I am trying to condense some of these things into one list to help you out. I will add to it as I go and cook. It's not all about calories and fat. It's about being healthy top to bottom. I don't ever count carbs or dairy. I just try and balance it all and listen to my body. Cutting out processed foods and sodium has been the biggest thing for me. I'm less puffy. So here are some little things to help you along the way.

1. Rinse your canned beans and peas. This gets rid of a lot of the sodium, and the stuff that can make you gassy.
2. Rinse your capers. Again, this gets rid of the super sodium flavor.
3. Stock your pantry well so you always have the makings to whip something up and don't have to rely on fast food or delivery. Find my staple list here. But the gist is always have quick cooking brown rice, canned beans, a chicken or vegetable broth, canned lentils, frozen quick cooking quinoa, frozen fruit and veggies. Fresh salsa, and your favorite healthyish cheese (I like mozzarella and reduced fat cheddar and reduced fat feta)
4. Always use corn tortillas for tacos and don't heat them in the microwave. Your body processes corn better than flour, they are often smaller and compliment the flavor of your tacos. Don't microwave them or they will fall apart. Heat them on the grill for a char, do them directly on your indoor gas grill, or do them in a dry pan.
5. When trying to cook quick weeknight meals, don't assume your protein has to be meat and fish and chicken, look to beans!
6. Don't try and deprive yourself. Don't cut out all carbs or all dairy. Just look to have a balanced meal.
7. Eat what you want, just make it at home. If you want a burger, make it at home. You can control the fat content of the beef, the quality of the cheese, the toppings and therefore control the fat and calories and sodium more too. (just don't do this all the time) 
8. Use plain Greek Yogurt instead of sour cream. It's healthy, and honestly, it tastes the same to me.
9. Roast your veggies. They taste much better than steamed and you will figure out you don't really hate things like Brussels sprouts, cauliflower etc.
10. Not all fat is bad. Eat avocados. Eat olive oil. It's good for you.
11. Snacks. Oh Snacks. Snacks is where I was always the worst. Not everything labeled healthy is healthy. So find your favorite and mix it up. I love a little hummus with cucumber slices for dipping for an afternoon snack. Fresh fruit is always good. Kale chips are delicious. Nuts stick with you. Im always finding something new I love in the healthy snacks section. When I need a little crunch I go to quinoa or lentil chips (simply 7 is a great brand) or air popped popcorn in a bag (NOT THE MICROWAVE KIND). I love bags of dry roasted edamame.