A Lady Goes West

A healthy lifestyle blog by Ashley Pitt

Are you eating this sweet and satisfying fruit?

By 55 Comments

Okay, I’ve got a new one for you today. Prunes, my friends, prunes. You probably haven’t thought much of these purple power fruits, have you? Prunes are actually dried plums, which was news to me until just a few weeks ago. I’m glad I know more about these little gems now, because not only are they tasty, but they are also full of nutrients. Thanks to the kind folks at Sunsweet, who sent me a few things to try, I’ve added a couple new healthy snacks to my rotation using two types of prunes. I’m going to share those with you today, as well as give you a look at all of my eats from yesterday.

Creating healthy snacks using prunes

Let’s just say this tasting project was quite fun for me. I mean, do you know how good prunes smell? When I opened the first bag of deliciousness, I seriously wanted to stick my whole face in there. 

SunSweet prunes via A Lady Goes WestSo much sweetness and so much purple. Now this is a fun spread.

Of course, any time I know something is healthy, I like it even more. Apparently the nutrients in prunes, like vitamin K, potassium, copper and boron promote healthy bones. And the potassium in prunes can also help prevent hypertension. Not to mention, prunes are full of beneficial fiber, which keeps you regular (yes, I said it!) and improves your digestive health. All of that is wonderful, but truthfully, prunes just taste good and they’re pretty versatile.

As a big snacker, I’m trying to find a few new healthy things that I can munch on between meals this year in an effort to eat more variety in 2015. Therefore, I was very excited to create a couple of healthy snack recipes using my prunes. Here’s what I made …

Sweet prune and nut trail mix

Because why buy trail mix when you can create your own healthier version at home and control the ingredients? Raw nuts and something sweet always sounds good to me.

SunSweet trail mix via A Lady Goes WestA lovely spread of Sunsweet Plum Amaz!ns Diced Prunes, raw cashews and raw almonds.

Three ingredients:

  • Raw cashews
  • Raw almonds
  • Sunsweet Plum Amaz!ns Diced Prunes

Take a handful of each and mix them up. For extra points, fill up little containers with one-portion servings to take with you on the go. 

Prune trail mix via A Lady Goes WestAnother lovely spread of Sunsweet Plum Amaz!ns Diced Prunes, raw cashews and raw almonds.

Take it from me, this mixture is just awesome. And the delicious diced dried plum bites used in this recipe are very sweet and flavorful, and one serving is only 100 calories. I’d also recommend putting these on top of yogurt or a salad for a little extra fiber and sweetness.

Almond butter and prune flatbread

Flatbread? Well, a version of it. You could also call this an open-face AB&P sandwich (almond butter and prune, standing in for peanut butter and jelly, of course.) Whatever it is, it’s just divine.

Almond butter prune flatbread via A Lady Goes WestA shot of some crackers, almond butter and juicy Sunsweet Amaz!n Pitted Prunes.

Three ingredients:

  • Almond butter
  • Thin crispy whole grain crackers
  • Sunsweet Amaz!n Pitted Prunes

Lay out the crackers, slather on a thin coating of almond butter and top with some juicy prunes. 

I will officially be eating this every single day for eternity. And I mean it. The moist and chewy pitted prunes used in this one are to-die-for, and one serving of these prunes is only 100 calories and full of fiber. These prunes also have a low glycemic index, which is important for making you feel full for longer. While I chose to make a healthy snack with these prunes, I’d also like to eat them along side some strong cheeses, as well as wrap them up with sliced thin meat. Honestly, the possibilities are endless.

Oh and the best part, these prunes are from the valley of Central California. It’s almost like I’m eating local.

My adventure in prune eating and snacking is just beginning, and I’m certainly enjoying it so far. If you’re looking to jazz up your snacking routine, may I suggest checking out what Sunsweet has to offer? If you make something cool, be sure to let me know.

Now let’s keep talking about healthy food. Shall we?

What I Ate Wednesday

Every single Wednesday, I like take a moment and show you a recap of what I typically eat in a day. Today, I’m reporting on my meals from yesterday, a healthy weekday. Here’s how it went down, and yes, some prunes made it into my daily eats.

Breakfast at 8 a.m.

Breakfast 1.27Hot green tea, sweetened with almond milk and stevia. And a big bowl of vanilla overnight oats topped with a banana.

Mid-morning snack at 11 a.m.

Snack 1.27Greek yogurt is always a good mix of carbs and protein. I ate this serving before teaching a group fitness class.

Lunch at 1:30 p.m.

Lunch 1.27Recognize this blue masterpiece I introduced you to earlier in the week? This is a high-protein chocolate and blueberry milk-shake smoothie. This puppy was huge and filled me up for several hours. It was so thick, I had to use a spoon to slurp it up.

Mid-afternoon snack at 5 p.m.

Afternoon snack 1.27Well this one should be self-explanatory. Two delicious and healthy snacks featuring Sunsweet prunes. Oh-my-goodness tasty.

Dinner at 8 p.m.

Dinner 1.27Two fried eggs, roasted cauliflower and two veggie patties. Unintentionally, I had no meat at dinner, but this was still a super-delicious and satisfying plate of food.

And that’s all I ate yesterday. A pretty colorful day of eats.

Alright guys, I’ll be digging into some more prunes and plums to power me through what’s to come for the rest of my week. I’m still in the midst of packing my apartment, getting everything set up in the new place like cable, internet, power, water and trash, while coordinating with the movers and cleaners. You know all of the fun stuff that has to take place when you move? It adds up. Needless to say, I’m in need of some healthy snacks to keep me going, especially before I teach a double-header of BODYPUMP and BODYATTACK tonight. Happy Wednesday! Hope you have a sweet and fiber-filled day!

More daily eating recaps

Each week, “What I Ate Wednesday” is hosted by Peas and Crayons for bloggers to showcase their eats to the world. If you want to see more food recaps, check out some of my posts from the past here:

  1. A full day of eating in pictures
  2. Another full day of my eats and drinks
  3. Real food isn’t always pretty
  4. Do you have a balanced dining out strategy?
  5. What I ate and drank all day
  6. Three meals, two snacks and a shake
  7. Food trucks and rest-day eating
  8. Plenty of protein at every meal
  9. Colorful fuel for a day of training
  10. Long days of training require a lot of food
  11. Making do on “What I Ate Wednesday” 
  12. Healthy foods for a rest day
  13. Who doesn’t like pictures of food?
  14. A look at a full day of eating in pictures
  15. Snapshots from a day of delicious meals
  16. Pictures of food, because you like them
  17. Food pictures and the juice cleanse that wasn’t
  18. A look at what I really eat in a day
  19. What I ate in the Sunshine State
  20. My weekend eats and a little narrative
  21. Stories about food and yesterday’s meals
  22. A day of eating and some commentary
  23. Do you want to know what I ate yesterday?
  24. Healthy challenges and foods from my day
  25. Eating, napping and eating again
  26. Filling up on healthy food before the holiday
  27. A perfect birthday at home and my eats
  28. Top blog posts, reader stats and my food
  29. A different kind of training and my food
  30. Joining a healthy green movement and my eats
  31. Must-try veggie pasta tip and my eats

*Please note: I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls, and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Questions of the day

Have you ever eaten prunes or plums? What kind of healthy snack would you create with them? What’s your favorite healthy snack?

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Comments

  1. I’ve eaten plums but not prunes! You have me curious about the AB and prune flatbread snack…what kind of crackers did you use? I just may have to try that!

    Reply

  3. I used to eat 3 of those little dried prune guys a day in college (prior to living with you) and I loved them! Not sure when or why that habit fell off, but thanks for the reminder. Definitely going to be picking some up at Publix (sorry to rub that in 🙂 ) this weekend!

    Reply

  5. Mmm roasted Cauliflower (+ a Beano haha) is so good!! There is like 20 grams of protein in one whole head (though I am not sure if it’s complete protein, probably not!) and it tastes so sweet when it’s roasted. I always eat eggs for dinner – so quick and easy when nothing is prepped! PS. The cup of berries in the smoothie is genius, I am never that generous and they suck. Happy Hump Day!
    Jill @ Champagne for Everyday recently posted…Go From Zero to Chic in 10 Seconds or Less: 3 Key PiecesMy Profile

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  8. Looove plums (esp at the farmer’s market!) but cannot do prunes. Just cannot. Dates and almond butter and coconut is as close as I get! Those oats look great!

    Reply

  12. I’ve never tried actual prunes before – just prune juice, which I actually kinda hate… Long story short, I drank some in my first trimester during my pregnancy with Hunter, and it gives me bad flashbacks to those nauseous days! But, I’m intrigued by eating the actual dried fruit. I love plums and I love dried fruit, so I’m sure I’d find them tasty!
    Ashley @ My Food N Fitness Diaries recently posted…Day in the Life {Tuesday, January ‘15}My Profile

    Reply

  13. Oh, your eats always look so enjoyable but healthy too! Especially your dinner this week, it looks yummy! I have just prepared a batch of overnight oats following your recipe for the first time and I’m so excited to try them tomorrow morning!

    Reply

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A Lady Goes West is a personal blog meant for entertainment purposes only and does not serve as a substitute for professional advice from your own doctor, trainer or nutritionist. While I'm a certified personal trainer and group fitness instructor, the workouts, food and plans I post are what works for me and may not work for you. Please enjoy these stories and tips from my life, but proceed with caution. Also, know that affiliate links and sponsored posts appear from time-to-time, and I appreciate your support. For more information about how your data is stored, visit my Privacy Policy. Thanks for reading!