Dive into Pleasure, 5 Skinny Secrets from Japan, #Gluten-Free #Glutino

Glutino kindly provided the gluten-free products pictured in this post. All opinions are my own.

Dive into Pleasure, 5 Skinny Secrets from Japan, #Gluten-Free #Glutino

Ahhhh, the holidays! Bright lights, beautiful presents and big temptations entice this foodie. Growing up in Japan (babyhood to UCLA) allowed me to glean a few secrets to staying skinny. Yes, Virginia there is a Santa Claus. You can enjoy your Christmas cake and eat it too! Even if you’ve got gluten sensitivities, I promise you can still enjoy all the delights of the season. If you select Glutino’s cookies, crackers and pretzels. Or bake something scrumptious with Glutino brownie, bread or cake mixes.

Secret 1:  Never say never. Say yes to what you want!

Have you ever seen a Japanese bento? It’s basically a lunch box with petite, pretty items from each food group.

Never say never. Say yes to what you want! Just remember portion control. So throw a  cocktail party, dive into the pretzel bowl, nibble on cheese and enjoy the naturally sweet apple.  Smile at that cute man in the corner…Especially if he’s your husband!

P.s. Serve Glutino pretzels. Even if you are not gluten-sensitive, your gluten-free friends will thank you. And so will your taste buds!

Secret 2: Protein + Carb = Contentment

Are you a sweet tooth? If you answered yes…Hello, fellow sweetie.

It took a while. But, I finally figured out the secret to my Japanese friends’ superhero power to refrain from eating a whole box of cookies.  Protein. Yes, protein. While I was skipping meals so I could sneak in that extra sweet, my Japanese friends were eating balanced meals. 

Lesson learned: Grab a handful of almonds alongside craved cookies. Less carbs are consumed, as protein is a filler-upper.

Recommendation: Pick up a protein. Then, savor those fantabulous Glutino chocolate chip cookies and/or vanilla creams and/or animal crackers!

Secret 3: Savvy Savory Substitution

Are sandwiches your thing? Nice and healthy. Except for the gallon of calorie-laden dressing. Oops!

Surrender to the umami of Japanese miso: Equal parts of Japanese miso and a bit of light mayo. The creamy mayonnaise swirled with slightly salted miso is fantabulous. Last and definitely not least, it’s low calorie.

Choose your filling. Then allow me to direct you to Glutino’s Multigrain English Muffin. A crispy cover falls way to soft (never would’ve guessed its gluten-free) English muffin insides. Healthy, gluten-free and delicious!

Secret 4: Japanese Appetite Suppressants

Have you been to a sushi bar lately? The green horseradishy tasting wasabi skimming the sushi is an appetite suppressant. So is the pink ginger! Yay! In all transparency, though, the purer the wasabi and ginger, the greater the cessation of stomach grumbles.

When the munchies hit, grab a box of Glutino Parmesan Garlic Bagel Chips or Glutino Vegetable Crackers. You may find the delightful gluten-free crisps with a bit of low-calorie cream cheese and a drop of Japanese wasabi will cut the cravings. The cream cheese is the perfect palette to allow the spicy wasabi to shine.

Secret 5: Awaken Your Senses

Take a tip from Japanese tea ceremony masters. Tea is exquisitely whisked in a bowl. The polite customer is awake to every detail. Gracious inquiries into the whisk, the whereabouts of origin of the cup are expected. The quality of tea is praised. The scroll and flower arrangement reflecting the season are appreciated.

Bottom line: No gulping. No swallowing without thought. Japanese green tea is sipped like Dom Perignon. The accompanying sweet is praised. Then, every bite is cherished as if it were the last cronut on earth.Schedule

Soooo, when a lovely Trisha Yearwood inspired No-Bake Chocolate-Peanut Butter Squares appears in gluten-free form – awaken your senses to bliss! Organic peanut butter swirled into Glutino’s pretzels topped with fair trade chocolate is sublime. The crunch of pretzels and the rich pb and chocolate is a foodie’s dream come true in any season!

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