Healthy Eating At A Glance

Snack: Mango, Pear, Blueberries, Bib Lettuce & Spinach, Shaved Carrots

  Lunch: Garden Salad, Veggie-Pasta Medley, Tuna Salad on Whole Wheat, Grape Juice

 Eating healthy does not have to be complicated nor difficult.
Just imagine and focus on eating mostly foods that grow from the earth and are not genetically modified, and your'e 80% of the way there.  My go-to reminder to myself is to eat off of a plate with 4 corners (eat a square meal) HA ha... 

 Make strong attempts to stay away from added sugars and processed sugars like white granulated sugar opposed to natural sugars like honey and fruits, but too much of anything is not the route to go either.  Even with conscious efforts, I find myself making goof-ups and mistakes with eating a properly balanced meal, but It's easy to do and just as easy to get right back on track by balancing your next meal without guilt or remorse. 

Fresh Purple Grapes, Whole Wheat Waffles w/ Maple Syrup, Scrabbled  Eggs w/ Spinach & Garlic

 
Yes, it is said that breakfast can easily be the most important meal of the day, but it doesn't have to be the largest... it's OK if its full of well balanced nutrients, essential minerals, and nourishing vitamins.  Depending on what was eaten the night before, will begin to self-regulate what you eat for breakfast.  You may not be as hungry, but remember that protein and natural sugars will probably be the best for sustaining energy for the day, or at least until the nest meal or snack.

Scrambled Eggs w/ Red & Yellow Bell Peppers, Onion & Mushrooms on a bed of Spring Mix Salad Greens, garnished w/ Cherry Tomatoes. Buck Wheat Pancakes topped with Maple Butter, and 6 oz Almond Milk

 Proteins are slow burning fuel and natural sugars burns faster.  A good combination of them both as the first meal of the day could prove to sustain your energy for the morning and promote healthier choices for lunch.

Below is a picture guide to creating quick meals that are healthy, tasty, and full of energy 

Monday- (Meatless Monday)

Chopped Spinach with 3 Bean Salad, Egg-Dipped Fried Eggplant, Half Avocado, and Wild Rice w/Black Beans

Tuesday- (Tasty Tuesday)

Chopped Spinach with 3 Bean Salad, Egg-Dipped Fried Eggplant, Half Avocado, and Wild Rice w/Black Beans

Wednesday- (Wonderful Wednesday)

Wild Rice w/ Black Beans, Sliced Chicken Breast, Bunch of Purple Grapes, and 3 Bean Salad w/Carrots over Baby Spinach

Thursday- (Thrifty Thursday)

Wild Rice, Sliced Bell Peppers,w/Spinach, and Vegetarian Crab Cakes (Grated Zucchini Patties with Old Bay Seasonings

Friday- (Freedom Friday)

Steamed Corn on the Cob, Baby Spinach w/ Carrots, Grilled Salmon topped with Garlic

Saturday- (Special Saturday)

Baked Potato w/ Sour Cream, Cheddar and Chives, Asparagus topped w/ Garlic, Grilled Curry Salmon, While Wheat Stuffing

Sunday- (Satisfying Sunday)

Black Beans & Wild Rice, Lemon Stuffed Cod, and Steamed Broccoli

DRINK PLENTY OF WATER, ALWAYS !

An over-indulgence of anything, even something as pure as water, can intoxicate.

Human nature is like water. It takes the shape of its container.

Namaste'

Alkalized Double-Protein Meal

Grilled Chicken, Asparagus & Rice

 

 

Baby Spinach leaves (raw) ~ vitamin A, C, Calcium, & Iron

Avocado halfed with seed removed (raw) - (wipe with lemon to prevent from turning brown) ~ Omega 3, Antioxidants, vitamin A, B, C & D

Steam Fried Asparagus sauté' minced Garlic in a fry pan with little water until garlic is beginning to brown, and water is mostly evaporated (no salt) ~ Potassium, Antioxidants, Alkalizing properties, vitamin A

 

Chicken Breast (grilled)

fully cook chicken breast on grill (with your own spice blend), slightly charred but cooked until internal temperature reaches at least 160 degrees Fahrenheit, let set to seal in natural juices, cut cross grain, place over Red Pepper Sauce.


Red Pepper Sauce

2 Red Bell Peppers (roasted)
1/2 Red Onion (med)
6-8 Cherry Tomatoes (garden fresh)
1/2 Cup Raw Cashews (overnight soaked)
1 clove Garlic
1 Tbsp. Dijon Mustard (to taste)
Water (consistency)

Roast red peppers over an open flame until fully charred. remove from flame, let cool in plastic bag. Once cooled, remove charred skin and seeds. Place in processor with all other ingredients. Blend all ingredients together into a paste, add water for desired sauce consistency.

Rice w/ Vermicelli & Black Beans
  Prepare rice as usual, place vermicelli in pan with 2 Tbsp. Coconut oil on med heat until brown. Add 1/3 cup water and your personal spice blend. cook until water is all absorbed. (vermicelli should be plump and golden brown) Add rice. cook until slightly brown, there is minimal moisture and rice grains separates easily. (grate in some carrots and chopped spring onions for extra nutrition & flavor)

7 Ways to Eat Healthy on a Budget

 

 

The following are 7 Ways to Eat Good on a Budget. But the bottom line, always remember, is this: we can pay now or pay later (in suffering, doctor bills, etc.) when it comes to our dietary discipline and food choices.

 

1. Choose Produce Not Packages: People think eating healthy is about buying a lot of expensive boxes and packages of processed foods -- but that isn't the case at all. The cheapest, most nutrient-dense foods in a grocery store live in the produce aisle. Fresh vegetables and fresh fruits.

 

2. Cook Big and Save Some for Later: Cooking meals in large batches and freezing the leftovers for later in the week, or month, can save you a lot of time and money. Instead of buying fast food or eating out at restaurants, or even cooking a full meal every time you get hungry, it's way more cost effective, time-saving and healthy for you to pull something out of the freezer and warm it up than it is to wash/chop/slice/boil/bake/wait in line/wait to be served.

 

3. Soup Up Your Options: Large vegetable soups over brown rice or whole grain noodles pack in vitamins and nutrients, fill you up, and are easy to make and delicious. Add beans, canned tuna, etc... Going totally meatless a couple of times a week (or for good) also helps your budget and gives your palate a variety to enjoy. Frozen veggies, which are inexpensive, work great in soups.

 

4. Make a Plan and See Where The Values Are: Make eating healthy a priority in terms of how we spend the resources we have. Makes no sense to be fronting like a rich person on the outside, but being in poor health on the inside, right?

 

5. Season Your Food: Eat fruits and vegetables that are in season, that is! Otherwise you'll be paying a much higher price. Also, eating foods that are current in their natural growing season can help strengthen your immune system for that season. Seasonal fruits can be frozen and blended to smoothies. Frozen vegetables also can be used to make a stir fry. They're convenient and they don't spoil quickly like fresh fruits and veggies.

 

6. Join a Co-op or Local Community Garden: In exchange for your minimal volunteer work hours per month, you get your groceries at co-op members-only prices. Same thing goes for community gardens. And not only that you get to learn a WHOLE lot about nutrition and health being in that kind of environment.

 

7. Drink More Water: Many times when we think we are hungry, it may be actually a sign of thirst. Bottled water getting too expensive? Get a basic filter for your tap, some for as low as $20 bucks. We don't even know it, but when we are drinking enough water it curbs our appetite so we don't overeat. Drinking water also saves us money on all the sugary drinks on the market.

 

Summary

In summary, the main thing to remember for eating good on a budget is that it is doable!