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Thursday, May 26, 2022

Get up and Go Breakfast!

 


I used to be skeptical of breakfasts that look like this, but I finally broke down and tried it.... and I was impressed!  It was refreshing, tasted good, and kept me going all morning =  I am a convert! 

To ensure I don't go overboard, I use a small salad plate to help with portion control.  Measuring works if you have that level of motivation in the morning, but I find the smaller plate is just easier.  This is so straight forward that it is hard to call it a recipe, but I'm going to anyway.


Amy's Get up and Go Breakfast!

-Get a small salad plate

-Fill 1/3 of the plate with fresh organic sliced strawberries (cut the night before to save time in the morning! And btw Aldi has great prices on organics!)

-Add 1/2 Avocado, sliced

-Add a dollop of whole milk plain Greek yogurt to the plate

-Top yogurt with some roasted pumpkin seeds


This will fill you with good nutritious stuff:  protein, antioxidants, fiber, and good fats, and will energize you for the day ahead without the heavy feeling a carb loaded breakfast tends to do (bagels, toast, donuts, muffins, I am looking at you!)


*In case you didn't know:  Pumpkin seeds are "a rich source of protein, unsaturated fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals that reduce risk factors of chronic diseases, including cancer." 



Wednesday, May 11, 2022

Antioxidant Lunch!

 


Antioxidants!  They are the good guys, found in plant based foods (think veggies, fruits, nuts, seeds....) that scour our insides and eliminate or neutralize the bad guys...aka "free radicals".  Free radicals are believed to play a role in various diseases as well as cancer, so eliminating them whenever possible is good good good!  Lucky for us the list of foods that offer these powerful antioxidants is a long long list of multi-colored, healthy and delicious options :) 


My lunch today was a "leftover special": fast and easy to throw together and resulted in a pile of antioxidant superstars!  It was too pretty, I had to take a photo, and here we are.  Sweet potatoes, brussels sprouts, avocado, cantaloupe, cilantro & yes, even plain yogurt has antioxidants in it!  (Did you know that plain yogurt is actually more nutritious than milk, and is a good source of protein?)


Pulling a healthy lunch like this together can be easy, this is how I do it:  Whenever I cook anything, I cook many things....as many as I can do without burning anything and as much as my kitchen space will allow.  So, if I'm heating up a pot of water for pasta, I mine as well caramelize some onions, roast some zucchini and asparagus, chop some carrots, and toss some chicken breasts into the slow cooker, it is just time efficient :)  Then later, whatever we don't eat that day goes into the Pyrex stacks in the fridge; lunch basically makes itself the next day!


Here is the breakdown of my lunch today, which I enjoyed cold, it felt like a picnic!

-Sweet potatoes: which had been roasted with olive oil, salt & Herb de Provence

-Brussels sprouts: which had been roasted with olive oil & salt

-Fresh Cantaloupe, chopped

-1/2 Avocado

-Homemade Herb dip made with plain yogurt, cilantro, minced onions, & salt


Yummy and pretty and healthy!  And hey, if you don't like to cook, or are really stretched on time, you can just grab some of those convenient ready to go sides at the market and fill your fridge to achieve the exact same result, enjoy!








Wednesday, May 4, 2022

Guilt Free Body Cleansing Salad

 


Tired of feeling guilty about something you ate?  Just STOP!  No more guilt and no more shame.  Give yourself a break already, life is hard!  Just go to the store, gets these ingredients and toss them all together to make this salad, which is FULL of nutrients, flavor and yes, thanks to the "good fats" it will fill you up.  Then you can feel healthy and proud and powerful!   AND, your body will thank you because this salad is loaded with detox and body cleansing properties which are hidden inside every delicious bite!!

I'm not a nutritionist, so don't take my word for it - check out the links below, and don't forget to check out my recipe - it is too easy and too delicious to not try it!



Apples are one of the best things you can eat to improve your digestion!  Apples have two types of fiber, so they are doing doing duty (ha ha) cleaning you out, and let's face it, the better our digestive system works, the better our lives are!




Arugula - Excellent at helping your body recover from late nights out with your friends drinking all those drinks...your liver will thank you.




Avocado is loaded with Potassium, loaded!  Potassium is so important....not just for leg cramps and fatigue, but it helps balance out the sodium in our system, which helps lower our blood pressure and yes, it is also great for digestion = these are all good things.



Flaxseed Meal is Anti-Inflammatory, helps reduce Cholesterol, and helps you maintain a Healthy weight.



Hummus is made with Chick Peas, which are a Bean, which means yes, they are full of fiber and help you feel fuller, which makes managing your weight a whole lot easier!

Olive Oil is, well, oil.  It slicks your body up on it's way down the pipes which is good - good for hair, skin, and no surprise digestion as well, and can be used in cases of constipation.  You know what they say: out with the old,  in with the new!


Oranges  I'm guessing you already know they are full of Vitamin C which strengthens the immune system, which keeps you healthy and strong; a total no brainer, I eat one nearly everyday. Speaking of brains...



Walnuts are a Brain superfood, that counteract oxidative stress and inflammation, and helps us think more clearly, and slows down the inevitable cognitive decline as we age.



And lastly....Portobello Mushrooms are loaded with B2 = energy, now you are ready to GO GO GO!

This salad is going to power you up and keep you going while flushing your system clean, and I may add is actually totally DELICIOUS!  Recipe below...



Guilt Free Body Cleansing Salad

Add the following ingredients to a medium sized bowl, mix, eat.


-1/2 Apple, chopped

-1/2 Avocado, chopped

-1 cup of Arugula

-1 Tbsp of Flaxseed Meal

-1/4 cup of Hummus (pick your fav brand!)

-1/2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

-1 Clementine Orange

-1 Tbsp Walnuts

-1 cup Portobello Mushrooms (I sautéed these last night in Olive Oil and some were leftover for today, lucky me!  This salad is delicious even without them though so don't stress over forgoing them if you don't have the time!)


*Recipe Tip:  Squeeze a couple of the orange wedges so the juice can mix with the hummus and olive oil to act as the dressing!