Is the question I get all the time, accompanied by the look of whaaaat the heeeeeck, when I tell people what it is I do not eat.
And my response is “Everything from the eaaaaaarth!”
What it is I do not eat: Gluten, Soy, Sugar, Processed/Packaged Foods (which usually contain all of those ingredients), pigs and animals raised inhumanly on factory farms.
What I do eat: Absolutely every single fruit and vegetable I love. There isn’t one I don’t like. Actually, I’m not a big truffle fan. I think I must have had too much truffle oil on a hot summer day and now the smell gives me the willies. Well, maybe not the willies, but I’m just like, “eeeeh no thanks”. Love all gluten free grains: millet, rices, quinoa, cornmeal, amaranth, buckwheat. Now just imagine all of the amazing combinations we can make with these ingredients woohoo yummy!
I know cutting out packaged/processed foods may seem intimidating or overwhelming at first, but just take a look at what I ate today – you’ll be surprised at how simple it can be! Living a whole, clean, earth based life is delicious, healthy and easy! Bonus: everything I ate today can be prepped on Sunday and stored/enjoyed for about 5 days. I’m telling you, I don’t even get out a knife or cutting board during the week – all veggies, fruit and grains can be prepared ahead of time. Because honestly, who really has the time to spend making BLD (breakfast, lunch, dinner) every day?! Try starting off with these 20 staples to help get you on your way to whole livin’!
Breakfast: Cut fruit. Lately I’ve been enjoying grapefruit, kiwi and pineapple. ChiaChatta is a chia seed pudding that tastes like horchata. It’s so simple to make and can be made in a big batch on Sunday and enjoyed until Friday. Combine 1/4 cup chia seeds, 1/4 cup oats 1.5 cups almond milk, vanilla extract, almond extract, cinnamon. Mix well and store in a glass container. Read here all the amazing benefit of chia seeds. You should start enjoying them daily!
Lunch: I usually like to stick to a salad with plant based protein during the day (check out veg/protein combinations here). On Sunday I always prepare a grain (this week brown and black rice) and throw in a vegetable towards the end of cooking (this week edamame). Also, cabbage is soooooooo good for you and stays fresh for awhile. It’s just a real winner. So, a big bowl of cabbage with a few spoon fulls of rice and edamame. Then I was feeing a little Asian inspired and added avocado, black sesame seeds, rice wine vinegar and sesame oil. Done. 2 minutes tops! Packs well for work too.
Snack: The perfect combination of fat, carbs, protein and sugar are medjool dates filled with almond butter. They pack well, can be made in advance (do I need to keep mentioning that?) and are sooooo delicious. I actually can not walk down the bulk aisle and not put my hand in the date bin and take one. I seriously begin salivating as I approach them. So awkward getting caught mid bite, ek! Hard boiled eggs also make a great snack on the go. Don’t eat them in meetings though, please. They may be the most disturbing food to watch people eat – eeeh – actually deviled eggs are worse. I think my mom is the only person who still brings them to every occasion and holiday party.
Dinner: Usually a cooked vegetable and animal protein. Today I just cooked some green beans I had on hand in a little coconut oil (make coco oil your new cooking staple – it has so many health benefits), added a little of that already made rice and edamame, throw a fried egg on top and viola! So yummy and again, only 2 minutes. Another way to reheat the rice and cook fish at the same time – check this recipe out and while you’re there read up on how Eating Healthy is Easy and Cheap!
Start small you guys. Maybe try just one new vegetable a week. Or replacing that roll with your salad with a whole grain, like rice.
I also start every morning off with a shot of Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar (aaaah painful) and end my day with Natural Calm, A Relaxing Magnesium Supplement.
Dr Weil’s Food Pyramid. I replace the tofu with red wine. You gotta get your antioxidants, right!?
Oatmeal is also a great way to start off your morning. I assembled these for my friend who’s a nurse and would buy oatmeal every day at work. She was spending $3 every morning, plus the oatmeal she was buying was packed with sugar, preservatives and ingredients that you can’t even pronounce. I spent $20 on ingredients at TJ’s and assembled 20 baggies-to-go (a waste of plastic, I know, sorry). Plus, they were way healthier because I added chia seeds and cinnamon (so many health benefits) and no sugar or preservatives were added. 10 minutes on Sunday will save you money, time waiting in line and your waistline!
Can’t wait to try that chia seed pudding!
I eat so horribly. It’s not really noticeable until I start thinking about it… and I’ve never struggled with weight. I just get so overwhelmed with the shopping and details and my taste buds are used to super sweet or super salty!
Hi Margaret, thanks for dropping by. I’m sure you don’t eat “horribly”… I think it’s great that you notice how you eat and see changes can be made. Try cutting out processed sugar and salty foods for 3 days, you’ll be amazed at how your body won’t crave them as much by day 4..You’ll notice a strawberry is plenty sweet on its own. Nerdy fact: we (modern humans) have trained our bodies to want salty and sweet foods… those foods were harder to come by in our hunter and gather days, so it’s like crack to us now. Think about it, when we were cave ladies we weren’t salting our meat and dipping strawberries in chocolate. Now with the modern diet of packaged/processed foods our bodies crave the added sugar and salt. Try just 3 days girl, you can do it! Shoot me an email and I will write you a sample menu! xoxo