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healthyworthyofficial · 5 years ago

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20 Ways With Tinned Tuna

Way earlier than Lockdown, if I noticed a particular on tinned tuna, I might replenish. Why? Because tinned tuna is a flexible, ready-to-eat, good-for-you protein. And it might usually kind part of my work-day desk lunch rotation. In truth, I saved tins of tuna in my desk drawers for emergency lunches! So, to be trustworthy, when tinned tuna specials got here on throughout Lockdown (5 for R65 — I’m looking at you Woolworths), I purchased in…

Now in the event you consider tinned tuna, I guess you'll be able to consider perhaps 3, Four or 5 methods you should utilize it… however 20? I’ll admit, it was a stretch for me too… But then I began remembering recipes my gran would make once we had been youngsters. And recipes from the Jewish aspect of my household (as a result of in case you don’t know, you can't combine milk and meat, ie: no cheeseburgers for you)… So, right here, a complete checklist of recipe concepts that includes tinned tuna. READ MORE: 5 Delicious Lockdown Recipes That Won’t Need A Trip To The Shops

1/ Tuna-mayo sandwich

Okay, let’s begin basic right here. Tuna and mayo are a successful mixture. How to fancify this up? Add a squeeze of lemon juice, some freshly — and finely — shopped spring onion or crimson onion. Serve it on 100% rye toasted in sizzling olive oil with layers of chopped tomato and lettuce. YUM.

2/ Tuna-avo sarmie

Orrrr on rice truffles… Okay, so it is a WH HQ fave, particularly now when it’s avo season! Easy sufficient: mush one ripe avocado and mix it with one tin of tuna. Spread on sandwich bread or on rice crackers or in butter-lettuce leaves (relying on what number of carbs you’re chopping…) and munch. Why that is such a success: avos are actually good for you and full of vitamins. Yes, they're excessive in fat — the great type although — and once we’re speaking getting in nutrient-dense energy, avos trump mayo.

3/ Egg-mayo sarmie with tuna

Brunch you say? Who has the finances for salmon on this financial system anyway? Now once I grew up and we used to go on street journeys — all the youngsters squeezed at the back of a bakkie — my gran used to make egg-mayo sarmies. Easy sufficient: you boil the eggs, you mash with mayo, salt and pepper and unfold on a sarmie. Now, we already know eggs and tuna work nicely collectively, because of the French and recipe quantity 5. So why not double up on that good protein and add some tuna to the combination? It works! READ MORE: Yummy Vegan And Gluten-Free Healthy Chocolate Cereal Bars Recipe

4/ Basic tuna salad

Think of this extra like a inexperienced salad with tuna thrown on high. This is de facto what it’s about: you could have some salad substances and also you wish to add some protein. Oh, hey there, handy tin of tuna! Simply add on high with a primary olive oil and balsamic vinegar combine.

5/ Salade Niçoise

A way more intentional and fancy salad made handy by the ready-made tuna. This salad has the next fundamentals: tuna, boiled egg, olives, tomatoes, child potatoes and inexperienced beans. There are variations of this salad that embody lettuce, anchovies and capers… Mix it up as a lot as you want! It’s certain to maintain you fuelled for a busy day forward.

6/ Chopped Israeli-style tuna Salad

Think Israeli-style chopped salad: all the things chopped into same-size 5mm cubes. Tomatoes, carrots, peppers, cucumber… and chickpeas! It’s a leafless salad with a whole lot of crunch. Now add tuna and a few scrumptious avo (once more, chopped into little cubes) and you've got a filling dish that’s full of all the great things.

7/ Tuna salad wrap

Take recipe no.Three above and place all of the substances right into a wrap.

8/ Tuna salad wrap with mealies and mayo

The above recipe bulked up with flavour. I don’t know why sure combos work… Like Tuna and corn aka mealies. But they do! So combine your tuna with some mayo, add corn kernels, then wrap with greens in a big tender tortilla.

9/ Warm tuna pita

In a bowl, mix chopped celery, chopped crimson onion, tuna and mayo. Layer this right into a pita. Add grated cheese of your alternative (have you ever heard of Eatlean Cheese?). Bake within the oven for 10 minutes till the cheese has melted. This is critical consolation meals. Salad on the aspect non-obligatory.

10/ Tinned Tuna (not) Tartare

A play on the French delicacy, you should utilize the rules to assemble a similar-looking dish, simply with tinned tuna. Use finely chopped avocado as the bottom, then layer with chopped child rosa tomatoes, layered on high with tinned tuna. The secret is to decorate the substances beforehand. A beautiful lemony French dressing will do nicely, with some seasoning. Top with leaves and herbs, and serve. Thin slice of toast non-obligatory.

11/ Tuna pasta salad

A quite simple dish I used to make once I was a pupil, tuna-pasta-salad takes the instance of recipe 4 (primary tuna salad) and combines it with mayonnaise and penne pasta. It retains within the fridge for 3 days and it’s simple to pack in a Tupperware. It’s not very fairly to take a look at, however it’s easy and tastes good.

12/ Lemony zesty tuna pasta

A really quick-and-easy recipe that may be served heat or at room temperature the following day. What you want: lemon (zested and juiced), olive oil, garlic, 1 tin of tuna and a few pasta of your alternative, plus herbs of your alternative (parsley is an efficient one). Make it fancier: add wilted child spinach to the combination. Heat olive oil in a saucepan. Add chopped garlic clove. Allow to sizzle for a minute or two, then add the tuna, lemon juice and parsley and stir till heated. Add the recent cooked pasta to this pan with among the pasta water and stir to mix. Serve with zest sprinkled on high and a few additional herbs… For additional yum issue: add a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.

13/ Tinned tomato and tuna pasta

Cupboard stacked with tinned tomatoes too? Well, that is a straightforward recipe that may assist make use of each tinned substances. What you want: olive oil; one massive onion, chopped; one clove garlic, chopped; one tin of chopped tomatoes; chilli (or chilli flakes); pasta of your alternative; one tin of tuna; contemporary basil (non-obligatory). Method: Sauté onion in olive oil. After a few minutes, add the garlic after which the tin of chopped tomatoes with the chilli. In the meantime, prepare dinner your pasta. Season the tomato combine with salt, pepper and a teaspoon of sugar if wanted to calm the acidity. Simmer to scale back liquid. Toss the recent pasta into the tomato combine and flake within the tuna. Serve with contemporary basil and a drizzle of olive oil. READ MORE: 3 Ways To Pimp Your Hummus For Your Next Mezze Platter

14/ Tuna Lasagne

Heat oven to 200 levels Celsius. Tip one 400g tin chopped tomatoes, 250g of sliced peppers, 50g of olives, 1 tbsp blended dried herb herbs right into a pan, cowl and simmer for 10 minutes till the tomatoes have damaged down a bit of. Add the tin of tuna and season with salt and pepper. Pour one tub of cream cheese right into a bowl, season and blend to loosen a bit of, including a splash of water (or milk, if in case you have some) to make a thick white-sauce consistency. Assemble the lasagne in a baking dish, approx 20 x 30cm. Pour roughly a 3rd of the tuna sauce into the underside of the dish, high with Four lasagne sheets, a 3rd of the cream cheese sauce, then repeat the layers twice extra. Scatter over some mozzarella and bake for 40 minutes till golden and effervescent.

15/ Gluten-free tuna fishcakes

Who doesn’t love a superb fishcake? Mix collectively: 1 tin of tuna, 200g mashed potatoes, 1 egg, 1 tbsp gluten-free flour of alternative (rice flour works nicely), Four finely chopped spring onions, 1 tbsp finely chopped contemporary parsley, salt and pepper to season. Form patties together with your arms. Coat the patties in some extra rice flour earlier than cooking gently in a pan with some olive oil. Yum!

16/ Tinned tuna poke bowls

Ah, we love a superb poke bowl! But we don’t at all times have entry to freshly caught tuna (like on this pic). You could make these the way in which you'll another good poke bowl. The base: steamed rice topped with crunchy, contemporary veggies, nuts (almond or macadamias), avocado, spring onions, sesame seeds, fruit… The secret is the great dressing! 1 tbsp sesame-seed oil + 2 tbsp tamari + Juice of 1 lime + Tiny drizzle honey blended collectively and drizzled over. Find extra scrumptious, wholesome seafood recipes here!

17/ Baked potato with tuna

I like a superb baked potato. In truth, candy potatoes baked entire are in all probability my favorite. Their skins caramelise so fantastically and inside it’s tender and simply practically candy. Top this sizzling child with some tinned tuna blended with a bit of mayo (or creme fraiche in the event you eat dairy) and a few chopped spring onions and dill. Add a squeeze of contemporary lemon to complete it off and also you’ve bought a cracking little meal!

18/ Tuna frittata

A fast and simple lunch for the entire household — you'll be able to pump this up with additional veggies like peppers and mushrooms. Yes, added vitamins for the win! Preheat oven to 180 levels Celsius. In an oven-proof skillet, sauté chopped spring onions in a bit of olive oil. Add your veggies (child spinach, courgettes, tomatoes). Sauté till mixed and wilted. Add one tin of tuna, drained. Whisk collectively 12 eggs and 1/2 cup soya milk (or cow’s milk) with a pinch every of salt and pepper (to style). Pour egg combine into massive skillet. Place within the oven and prepare dinner for 15 to 20 minutes, till eggs are cooked via. Garnish with chilli flakes, Peppadews and contemporary basil. READ MORE: This High-Protein Peanut Butter Breakfast Smoothie Will Make Your Morning

19/ Tuna Tacos

Now the trick right here is to mix the tinned tuna with some crimson onion, corn, tomatoes and chilli to make a spicy salsa to fill your tacos with. So, finely chop half a small crimson onion, combine with one tin drained tuna, one massive chopped tomato, about 1/2 cup corn kernels and one finely chopped chilli. Add the juice of 1 lime and a bit of olive oil and stir collectively. Now mash avocado with chopped coriander, lime juice and salt and pepper. Have some bitter cream on the aspect. Spoon your tuna filling into the corn tacos, add guacamole and a dot of bitter cream. Delish. I like serving my tacos with a bit of shredded butter lettuce for additional crunch and freshness. Imagine the beneath with tuna as a substitute of mince – a lot more energizing!

20/ Tuna, olive and rocket pizza

Home-made pizza evenings are nice! But you won't at all times have a great deal of toppings a hand… Enter that outdated devoted tin of tuna. Get your bases prepared, smeared with some tomato puree, and your oven sizzling at 200-220 levels Celsius. Top your tomato bases with shredded tuna, chopped black olives, capers (if in case you have) and mozzarella cheese. Bake till golden and melted and scrumptious. Serve with contemporary rocket and skinny slices of crimson onion. So yum! Want extra? We’ve bought you coated: all of your healthy recipes sorted. READ MORE ON: Food Food News Health Advice Nutrition Nutrition Advice Recipes !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s){if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod? n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)};if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n; n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';n.queue=;t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0; t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e);s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)}(window, document,'script','https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/fbevents.js'); fbq('init', '2162521310492989'); fbq('track', 'PageView'); Source link Read the full article

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consulting-celiac-in-the-tardis · 6 years ago

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57 Easy Gluten Free Recipes for Summer Picnics and Potlucks

New blog post! Now that the weather is finally (sloooowly) warming up and holidays like Memorial Day and Fourth of July are right around the corner, I know that summer picnics and potlucks are just as close. But when you have celiac disease or dietary restrictions, summer entertaining can feel a little more complicated.

That's why this year, I thought I'd scope out some of the best gluten free recipes for summer picnics and potlucks. Whether you're looking for healthy appetizers, gluten free lunches fit for a picnic or easy paleo desserts, this round up should give you some delicious ideas. Not to mention, it should make bringing a yummy and gluten free dish to every summer get-together a whole lot easier!

Gluten Free Sides

1. Bacon Cheddar Jalapeno Cornbread (Nut Free, Refined Sugar Free) - Raia's Recipes

Trust me. If you show up with gluten free bread at a summer potluck, you're gonna be the life (or at least the taste buds) of the party.

2. Easy Potato Salad with Egg - Bubba Pie

Give your potato salad an extra boost of protein with hardboiled eggs.

3. Hawaiian Macaroni Salad (Vegan, Soy Free) - Spabettie

Pineapple, vegan mayo, sweet pickles and pickled carrots give this macaroni salad a unique, Hawaiian twist.

4. Broccoli Apple Slaw - Noshtastic

Change up the traditional cabbage slaw recipe by using broccoli and apple instead!

5. Creamy Pea Salad - Recipes From a Pantry

If you're looking for a seriously easy low carb side dish that is still sure to peas (ahem...please) a crowd...this is it! All you need to make it are fresh (or frozen!) peas, bacon, cheese and a few other ingredients for the sour cream dressing.

6. Black Bean and Corn Salad with Balsamic Vinegar (Dairy Free) - The Welcoming Table

Add grilled chicken or pork to make this gluten free salad a meal, or serve it as a side dish or dip!

7. German Cucumber Salad - Casserole Crissy

For any gardeners out there, this is the perfect recipe to use up any leftover cucumbers.

8. Asian-Inspired Sesame Cilantro Carrot Salad (Paleo and Vegetarian) - Natasha, The Artisan Life

Even carrot haters will be won over by the Asian flavors in this gluten free salad dressing.

9. Bone Broth Pesto (Nut Free) - Casey the College Celiac

Enjoy the creamy, tanginess of pesto with the added protein and nutritional benefits of bone broth. Serve with veggies, gluten free crackers or roasted sweet potato rounds (which are also included in the linked recipe above)!

10. Watermelon Mint Salad with/out Feta (Dairy Free Option) - Finding Zest

Who knew that watermelon and balsamic vinegar made such a tasty pair?

11. White Bean Salad (Vegan, Soy-Free, Nut-Free) - Happy Healthy Mama

Fresh basil, cherry tomatoes, avocado and lemon juice turn plain white beans into a side salad everyone will be digging into.

12. Zucchini Roll-Ups (Vegan, Paleo) - Claudia Canu

These roll-ups are super simple to make but that doesn't make this combo of veggies and gluten free hummus any less delicious!

13. Goat Cheese Cucumber Bites (Keto, Low Carb) - The Keto Option

Gluten free Everything But the Bagel Seasoning dresses up these mini goat cheese and cucumber sandwiches.

14. Creamy Sweet Potato Salad (Paleo) - Cathy's Gluten Free

Is there any occasions sweet potatoes aren't perfect for?!? I don't think so...

15. Focaccia with Olives, Sundried Tomato & Rosemary (Grain Free, Paleo, Refined Sugar Free) - Emma Eats and Explores

Like I said before...you seriously can't go wrong with bringing homemade gluten free bread.

16. 5-Minute Guacamole (Vegan, Keto, Paleo, Oil-free, Whole 30) - Veg Annie

Homemade salsa gives this homemade guac an extra kick of freshness and flavor.

17. Mexican Street Corn - Confessions of a Fit Foodie

Like corn on the cob, only a lot tastier and less messy to eat!

18. Spicy Mango Dip (Vegan) - Fun Food Frolic

Serve this gluten free and vegan dip with some gf bread or pita, and it'll disappear in no time. You can whip it up in 15, minutes, too!

19. Easy Tuna Spread - Goodnesst

This gluten free spread only requires three ingredients, five minutes to make and is delicious when served with crackers, veggies or tossed in a salad.

20. Red Potato Salad with Avocado and Egg - Attainable Sustainable

Typical potato salad gets an upgrade with some healthy fats from avocado in this gluten free side dish.

21. Curried Cauliflower Mac and Cheese (Vegan) - Casey the College Celiac

If you want to add some hidden veggies to a family classic, you'll love my curried cauliflower mac and cheese, which only takes five ingredients to make.

Gluten Free Mains

22. Avocado, Asparagus and Chicken Salad (Paleo, Mayo Free) - Tasting Page

If mayo ain't your thang, you'll love this paleo chicken salad, which gets its creaminess from avocado and a homemade dressing.

23. Corn and Zucchini Pie - A Simple Pantry

If a quiche and a frittata had a baby, this would be it. Plus, this cheesy pie only takes an hour - including 45 minutes of it doing its thang in the oven - to make.

24. Melon Mozzarella Prosciutto Salad with Arugula - Taste and See

Combine classic Italian ingredients with a traditional Caprese salad, and you end up with an ideal summer entertaining dish.

25. Grilled Balsamic Lamb Kabobs - Foodal

I'll admit, I've never tried lamb before, but these kabobs would definitely have me digging in.

26. Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad - Spice Cravings

Traditionally, tabbouleh salad is a Middle Eastern vegetarian salad featuring ingredients like parsley, mint, Bulgar wheat, tomatoes, onion, cucumber and a lemon dressing. This gluten free version replaces the bulgar wheat with quinoa, which not only makes it allergy friendly but also packed with extra protein!

27. Zesty Smashed Chickpea Salad Sandwich (Vegan) - Moon and Spoon and Yum

The best kind of sandwiches have a mix of different textures and flavors...and this smashed chickpea salad has ALL the flavor punches you're looking for.

28. Southwest Quinoa Salad (Dairy-Free Option) - Mama Knows Gluten Free

You can't go wrong with a bowl of quinoa dressed up with avocados, black bean, corn, grape tomatoes, mozzarella and a cilantro honey lime dressing.

29. Shrimp Pasta Salad - Hot Pan Kitchen

Olives and sun-dried tomatoes give this cold gluten free salad an extra boost of flavor.

30. Spanish Waldorf Salad - Zestful Kitchen

This Spanish twist on a classic Waldorf salad complements a variety of different meals, and you can prepare all of the different ingredients ahead of the time.

31. Easy Cheesy Loaded Cauliflower Casserole (Low Carb) - Wholesome Yum

This gluten free casserole has all the flavors of a baked potato, minus the carbs. And you can't go wrong with bacon!

32. Tuscan Pasta Salad (Nut Free, Egg Free) - Meaningful Eats

Just 'cause you're gluten free doesn't mean you can't enjoy a very delicious pasta salad on a pretty summer day.

33. Cauliflower Salad (Vegan, Low Carb, Keto) - Cooking Journey

Cauliflower just got a very tasty upgrade with this easy, raw salad recipe.

34. Easy Cucumber Tomato Feta Salad (Vegetarian) - Mom Foodie

You can't go wrong with a classic...

35. Kale Quinoa Salad + Cider Vinegarette - Pass Me Some Tasty

Make sure you use gluten free cranberries and walnuts, and the sweet and savory mix of flavors will be a major winner in this salad.

36. Chickpea Thai Quinoa Salad with Peanut Dressing - V Nutrition and Wellness

Add a creamy peanut sauce to a salad with quinoa, chickpeas, carrots, cabbage and cilantro and you have a Thai feast tastier than any take-out.

37. Prawn & Avocado Salad (Whole 30, Paleo) - Recipe This

If you know Whole 30 or paleo diners will be at your summer picnic, this salad is sure to be a hit.

38. Broccoli Salad with Bacon (Keto, Low Carb) - Whole Lotta Yum

Broccoli has never looked so good...

39. Sweet Potato Black Bean Burger (Vegan) - Evolving Table

This black bean quinoa burger only takes an hour to make and is easy to personalize for whatever beans, sweet potatoes or spices you have on hand.

40. The Best Homemade Chicken Salad (Paleo, Keto, Whole 30) - The Organic Chicken

Serve this salad on greens, gluten free bread or even half an avocado.

41. Loaded Potato Wedge Nachos (Paleo, Vegan Options) - Casey the College Celiac

'Cause who wouldn't want to dive into a plate of nachos on a beautiful summer day...especially when the base is fluffy roasted potato wedges?!?

Gluten Free Desserts

42. Paleo Strawberry Rhubarb Pie (Low Carb) - The Banana Diaries

I don't know about you, but I will always say yes to a slice of gluten free pie!

43. No Bake Peach Cheesecake Bites (Vegan) - Delightful Adventures

Make sure you use gluten free oats and almonds, and you'll have one heck of a tasty gluten free dessert.

44. Chewy Pumpkin Popcorn Balls (Vegan) - Casey the College Celiac

There's something crazy addictive about that sweet and salty combo.

45. Pink Lemonade Cupcakes - Fearless Dining

Because is there anything more summer-y than pink lemonade anything?!?

46. Red, White & Blueberry Shortcake Parfaits (Paleo) - Living Loving Paleo

No one will believe that you whipped up these paleo shortcakes from almond flour and a handful of other ingredients you threw in your food processor!

47. Avocado Brownies (Vegan) - Vibrant Guide

Even avocado haters won't be able to get over how thick and fudgy these brownies are...

48. Cream Cheese Pound Cake (Low Carb, Keto) - Fit to Serve Group

Who says you can't eat a keto or low carb diet and eat cake too?!?

49. Scotcharoos - My Gluten-Free Kitchen

Gluten free puffed rice cereal, peanut butter, chocolate and butterscotch combine into one heck of a tasty no-bake bar.

50. Oatmeal Creme Pies - Hunny I'm Home

Chewy gluten free oatmeal cookies + delicious buttercream icing = dessert heaven.

51. Orange Cake with Almond Meal (Dairy Free) - The Foodie Journey

This cake is only made with a few ingredients and can be prepped to bake in just 10 minutes!

52. Blueberry Muffins (Vegan) - Rhian's Recipes

You can't go wrong with a fluffy blueberry muffin, especially when it's gluten free, vegan and only takes 35 minutes to bake! Plus, there are tons of ingredient options and swaps, so you can probably whip up these muffins with whatever is already in your pantry.

53. S'mores Ice Cream Cake (Vegan) - Pink Fortitude

Ummm...a gluten free and vegan ice cream cake?!? I don't think I need to say anymore...

54. Chocolate, Beetroot & Raspberry Cupcakes - Attachment Mummy

In case you want to sneak a few veggies into your gluten free dessert.

55. No Bake Cheesecake (Keto, Low Carb) - Low Carb Yum

You can't beat a no-bake cheesecake base topped with fresh summer berries.

56. Chocolate Chip Coffee Cookies - Think About Such Things

Chocolate chip cookies just got a caffeinated twist!

57. Blueberry Lemon Bundt Cake (Dairy Free) - Allergy Free Alaska

I was sold at blueberries...

What I Hope You Remember During This Summer's Potlucks, Picnics and Parties

I know that when you have celiac disease or food allergies, the words "picnic" or "potluck" can cause more fear than excitement. But rest assured - as long as you use one of these gluten free recipes for guidance, you know you'll have at least one delicious meal you can happily enjoy. What are your favorite summer meals or recipes? Tell me in the comments! via Blogger http://bit.ly/2E6xmYR

#Blogger #college #celiac #gluten free #coeliac #celiacs #paleo #primal #foodporn #foodart

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turkeyfeet8-blog · 5 years ago

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Reader Food Diary: Jennifer & Family’s Success Story

Welcome to our 2019 Reader Diary series where we are going to be sharing success stories + what people ate for a week! We are still accepting entries, and those who are featured will receive $50 in groceries from Thrive Market, 2 of my cookbooks, and a free Prepear meal planning program membership for a year. Get all the details (and share your entry with us!) on this page.

Hello! We are the Brees Bunch, and we live in Southern California. We have three children ages 17, 15, and 9. Both my husband and I work full time, but with opposite schedules. He’s a professional musician, and I’m an instructional coach. We have a lot of food concerns in our family, so we’ve been slowly introducing real food since January 2017, but really started committing to it in September of that year when our daughter was diagnosed with ADD.

My husband has Type 2 Diabetes and needs to eat lower-carb. He detests any type of seafood. My 17-year-old is a vegetarian but will eat fish occasionally. She has also been diagnosed with depression and anxiety. She has relied on heavily processed meat replacements instead of making vegetarian meals. My 9-year-old has severe ADD and functions better eating lots of healthy proteins and eliminating processed or sugary foods. My 15-year-old son has grown a foot this last year and is constantly hungry and usually turns to junk food to satisfy his hunger. And then there’s me—I’ve suffered from severe migraines for years and am always exhausted. Plus, I need to lose a significant amount of weight.

Photo Credit: Sarah Tolson

We knew what was best for our family but felt that our tight food budget and busy schedules prevented us from doing that. However, there was a point last year when we realized how much we were relying on processed food or take out for the majority of our meals. Not only were we spending way too much money, we just didn’t feel well. Our house felt tense all the time.

Success Story

One evening, as I went up to bed feeling sad and frustrated, I made the decision to commit to purchasing and preparing food that was beneficial, not harmful. I began looking for ways to do that and still stay within a strict budget. I came across the 100 Days of Real Food site and began to read and implement great ideas, like using only whole wheat products and adding fruit and veggies to every meal. I’m also a big believer in making food ahead of time and doubling recipes to have food to freeze. It was a bit slow at the beginning, and some of my family members resisted. But the benefits have been awesome.

So far…

I have lost 25 pounds from May – September 2017 (and an additional 15 lbs January 2018 to now!) and my migraines have diminished greatly!

My youngest daughter with ADD has shown increased attention after we transitioned to whole foods and cooking at home.

My husband has been able to maintain healthy blood sugar levels consistently for his diabetes.

My vegetarian daughter is able to find ways to make real food instead of always purchasing packaged, processed vegetarian items.

And, my son is able to satisfy his hunger by making snacks out of real food.

How We’ve Done It (so far)

We signed up for a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) box through a local farm and shop at Costco once a month for our bulk purchases. We also purchase a large box once a month from Butcher Box, which provides meat that is humanely raised without antibiotics or hormones. Then, we plan weekly meals together as a family. I ask for suggestions for dinners and breakfasts.

Our children are responsible for packing their own lunches. It used to be extremely difficult to plan lunches, since all 3 kids like different things. I decided to give each child a weekly set amount of money to purchase lunch foods—this would include an entrée, fruit, veggies, and a snack.

We shop as a family once a week, and it has been awesome to have the kids plan, budget, and shop for their lunches. It gives them more freedom and they like trying new things. Plus, they are much more likely to eat the food they’ve chosen because it was their decision. In addition, they can use anything from the freezer or fridge if they get tired of the same lunch foods for the week. Sometimes, they will plan together and share foods.

All 3 children help my husband, and I make meals at home, and our oldest usually cooks for the family at least once a week. Our meals are usually meat or protein-based, but we have side dishes that are hearty so that our vegetarian feels satisfied. We try to plan at least one vegetarian meal each week. In January 2019, we determined as a family that our next step on our real food journey would be to eliminate any added sugar for 40 days to see if we felt any better. We decided we could use small amounts of raw organic honey or pure maple syrup if needed.

We don’t have a lot of snack food—we usually have leftover breakfast items, homemade trail mix, fresh fruit, and nut butter, or hard-boiled eggs and veggies. For treats, since we’re eliminating added sugar, we splurged on Lara bars and fruit cups (in 100% fruit juice), just for this month.

We’ve cut out buying juices and sodas over the past year, so our beverages are very simple. I drink black coffee in the morning and peppermint tea later in the day. My husband occasionally has black coffee in the morning and black unsweetened iced tea in the afternoon. Our kids usually have water or unsweetened sparkling water with dinner.

For breakfast, 2 out of the 3 will drink organic whole milk, and the other will have organic unsweetened almond milk. We recently invested in glass reusable water bottles to encourage the kids to take a water bottle to school and hydrate! I had to have a chat with my 9-year-old when I kept noticing an empty juice box in her lunchbox. One of her friends was sharing her juice with my daughter every day. We had a great conversation, and my daughter shared she wanted something more than water with her lunch. She decided that a peach herbal unsweetened iced tea or sparkling water would meet her needs.

Our food diary is mainly what I ate throughout the week, but includes at least one lunch from each child, so you can see the variety and the choices they made.

Our Food Diary

Day 1

Breakfast: Chile relleno casserole, roasted potatoes and peppers, fresh fruit. Lunch: Tomato basil soup, grilled cheese sandwiches on sourdough bread. This is a typical meal after grocery-shopping. We usually try to have something simple since we shop after church and everyone is ready to eat by the time we get home. I freeze individual soup portions for lunches or snacks at a later time. Dinner: Beef taco bowls: grass-fed beef, organic black beans, roasted street corn, sautéed peppers and onions, organic romaine lettuce, sliced avocado, sour cream, salsa. Taco bowls are great for our family since everyone can customize them to fit their needs.

Day 2

Breakfast: Broccoli-cheddar quinoa egg bites, grapefruit or mandarins. With our early mornings, breakfasts need to be ones that can be taken to go! Lunch: Homemade Protein Box: Almonds, cheese cubes, hard-boiled egg, fresh berries. During my work day, I don’t have time to eat a whole lunch so I usually pack snack-type foods that are easy to eat on the go. Dinner: Pork chops with basil cream sauce, smashed potatoes, roasted broccoli. My daughter added Parmesan cheese to the broccoli. Treat: Lara bars and mint tea. This was the first day of cutting out added sugar, so I planned ahead to have something tasty and simple as a treat.

Day 3

Breakfast: Peanut butter oatmeal: rolled oats with natural peanut butter added while cooking, plus a drizzle of pure maple syrup, topped with apple slices (this is one of my kiddos’ favorite meals). Lunch: Homemade bento box: rice, egg sushi, sautéed spinach and garlic, quick pickled cucumber and cabbage, mixed veggies (this was the lunch my 17-year old packed today) Dinner: Spicy salmon cakes with homemade tartar sauce, garlic-herb roasted potatoes, roasted asparagus, and broccoli. My youngest is still not a fan of asparagus so the broccoli was for her. However, she knows that she still needs to try items she doesn’t like, even if it’s just a bite. Treat: Homemade hot cocoa sweetened with maple syrup and fresh whipped cream, homemade triple coconut cookies. It was a cold, rainy day and we were all wanting some hot chocolate. While making dinner, I made hot chocolate with dark cocoa powder, organic whole milk, vanilla, cinnamon, and maple syrup. I used organic heavy cream and some maple syrup to make fresh whipped cream. I also made triple coconut cookies with unsweetened coconut, coconut flour, and coconut oil. They were super crumbly but tasted delicious!

Day 4

Breakfast: Rustic skillet with leftover garlic-herb potatoes, scrambled eggs, sautéed spinach, and cheddar cheese. When I make roasted veggies and potatoes for a meal the night before, I try to make extra so I can make a skillet meal for breakfast. My family gobbled up all the roasted veggies so I added some spinach this time. I made breakfast and then went upstairs to finish getting ready. I came back downstairs to take a picture, and the food was gone! Lunch: Eat out with colleagues at Panera Bread: Greek goddess salad, turkey BLT with avocado. I rarely get to have a long lunch or eat out during the work week, so this was a treat for me. One of my friends is vegan so our restaurant choices are limited. Panera is a great fit for all of us. Dinner: Whole-wheat pasta with homemade marinara sauce, Caesar salad with homemade dressing. My daughter made this meal, and the kids ate before I was able to get home from work so I didn’t get a picture of the meal. Snack: I was hungry after dinner so I had an apple from our CSA box and a square of Parmesan cheese. The kids had homemade trail mix.

Day 5

Breakfast: Homemade granola, organic plain Greek yogurt sweetened with maple syrup, topped with berries. Lunch: Whole wheat organic sandwich thins mini cheese pizzas, popcorn, sliced cucumbers, banana, and mandarin oranges. This was my youngest daughter’s lunch for the week. We use the sandwich thins to make mini pizzas since it’s less bread and they get nice and crispy. They’re good even cold from the lunchbox! Dinner: Organic teriyaki chicken over coconut rice, sautéed baby bok choy, and radishes. We received the bok choy and radishes from our CSA box. I’ve roasted radishes before but have never sautéed them. They paired nicely with the bok choy. I like the flavor and texture better sautéed rather than roasted. My vegetarian daughter had mushrooms and cashews instead of chicken.

Day 6

Breakfast: Breakfast bars: I used the leftover dough from the coconut cookies earlier in the week and added mashed banana, walnuts, and chia seeds. I pressed them in a pan and baked for 20 minutes. My kiddos had the option to top with organic Greek yogurt and berries or have a hard-boiled egg on the side. Lunch: Uncured roast beef sandwich with Havarti cheese, pesto, and pickles, on sourdough bread, side salad, kiwis, multigrain tortilla chips (this is my son’s choice for his lunches this week). Dinner: Breakfast for dinner: Green chili egg bake, green salad, bacon, sweet potato home fries. This egg bake is adapted from a diabetic cookbook. It makes a 9 x 13 size pan, and we cut it up and freeze individual portions. You can add any cheese or meat you’d like. We usually make it vegetarian, but we had family over for brunch recently and made a bacon, gruyere, and caramelized onion egg bake that tasted very close to the bacon and gruyere sous vide egg bites I sometimes splurge on at my favorite Starbucks.

Day 7

Breakfast: Leftover egg bake and fruit. Lunch: Snack box: cheese cube, seedless cucumber slices, hard-boiled egg, blueberries, kiwi slices, mandarin, cashews. Dinner: Split pea soup topped with ham, Cobb salad, cheesy biscuits made with almond flour for lower carbs. The soup is made with vegetable broth so it’s vegetarian and then we top it with ham for all the meat-eaters! I replace whole wheat flour with almond flour for the biscuits, and it holds together fairly well. If there are any leftover biscuits, I save them for breakfast or snacks.

Final Thoughts

Our journey is far from over, but I think we’ve made great progress over the last year. The next step is to add another vegetarian dinner to our weekly rotation and to plan meals more efficiently so that I can double, or triple, recipes and have much more variety in the freezer. I think my advice to any family who would like to eat real food is to tackle one small area and do it well, then move on to the next challenge. I think that every day we try something new and beneficial, we should be proud that we’re making growth toward health!

Posts may contain affiliate links. If you purchase a product through an affiliate link, your cost will be the same but 100 Days of Real Food will automatically receive a small commission. Your support is greatly appreciated and helps us spread our message!

Source: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/reader-diary-jennifer/

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citypillow2-blog · 5 years ago

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Reader Food Diary: Jennifer & Family’s Success Story

Photo Credit: Sarah Tolson

Success Story

So far…

I have lost 25 pounds from May – September 2017 (and an additional 15 lbs January 2018 to now!) and my migraines have diminished greatly!

My youngest daughter with ADD has shown increased attention after we transitioned to whole foods and cooking at home.

My husband has been able to maintain healthy blood sugar levels consistently for his diabetes.

My vegetarian daughter is able to find ways to make real food instead of always purchasing packaged, processed vegetarian items.

And, my son is able to satisfy his hunger by making snacks out of real food.

How We’ve Done It (so far)

Our food diary is mainly what I ate throughout the week, but includes at least one lunch from each child, so you can see the variety and the choices they made.

Our Food Diary

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

Day 6

Day 7

Final Thoughts

Source: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/reader-diary-jennifer/

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erickanobble · 5 years ago

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Mastering meal prepping

Picture this: It’s Monday around lunch time. You didn’t go to the grocery store last weekend, so you’re planning to grab a Chick-fil-A sandwich and a soda at the school cafe. After lunch, there is a long afternoon of didactic courses, so you end up buying a bag of chips to snack on. You study for a while after school, then workout before you have to go into lab to finish working on those dental casts that seem to be ruining your life. You take a quick shower after working out and figure you’ll grab something on the way to school: Wendy’s. Can’t go wrong with a 4 for $4 deal, right? Days like this can be avoided by adopting some lifestyle changes such as planning and making your meals in advance.

In dental school, it can be easy to get caught in a cycle of eating out or eating unhealthily, but meal prepping helps you stay healthy and save time, energy and money. Plus, cooking is a great way to relieve stress.

One of the many joys of meal prepping is that you do not need to do much prior to cooking your meals. First, plan what types of food groups you would like to involve for the week before you do your grocery shopping. A protein group, fruits and vegetables, or foods rich in complex carbohydrates will get you through the end of a clinic day for sure.

Stocking up on ingredients such as salt, pepper, butter, oil and other spices is key when prepping for each week. Large bowls, measuring cups, utensils and cutting boards are not necessary, but they aid the process. Investing in sectioned containers or Tupperware keeps your food safe and fresh. Now they are ready to be transported to school in your favorite lunchbox. Don’t forget your ice pack to keep it cool all morning.

What about when you start to run out of ideas? There are a variety of apps out there that let you browse recipes, view the ingredients so you can add them to your shopping list, and cook the meals with easy-to-follow directions. Meal reviews and the ability to filter recipes enhance the diversity of the meals you can prep as well. If you follow a specific diet, there are plenty of recipes and ideas for meals that are vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free, too.

Another option is to have your ingredients and recipes delivered to your door. Sometimes I fall into the habit of prepping the same kind of meals: salmon with veggies for dinner and chicken salad for lunch. To revitalize my menu, I get HelloFresh delivered to my door every few weeks. There is no subscription required, and you get to pick out a few meals with two to four servings per week. This company sends you all the ingredients, including seasonings, in an ice-packed box so it stays fresh until you get home to cook it. They even have Dinner 2 Lunch recipes that make it easy to turn leftovers into different lunch options.

Below is a meal prep plan for four lunches and dinners, Monday through Thursday. I prefer not to meal prep for Fridays because I usually end up going out with friends or out of town altogether.

Monday — Lunch: BLT Pasta Salad; Dinner: Chipotle Beef Bowl

Tuesday — Lunch: Thai Chicken Wraps; Dinner: Pesto Zucchini Noodles with Shrimp

Wednesday — Lunch: BLT Pasta Salad; Dinner: Chipotle Beef Bowl

Thursday — Lunch: Thai Chicken Wraps; Dinner: Pesto Zucchini Noodles with Shrimp

For the BLT pasta salad, prepare your favorite pasta and combine with chopped lettuce, tomato and bacon bits in a bowl. Add the dressing, which is a combination of mayonnaise and ranch dressing. Toss and garnish with parsley. The next dish to prepare is the chipotle beef bowl. Combine cooked ground beef (or turkey for a healthier option) with chopped romaine lettuce, shredded Mexican blend or mozzarella cheese, onions, bell peppers, avocado, sour cream, tomatoes and a can of black beans.

For the next day, prepare Thai chicken wraps by placing strips of cooked chicken on whole wheat wraps. Heat a pan and sauté cucumber, sprouts, carrots, scallions, basil, mint and a sprinkle of sugar and vinegar. Roll everything together with chopped lettuce and soy sauce, if you prefer. The last meal of the week is pesto zucchini noodles with shrimp. While cooking the shrimp, shred a zucchini into noodle-like strips and sauté in a pan with olive oil. Add pesto and combine with the finished shrimp. Add parmesan cheese, if you prefer.

There are many different ways of meal prepping. The hardest part can be getting started, but once you find a method that works for you, you will see how much additional time you have during your busy weeks as a dental student. Now is the time to master meal prepping. You will be amazed at the difference it will make.

~Stephanie Jaipaul, Georgia ’22

from Dental https://www.asdablog.com/mastering-meal-prepping/ via http://www.rssmix.com/

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rickymanguson · 5 years ago

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Mastering meal prepping

Below is a meal prep plan for four lunches and dinners, Monday through Thursday. I prefer not to meal prep for Fridays because I usually end up going out with friends or out of town altogether.

Monday — Lunch: BLT Pasta Salad; Dinner: Chipotle Beef Bowl

Tuesday — Lunch: Thai Chicken Wraps; Dinner: Pesto Zucchini Noodles with Shrimp

Wednesday — Lunch: BLT Pasta Salad; Dinner: Chipotle Beef Bowl

Thursday — Lunch: Thai Chicken Wraps; Dinner: Pesto Zucchini Noodles with Shrimp

~Stephanie Jaipaul, Georgia ’22

from Dental Tips https://www.asdablog.com/mastering-meal-prepping/ via http://www.rssmix.com/

#Dental Tips

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wellpersonsblog · 5 years ago

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Low Mess Snacks for Kids

Hi friends!

Looking for some low mess snacks for kids? This post has been highly requested and I’ve finally gotten around putting it together!

Before we dive in, let’s address a few things:

A lot of you asked for low mess car snacks. I think it’s important to note that eating in the car can be a choking hazard. I try to limit my kids eating in the car to times when a time crunch makes it pretty much necessary. For us, that’s one day a week when I have to go straight from my oldest’s swimming lesson to pick my daughter up from preschool and then turn around at get home and get my oldest on the bus for school, all in a span of about 20 minutes. In most cases, if they need to eat in the car, I pack their lunch boxes and then they sit in their seats and eat either before we leave the parking lot or after we arrive. I recognize that sometimes eating in the car is unavoidable, but I encourage you to make it the exception, not the rule. Also, I don’t let my kids eat in the car until they are big enough to have their seats facing forward so that I can see them.

Also, the term low mess is pretty relative. Some kids (mine) are extremely messy eaters. They can turn pretty much anything into a giant mess and it’s the main reason why the floors at our house are never ever clean. Some kids eat very neatly. Also, age can impact the messiness factor. In most cases, a 5-year-old is more capable of limiting their mess than a 2-year-old. So, this list is snacks that I find to be lower mess, but messes can still be made. It might come down to a little trial and error with your own kids.

I put this list of low mess snacks for kids together with a few situations in mind. Times when you need snacks but do not need 100 cheerios all over the floor or half a box of goldfish crushed into the carpet. I try to bring our snacks in a Bentgo lunchbox or stasher bags (aff links) So these snacks are good for:

In the car – which we’ve already covered…

At an appointment or in a store – because sometimes kids NEED a snack in order to survive a quick errand or accompanying mom to a doctor’s appointment, right?

While waiting – if you’ve got more than one kid, chances are they’re going to be waiting on their siblings fairly often, whether it’s to pick up from school, at a sports practice, etc and snacks can be helpful and/or necessary depending on the time of day

At a brewery or restaurant while the adults enjoy a beverage

Pretty much any time, really…because when do kids not want snacks? Am i right?

When I make snacks for my kids, I like them to include protein and/or healthy fats, not just carbs. I want them to have some staying power, not just cause a blood sugar spike and crash. We talk about this A LOT at home. They know a bunch of foods that are sources of protein and if they ask me for an apple, i usually say that’s not a complete snack and they know they need to add some peanut butter or a cheese stick or something to pair with the apple!

Here are some ideas for low mess snack pairings:

Waffle pbj sandwich

Beef stick+ clementine

Cheese stick + fruit leather/dried fruit

Hard-boiled egg whites + energy ball/bar

Turkey, cheese & avocado rolled in a tortilla

Egg wrap + banana

Slice of pizza or quesadilla

8oz kefir or yogurt tube + apple slices

Smoothie made with yogurt, fruit and veggies

Rice cakes w/ peanut butter + snack bar

And here’s a big list of ideas so you can make your own pairings. Note that some of these can be choking hazards for younger kids so do your research! And again, some kids can make a mess with any snack so it may take some trial and error!

Low Mess Snacks for Kids

Fruit/Veggies

Freeze-dried fruit

Dried fruit (raisins, mango, apples, peaches, pears etc)

Fruit- apples, clementines, bananas

That’s it fruit bars or fruit leathers

Pouches – Not my favorite, but can be helpful occasionally. Try to find one with some veggies in it. Mama chia is another good option.

Veggie sticks (carrots, celery, peppers, cucumbers)

Dairy

Yogurt pouches or tubes – Siggi’s is a favorite and just came out with pouches, Stonyfield tubes are another option. I freeze mine to reduce the mess or only cut a small part of the top off instead of all the way across

8oz drinkable kefir or yogurt – leave the foil seal on and poke a straw through

String cheese or cheese slices

Smoothie made with yogurt – get a cup that doesn’t leak and that has a straw that can’t be pulled out

Protein

Beef jerky, meat sticks – Chomps is my go to. They have a mini size and a full size.

Hard-boiled egg whites (the yolks tend to be crumbly and messy)

Egg wraps (plain or filled with cheese, turkey, avocado etc)

Nuts

Crunchy

Dry cereal – Barbara’s puffins are a fave of mine because they’re bigger than something like Cheerios and easier for my kids to grab one at a time instead of a whole handful that spills everywhere

Popcorn

Annie’s Bunny Grahams

Pretzels

Rice cakes/pop chips

Crackers – wheat thins, Triscuits, Bitsy’s, mini pb sandwich crackers

Other

Homemade energy balls or bars

Pancakes/French toast sticks

Leftover pizza slices

Quesadilla wedges

Tortilla cream cheese rollups

Peanut butter sandwiches (on waffle or bread, can pre-cut into bite-sized pieces)

Tortilla with peanut butter wrapped around a banana

Think beyond traditional snack food – things like chicken nuggets, tortellini, meatballs, etc can be relatively low mess

Store-bought bars

Larabars

Clif z bars

Nature’s Bakery Fig bars

Simple Mills Bars

HappyTot Bars

Quaker Organic Strawberry Bars

Dragon Bars

These are just a few bar ideas. I have a giant list of Healthy Store-Bought Granola Bars for Kids. Some are more crumbly/sticky/messy than others but bars are definitely one of our go-to low mess snacks.

What are you favorite low-mess snacks?

Enjoy! –Lindsay–

First found here: Low Mess Snacks for Kids

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gethealthy18-blog · 6 years ago

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35+ Healthy Lunch & Snack Ideas (Kids Will Eat!)

New Post has been published on http://healingawerness.com/news/35-healthy-lunch-snack-ideas-kids-will-eat/

35+ Healthy Lunch & Snack Ideas (Kids Will Eat!)

We’ve talked about what to pack in kids’ school lunches for healthy food, but healthy snacks are important too! It’s taken many years to get this area of life down, and we’ve made a lot of strides. Here is our ever-growing list of our favorite healthy snacks that aren’t heavy on sugar and contain lots of healthy nutrients that help kids learn, focus, and grow.

Combine several of them and you have a healthy lunch as well!

Here we go…

Beyond the Sandwich: Easy Snack & Lunch Ideas for the Whole Family

It seems like it should be enough of an accomplishment to shop, plan, and prep healthy weeknight dinners, but alas… there are those pesky breakfast and lunch times (and in between times) to plan for as well!

For this reason, I try to repurpose dinner leftovers as much as possible so I have to purchase fewer ingredients and do less prep throughout the week. Still, sometimes you just need a more portable or presentable snack when you’re on the go (or when the neighborhood pack of kids wanders into your living room… be warned: they come back more often if you feed them!).

I’ve grouped my favorite healthy snacks by category, starting with the most prep-intensive (it’s on my kids’ chore list to prep snacks for the week) and ending with my favorite convenience and pantry snacks to buy.

Snacks Kids Can Make

Kids are more capable of making meals and snacks than we give them credit. One of the best things I ever did was purchase this online kids’ cooking course that taught them safe knife skills, measuring, and more. Here are some of my favorite snack recipes that are easy for kids to make themselves:

Smoked Salmon Dip

This smoked salmon dip recipe is easy and packed with nutrients. It’s very easy for kids to make too, despite sounding fancy. I love this dip for a party or a quick snack or lunch. I always like including seafood whenever possible since chicken and beef can get boring.

Homemade Trail Mix

We love mixing up a batch of trail mix for quick snacks. Toss some nuts and dried fruit in a container and store in the freezer. Here are some ideas to include:

Nuts: walnuts, cashews, almonds, etc.

Dried fruit

Unsweetened coconut flakes

Chocolate chips

Carob chips

(I find Thrive Market has the best prices and quality for these. It is a membership-based service but totally worth it!)

Lettuce Wraps

I make variations of these all the time with whatever leftover meat I have in the house, wrapped in romaine lettuce (I add hot sauce). Other favorite variations to wrap in lettuce are:

Lettuce wraps are easy to make, especially if you already have the insides prepared.

Guacamole and Sliced Veggies

Most days, this is an easy snack to throw together in just a couple of minutes. I make easy guacamole by mashing avocado and salsa. Slice carrots, cucumbers, and celery for dipping and you are set. My one year old usually just eats the guacamole by the handful, but with all the nutrients in avocado, I don’t mind at all!

Celery With Almond Butter

This is one of my personal favorite snacks (or breakfasts when paired with hard boiled eggs!). Almond butter is less allergenic and has a higher nutrient profile than peanut butter (peanuts are actually a legume). I just slice celery and smear on almond butter. You can always add some raisins for the “ants on a log” look.

Fruit Kabobs

This healthy snack is easy for kids to make on their own and fun for them to eat too. You can use any fresh fruit you have on hand, but for a really beautiful presentation check out this recipe. Serve with full-fat (not fat-free or low-fat) Greek yogurt to dip for added protein and fat.

On-The-Go

Whether you’re headed out the door to an after-school activity or need something quick for a car ride, these snack recipes for kids are healthy as well as low mess.

Homemade or Nitrite-Free Beef Jerky

Who doesn’t love beef jerky? My kids would eat it by the pound if I kept enough of it around. It is high in protein, and good versions don’t have any chemicals or artificial preservatives. Stores like Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods often carry healthy versions, and you can easily make your own.

Wellness Bars

I make these all the time and my kids call them “candy bars.” These granola bar alternatives are made with a base of nuts and Medjool dates and variations can include anything from cinnamon to dried fruit to dark chocolate. (My favorite is the basic recipe with organic dark chocolate chips… tastes like a cookie!). These are easy to make and a fast snack on the go.

Grain-Free Apple Cinnamon Muffins

This muffin recipe was made when I discovered we only had 5 eggs left for breakfast (nowhere near enough for our family!). This is one kitchen experiment that turned into a regular family favorite. The best part is it tastes and feels like cake but has lots of protein and fiber to keep you full. I also love to make this lemon blueberry muffin.

Coconut Flour Pumpkin Bread Muffins

Another muffin variation featuring coconut flour. It also freezes well so you can make a batch or two and pull them out of the freezer as needed. Make them in mini muffin tins and you have an even lower mess snack!

Homemade Fruit Snacks

Everyone loves fruit snacks! These fruit snacks are made with gelatin and kombucha, making them healthy and delicious. They are easy to pack when you’re running out the door and don’t make much mess (even with your messiest kiddos).

Homemade Fruit Leather

Another fruit recipe, these mock fruit rollups combine strawberries and beets for hidden nutrients. They roll up really easily and are perfect for packing for a trip. Serve with trail mix or nuts and you have a rounded snack.

Cheese Chips

When baked, cheese turns into a crispy and delicious chip! These real food cheese chips aren’t an everyday snack but they are a healthy (and cheaper) alternative to store-bought chips. They are easy to pack and offer healthy fats to keep kids feeling full.

For a Party

Visiting friends and family when you don’t eat many of the foods that are served at parties can be tricky. That’s why I always bring a plate of one of these party favorites:

Zesty Radish Cream Cheese Dip

Full of healthy fat, protein, and a serving of radishes, this creamy but healthy dip is a great way to get kids eating more veggies. Radishes can be too spicy for kids, but the cheese in this recipe makes the bite of the radish more palatable.

Cucumber With Smoked Salmon & Cream Cheese

I could make a meal out of this (and I do sometimes). Simply slice cucumbers and spread on some cream cheese or top with a piece of avocado (or some guacamole). Put a piece of smoked salmon on top and presto- the perfect snack. A healthy fat, protein, and vegetable in one bite!

Deviled Eggs

Full of protein and healthy fats, deviled eggs are my go-to for filling hungry bellies during snack time. This is my tried-and-true deviled eggs recipe, but sometimes I improvise when I don’t have mayo on hand (or the time to make it) by mashing the yolks with avocado and a little salt and pepper. Put some nitrite-free bacon crumbles on top and you have an amazing snack (or breakfast… or lunch…)

Chicken Bacon Bites

These delicious chicken bacon bites are packed with protein (read: filling) and everyone loves them. These are my go-to snack for parties since they’re a crowd pleaser.

Shrimp Cucumber Appetizers

I love seafood and am always looking for tasty ways to get my kids to eat more of it. This shrimp cucumber appetizer recipe fits the bill. It includes healthy fat, protein, vegetables, and even probiotics. It’s a meal in a bite!

For Toddlers

Many toddler snack recipes are full of sugar! These healthier ideas will train their tastebuds to enjoy a whole variety of tastes and textures. See my full list of toddler finger foods here, but here are my favorites:

Chia Seed Squeeze Pouches

It’s no surprise that squeeze pouches are a popular snack for toddlers. They are easy to carry, easy for toddlers to eat on their own (with little mess) and are less likely to cause choking than finger foods. But store-bought pouches are expensive and contain preservatives, little protein, and up to 10 grams of sugar or more! This chia seed recipe is an attempt to make a healthier version for on-the-go. Chia seeds are a great source of calcium, omega-3s, and antioxidants, making this recipe delicious and healthy.

Fruit and Whipped Cream

This is a simple one but is delicious and filling. Add a spoonful of whipped heavy cream (unsweetened) to organic berries or sliced fruit (like apple slices). The fat in the cream will help kids stay full and the fruit adds just enough sweetness.

Homemade Healthy Jello

I grew up eating the sugar and chemical laden jello at my school, but I didn’t want my kids to eat it. So I came up with a healthy version using fruit juice and grass-fed gelatin. It’s not an everyday snack but is a healthier choice than regular jello.

Kale Chips

In my opinion, kale chips are the most kid-friendly way to serve kale. For toddlers, this is an especially good choice because it helps to expose them to greens early so they learn to like them. My kids don’t usually like kale, but kale chips they love!

Roasted Sweet Potato Bites

It can be hard to find snacks for kids (and toddlers especially) that don’t include sugar. But I like to reserve sweet treats for special occasions and give nutrient-dense snacks instead. This roasted sweet potato bites recipe is perfect. It’s easy to make (and freeze for later) and is an easy food for toddlers to eat on their own.

Grain-Free Chicken Finger

A far cry from the chicken fingers you find on most kid menus. These healthier chicken fingers are easy to make and delicious for adults and big kids too!

Healthy Treats

Hey, healthy can be delicious too!

Snow Cream (No Evaporated Milk)

This healthy snow cream (Dairy-free version option) was born when my kids (and the neighborhood kids) wanted to try this treat after a snowfall. Since snow was unusual in our area, I wanted to find a way to make it happen. This recipe uses just 4 ingredients (including snow!) and is a fun and healthy treat for the winter.

Healthy Homemade Chocolate

This recipe is GAPS, Paleo, and Primal friendly.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Fat Bombs (Keto Friendly)

With lots of healthy fats and just stevia as a sweetener, these treats are surprisingly healthy.

Healthy Homemade Marshmallows

This is definitely not an everyday food but when the kids are begging for a marshmallow, this recipe is a much better choice than store-bought marshmallows. It includes nutrient-dense ingredients such as gelatin, marshmallow root, and even probiotics.

Strawberry Lemonade Popsicles

These summertime pops are not an everyday snack but they can be a fun and healthy occasional treat. These are made with just 4 ingredients and very easy to make.

My Favorite Snacks to Buy

If you’re not into making your own healthy snacks, there are so many more healthy options now than there were 10+ years ago when I started blogging! Here’s a short list of my family’s current favorites, most of them from Thrive Market, my not-so-secret secret for saving a lot of $ on pantry items like grain-free crackers, nuts, sardines, and many organic convenience foods.

Paleovalley Beef Sticks: Like beef jerky only easier for kids to eat since they’re softer. Best of all, they are made from very high quality (grass-fed) ingredients and preserved through a natural fermentation process, making these sticks a source of probiotics. Use coupon code wellnessmama10 for 10% off.

Epic Bars: These are made from grass-fed, pastured, and wild-caught protein sources. They’re a filling snack (or meal in a pinch) that I feel good about giving my kids. A few of the flavors (like beef and bacon) are AIP compliant.

Hemp Power Snacks: These snacks are made with high-protein hemp, blueberries, and sweetened with dates.

Kale Chips: If you can’t make them, these are a close second. They contain only real food ingredients and come in a variety of flavors.

Cashews: When all else fails, nuts are a great snack. They’re full of healthy fat and protein and easy to bring anywhere. Cashews are the softest nuts, making them a good choice for kids.

Seasnax: This seaweed snack is a great way to add iodine to the diet and kids really love them! They only contain 3 ingredients (including sea salt) and no sugar.

Daily Harvest Smoothie Cups: One snack the kids know is reserved for mom only! Too often we moms get the short end of the nutritional stick, so to speak, just because we’re taking care of everyone else. I keep these pre-portioned smoothie cups in the freezer a quick snack or lunch. They use nutritious fruits and veggies flash-frozen in delicious combinations like Carrot + Chia or Cold Brew + Almond. Also check out their harvest bowls and even healthy cookie dough!

I buy these snacks in bulk and keep them in a safe place in the pantry (read: where kids can’t reach them) so they are there when we need them.

Snacks for Healthy Kids: It Can Be Done!

The next time you’re stumped for what to give the kids for school snacks or after school, try one of these delicious and healthy snack recipes. They are grain free and gluten free and many are peanut and dairy free as well.

If you’re wanting more healthy and kid-friendly recipes, check out my full list of healthy breakfast and lunch ideas or this awesome list of snacks from Mark’s Daily Apple.

I’m sure I’ve missed some great ideas… please share your favorites in the comments below!

Source: https://wellnessmama.com/2518/lunch-snack-ideas/

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mandydietpan-blog · 6 years ago

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Weight loss plan

Healthy Meal Plan For Weight LossTHIS 5-DAY SAMPLE MEAL PLAN FOR WEIGHT LOSS IS ALL ABOUT EATING MORE, NOT LESS.

You learn about lots of healthy, filling meals and snacks that can help you not only weigh less but also feel your very best.

This healthy meal plan for weight loss includes all kinds of satisfying, hunger-curbing foods like mustard-coated salmon, sweet potatoes, and hearty Italian-style soups.

DAY 1

Breakfast

Oatmeal with Fresh or Frozen (No Sugar Added) Fruit

Tea or Coffee

By switching from a bowl of cold, dried cereal to one of hot whole-grain cereal and fruit, you’d take in approximately 100 fewer calories each day. That one simple change to your daily diet could help you drop about 10 pounds in one year. Plus, hot cereal has more “staying power.” It tends to fill you up better – and longer – than dried cereal.

If desired, add a little nonfat milk or soymilk and a packet of sugar substitute (a good choice is Splenda).

Mid-Morning Snack (enjoy only if hungry)

Veggie-Salsa Tortilla

1 Navel Orange or 2 Tangerines

1 steamed 6-inch corn tortilla with fresh or grilled vegetables (such as onions, green bell peppers, and tomatoes) and no-added-salt salsa.

Warm the tortilla between slightly moistened paper towels in the microwave for about 1 minute, then top with veggies and salsa; fold

Lunch

2 Cups Mixed Greens with 1 Cup of Other Veggies, Chopped, Dressed with Aged Balsamic Vinegar

Hearty Italian-Style White Bean Soup

For your salads, break out of the lettuce-and-tomato box. All kinds of veggies – and fruit – can go into your salad. Try diced sweet potatoes, yellow squash, red bell peppers, cucumbers, red cabbage, red onions, and more.

And always keep in mind that no oil, even so-called “good” ones, should be considered a weight-loss food. Coating your salad with oil can tally up as many calories as a scoop of premium ice cream.

Make your own. It’s easy! From one 14-ounce can of no-salt-added cannelini beans, spoon out 2 tablespoons of beans. Puree the rest. In a medium nonstick pot, sauté 5 cloves of chopped garlic until translucent. Add 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth and 1 head of escarole, chopped, or a package of frozen chopped spinach. Simmer for about 15 minutes. Add pureed beans, red pepper flakes and black pepper, to taste, and cook 1 minute longer. Garnish with the beans you spooned out plus, if you desire, a little chopped red bell pepper. Refrigerate or freeze what you don’t eat for easy soup prep for a future lunch or dinner.

Mid-Afternoon Snack (enjoy only if hungry)

6 Ounces of Nonfat Plain or No-Sugar-Added Yogurt with Your Choice of Berries Swirled Throughout

1 Apple

Especially popular among our guests at the Pritikin Longevity Center are Greek-style yogurts such as Oikos and Fage. So rich and creamy tasting! If you need a little sweetness to cut the tart flavor, simply add diced banana, or stir in 1 packet of Splenda

Dinner

Salad

Mustard Coated Salmon (3½ to 4 ounces)

Baked Potato with 2 Tablespoons Fat-Free Sour Cream and a Sprinkling of Chives or Scallions

A gigantic Farmer’s Market-style salad with a variety of fresh seasonal produce and fresh herbs, such as fresh baby arugula and radicchio, and red wine vinegar sassed up with a little horseradish. Enjoy visiting your local Farmer’s Market every week and asking the vendors, “What’s new and tasty this week? What would make great ingredients for my salad?”

Get the Recipe »

When dining out and ordering fish, request that your fish not be salted or basted in calorie-dense ingredients like olive oil and butter. Healthier cooking options include steaming, broiling, or grilling.

Contrary to popular belief, potatoes are a great food for helping you lose weight. It’s what we put on top of our potatoes – butter, cheese, and bacon bits – that turn them into waistline-busting foods.

Dessert (only if hungry)

Mixed Berries

DAY 2

Breakfast

Egg White Omelet

Hash Browns

Bowl of Blueberries, Fresh or Frozen (No Sugar Added)

Tea or Hot Cocoa, if desired

Egg white omelet stuffed with 1 cup of assorted grilled vegetables, such as onions, bell peppers, mushrooms, and broccoli, and a dollop of nonfat ricotta cheese.

In a nonstick skillet misted with a little cooking oil spray, stir fry until brown diced baked potatoes with sliced onions, sliced green bell pepper, freshly ground black pepper, and paprika.

Yes! Cocoa can be part of a healthy meal plan for weight loss! For cocoa: Mix nonfat milk or soymilk, 1 tablespoon cocoa powder, and 1 packet of sugar substitute, such as Splenda (if desired).

Mid-Morning Snack (enjoy only if hungry)

Big Handful of Grapes

Like vegetables, fruits are fabulous weight-loss foods because they’re “big” foods, that is, foods that are bulked up by lots of fiber and water. With “big” foods, you’ll be eating a lot of food (which will satisfy your hunger) but not a lot of calories.

Here’s a great example: For the same number of calories that are in a handful of peanuts (about two ounces), you can eat 2½ pounds of strawberries (about five of those green boxes that strawberries come in.) Eating “big” foods like strawberries, salads, and other fruits and vegetables can prevent hunger from taking over and taking you places you don’t want to go

Lunch

Salad

Turkey Sandwich

Big salad of baby greens with Pritikin-Style Thousand Island Dressing, which has less than one-quarter the calories and sodium of regular Thousand Island Dressing. What a gift for your heart and waistline! To make dressing, combine thoroughly the following: ¾ cup plain fat-free Greek yogurt, ½ cup fat-free sour cream, ¾ cup unsweetened, low-sodium ketchup (good brand is Westbrae), ½ teaspoon oregano, and ½ teaspoon granulated garlic.

Sandwich of fresh roasted turkey breast (3½ to 4 ounces) with 2 slices of low-sodium, whole-grain bread with assorted veggies, like baby greens and sliced tomatoes. Smear the bread with 1 tablespoon of low-sodium stone-ground mustard.

Did you know that bread and rolls are the No. 1 source of salt in the American diet, accounting for more than twice as much sodium as salty junk food like potato chips? That’s why it’s so important to look for low-sodium varieties of bread (a good brand is Food for Life).

Mid-Afternoon Snack (enjoy only if hungry)

Pear

Popcorn – air-popped or fat-free microwave

Did you know that it takes 2 quarts of air-popped popcorn to equal the calories in just 20 potato chips? Be sure to eat a piece of fruit with the popcorn to help improve its satiety value!

Dinner

Veggie Burger on a Whole-Wheat Bun with Roasted Red Bell Peppers

Steamed Fresh Vegetables

Keep stocked in your refrigerator or freezer a box of veggie burgers (look for low-sodium varieties). Veggie burgers are a much better choice for your waistline and heart than ground meat. Veggie patties have only about half the calories of regular red meat patties, and zero heart-hurting saturated fat. Plus, they’re so easy to cook – just one or two minutes in the microwave. While toasting your whole-wheat bun, take from your pantry a jar of roasted red bell peppers and top your veggie patty with a couple of luscious slices. Smear your bun with a little low-sodium Dijon mustard.

1 or more cups (it’s hard to go overboard on fresh veggies!) of steamed fresh vegetables, such as asparagus, broccoli, and/or cauliflower, with lemon juice and sautéed garlic.

Dessert (only if hungry)

Fresh Berries

1 cup fresh strawberries, plain or drizzled with 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar or Marsala wine

Healthy Weight Loss Guide

Get the full guide on healthy, lasting weight loss, which includes this healthy meal plan for weight loss. Ultimate Guide For Healthy Weight Loss

DAY 3

Breakfast

Hot Whole-Grain Cereal with Blueberries

Tea or Coffee

Hot whole-grain cereal, such as oatmeal, cracked wheat, barley or polenta, made with 1 cup nonfat milk or soymilk and 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries.

There are many great choices of whole-grain hot cereals; just make sure you buy one with no added sugar or salt.

If desired, add a little nonfat milk or soymilk and 1 packet of sugar substitute (a good choice is Splenda).

Midmorning Snack (enjoy only if hungry)

1 Cup Diced Watermelon or Other Seasonal Fresh Fruit

1 Snack Bag of Baby Carrots

Lunch

Vegetarian Chili

1 Ear of Corn

Look for fat-free low-sodium varieties, or make your own.

Get the Recipe »

Did you know that four ears of corn has the same number of calories as one medium serving of French fries? (The corn tastes better, too.)

Mid-Afternoon Snack (enjoy only if hungry)

Cottage Cheese and Fruit

½ cup 1% no-salt-added cottage cheese with ½ cup to 1 cup fresh diced fruit, or use pop-top canned fruits packed in juice or water, no sugar added.

Dinner

Spinach Salad

Chicken with Cherry Tomatoes

Brown Rice

A big salad of baby spinach and other fresh veggies, such as sliced carrots and tomatoes, topped with your favorite canned no-salt-added beans. Toss salad with about ½ teaspoon of wasabi (to taste) and 3 to 4 tablespoons of rice vinegar.

Look for no-salt-added varieties of canned beans since rinsing the beans through a colander removes only 30% of the added sodium.

Get the Recipe »

Give your brown rice a nice savory spin by adding freshly minced garlic. At the last minute, add in fresh herbs like thyme and Italian parsley and just about any vegetable you have on hand, like chopped cucumbers, celery, onions, and tomatoes.

Dessert (only if hungry)

Frozen Yogurt

¾ cup frozen strawberry nonfat sugar-free yogurt topped with sliced fresh or frozen unsweetened strawberries

Binge Eating

Out of control? Learn 3 key strategies for How To Stop Binge Eating

Spa Menu

If you've enjoyed this Healthy Meal Plan for Weight Loss, you'll love the Weight Loss Spa Menu

DAY 4

Breakfast

1 Cup Fresh Fruit

1 Cup Nonfat Plain or Nonfat, No-Sugar-Added Yogurt

½ Whole-Grain Bagel, Toasted. Top with Fat-Free Cream Cheese or Nonfat Ricotta Cheese and Fresh Sliced Strawberries

Tea or Coffee

If desired, add a little nonfat milk or soymilk and 1 packet of sugar substitute (a good choice is Splenda).

Mid-Morning Snack (only if hungry)

1 to 2 Cups of Veggie-Rich, Bean-Rich Low-Sodium Soup, such as…

Red Bean and Leftover Veggie Soup

While there are probably plenty of pre-made bean and veggie soup options that just need a few minutes to heat through on the stovetop, making your own soup is really easy—and a great idea for your health. Homemade soups are much lower in sodium – about 100 milligrams or less per 2-cup serving. By contrast, 2 cups of many canned soups contain a blood-pressure-busting 1,200 milligrams or more, a worrisome amount considering that health experts recommend consuming no more than 1,500 milligrams of sodium for the entire day. This is also a great way to use up all those leftover vegetables in your crisper—pretty much anything works in this soup.

Directions: Put into a soup pot 1 can of no-salt-added red beans (drained), 4 cups low-sodium vegetable juice like Knudsen’s Very Veggie Low-Sodium Juice, 2 to 3 teaspoons oregano or Italian-style seasoning, and 2 cups of any veggies you already have sitting in the refrigerator bin, such as carrots, celery, and onions. Rough-chop the vegetables into bite-size pieces and bring to a boil, simmering until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. If desired, top with a tablespoon of fat-free sour cream.

Lunch

Tuna Sandwich

Carrot and Pineapple Salad

Put together a sandwich of tuna (canned – preferably low-sodium, light, and packed in water) with 1 tablespoon nonfat mayo or nonfat plain yogurt, chopped celery, and onions, topped with baby spinach or peppery arugula, on 100% whole-wheat bread (low-sodium)

Get the Recipe »

Mid-Afternoon Snack (only if hungry)

Sweet Potato

Enjoy the rich flavor of sweet potatoes? While home on Sundays, cook up a batch. Wrap each one in foil and bake for about an hour at 425 degrees F, or until their luscious, sweet juices start to ooze out into the foil. At work the following week, just pop one in the microwave for a quick warm-up. They’re loaded with taste, so they don’t need any extra toppings. If you want a little zest, swirl in a teaspoon or two of no-salt-added Dijon mustard or a quarter cup of plain nonfat Greek yogurt.

Dinner

Salad with Honey Mustard DressingHoney Mustard Salad Dressing

Curried Quinoa and Tofu

A big salad with a variety of lettuces, plus tomatoes, cucumber, and any other veggies you have in the fridge, including varieties you’ve never thought of adding to salads but actually taste delicious, like sliced fennel.

Get the Recipe »

Ah, quinoa. This healthy, rich-tasting whole grain/seed has so many nutritional riches that it puts refined grains like white rice to shame. Tofu is the perfect sidekick because it’s both waistline-friendly (per bite, tofu tends to have about one-third the calories of meat and poultry) and heart-friendly (tofu has no artery-damaging saturated fat or cholesterol).

Directions: Rinse 1 cup of quinoa in cold water. In a medium saucepan, combine quinoa with 1 tablespoon curry powder and 1 teaspoon turmeric. Add 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer until the water is absorbed—about 15 minutes. Stir in 1 cup shredded carrots and 1 cup cubed firm tofu. Makes about 4 one-cup servings. Refrigerate remaining servings for an easy, healthy snack or meal later in the week.

Dessert (only if hungry)

Berry Mousse

Blend together until smooth and creamy your favorite fresh berries, silken tofu, Splenda (if needed), and a little vanilla extract.

DAY 5

Breakfast

Oatmeal Supreme

Tea or Coffee

Think oatmeal is boring? You haven’t tried Chef Anthony’s sweet/ tangy Oatmeal Supreme, always a favorite among guests at Pritikin. It’s a great meal for losing weight, and starting your day.

Get the Recipe »

If desired, add a little nonfat milk or soymilk and 1 packet of sugar substitute (a good choice is Splenda).

Mid-Morning Snack (only if hungry)

Carrots and Hummus

Open up a big bag of baby carrots and dip them into your freshly made no-oil-added, no-salt-added hummus. Simply whip up in your food processor a can of no-salt-added chickpeas/garbanzo beans, fresh tomatoes, lemon juice, garlic, a jalapeno pepper (if you like your hummus hot and spicy), and fresh herbs like cilantro and dill. Add a little water, if necessary, until the desired consistency is achieved.

Lunch

Tomato Cream Soup

Butter Beans With Lemon and Scallions

Get the Recipe »

Butter beans are as delicious as they sound: big, meaty and filling, with a mild flavor that works well with bright, assertive flavors like lemon and scallions.

1 can no-salt-added butter beans ½ cup chopped scallions (also known as green onions) Juice from half a lemon Red chili pepper flakes, to taste 2 to 3 cups chopped fresh Romaine lettuce and/or baby arugula

In a medium mixing bowl, combine butter beans, scallions, lemon juice, and pepper flakes. Spoon over lettuce greens.

Mid-Afternoon Snack (enjoy only if hungry)

1 to 2 Cups of Fresh Fruit

Take advantage of grocery store salad bars and pick up containers of pre-cut fresh fruit like melon.

Dinner

Easy Tangy Salmon

Soba Noodles With Spicy Cucumbers

1 to 2 Cups Sautéed Spinach

Sear, skin side up, a 4-ounce cut of salmon in a hot nonstick skillet and cook until well browned on the bottom, 3 to 5 minutes. Turn and cook till slightly translucent in center, 1 to 3 minutes. Transfer salmon to serving dish. To skillet add ¼ teaspoon grated orange peel, 3 ounces orange juice, and ½ cup white wine. Boil until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Stir in 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves. Spoon sauce over salmon.

Cooking up soba (the Japanese word for buckwheat) noodles instead of white-flour noodles is a great way to cut calories. A cup of soba has just 113 calories; a cup of white pasta, about 200. Plus, soba noodles are full of fiber, protein, and B vitamins.

Combine in large bowl: 2 large cucumbers, peeled, seeds removed, and sliced ½ tablespoon paprika Pinch cayenne pepper Pinch black peppercorns, freshly ground ½ cup fresh lemon juice Let cucumber mixture sit for a few minutes while you cook 8 ounces of soba noodles according to package directions. After cooking and draining sobas, toss in bowl with cucumber mixture and gently blend.

Pour a 6-ounce bag of pre-washed baby spinach in a hot wok sizzling with a small amount of water or white wine, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, and minced garlic

0 notes

brandyfields66-blog · 6 years ago

Text

I Ate Like Supermodel Kate Upton for Three Days-and It Wasn't That Hard

What It Is: Kate Upton x Urban Remedy Meal Plan

Who Tried It: Grace Gavilanes, PEOPLE.com associate editor

Level of Difficulty: 4/10

When I think Kate Upton, three things come to mind: Her laugh-out-loud role in The Other Woman, her picture-perfect relationship with husband Justin Verlander and her totally enviable physique (and body-positive attitude to boot!). Upton's a supermodel whose hectic schedule keeps her on the go, but she makes sure to eat clean, nourishing meals throughout the day no matter what.

In late June, Upton announced on Instagram that she partnered up with Urban Remedy and its founder, Neka Pasquale, to create an exclusive Kate-Upton-approved meal plan that promotes an organic diet.

The three-day meal plan ($189; urbanremedy.com) features salads, a veggie burger, a black rice bowl and several shots of juice for fitness fans to take before, during and after their workouts. As People.com's self-proclaimed guinea pig, I was immediately intrigued and knew I had to try it out. But this isn't just another celebrity who has no personal attachment to the product she's endorsing. Upton tells PEOPLE she's long been a fan of the company and its delicious and healthy offerings.

So, what advice did she have for me before I kicked off my living-like-a-supermodel adventure? She recommended I pay extra-close attention to subtle and noticeable changes I'd be experiencing in those three days. “I always can tell when I'm eating clean because I sleep better, my skin clears up, and I have significantly more energy,” Upton tells PEOPLE of her own experience with the service. “It truly makes a huge difference.”

And with that heads-up, I was off:

Day One

Tell Me About Your Day: I don't even know how to describe what I felt on my first day. Surprise? Total satisfaction? I was just happy, and yes, most definitely surprised. I kicked off my three-day journey on a Wednesday, which in theory sounded perfect. I'd end this meal plan right before the weekend so if I'm miserable I can just treat myself to cheese fries on Saturday, I thought. But here's the thing: The meals were really, really good - even the smoothies, which I was skeptical about at first. I usually start my day off with a big ol' cup of oatmeal and a banana, but the Green Berry smoothie was first on the meal plan's Day 1 list. I don't have an ongoing relationship with smoothies so I was curious about my very first beverage on the plan. The drink was sweet and thick, but not in an overwhelming way. I was immediately satisfied and much to my surprise, felt satiated. A much lighter green juice (Slender Greens) came next for “mid-morning.” Clearly unexperienced, I kind of forced myself to drink Slender Greens 1.5 hours after the Green Berry, despite still feeling quite full. Lunch called for Thai Veggie Noodles and Chicken. The noodles were made from zucchini, and the dish was delicious. It even came with a spicy ginger lime dressing! And because Kate Upton knows every sane person needs an afternoon snack to get them through the mid-day slump, she included Sour Cream & Chive Zucchini Chips (1/2 bag) in the plan. I was extra cautious about not eating the entire bag. At around 5 p.m. I ate dinner, a Vegan Caesar Salad that came with parmesan seed cheese made from hemp, sesame and sunflower. I did feel hungry a few hours later, though, so I ate an RX Bar after coming across a “plan tip” written at the top of the meal plan schedule card that read, “Listen to your body and eat when hungry.” I took it as a sign to enjoy the chocolate sea salt bar, which I do end up doing while also vowing to not force-drink the mid-morning juice so soon after my breakfast.

How's Your Skin? I've always been prone to breakouts so I'll be honest and say I wasn't expecting an overnight miracle. Regardless, I did keep an extra-close eye on a bump I saw forming on my right cheek that morning.

How'd You Sleep? Like a baby. But I think it had less to do with the meal plan and more to do with my A/C being on the whole night.

How About Your Energy Levels? I will say, I did feel healthier since I was being encouraged to focus on portion controls, and not just eating cupcakes or cookies whenever I needed a break from work.

Day Two

Tell Me About Your Day: I felt like a contestant on the early-aughts reality show Temptation Island, but instead of hunky guys, my temptation came in the form of a catered company lunch and DIY sundae bar. I must persevere! And I did. Somehow. In the morning, I happily gulped my breakfast - a Mint Cacao Chip smoothie - which almost made me cry because it tasted like a cheat meal but is so, so good for you because of the vitamin-loaded spinach, banana, cashews, mint and cacao in it. Lunch and dinner were comprised of Rainbow Salad + Chicken and Ensalada Bowl salads. The afternoon snack, a Cacao Chip Protein Bar, was exactly what I needed after being tempted with goodies. Oh, I also downed almost two liters of water throughout the day … which I mindlessly end with an RX Bar while reading a few articles on my phone. What can I say? I'm a creature of habit.

How's Your Skin? The bump on my cheek got bigger. Again, not your fault, Kate Upton. I blame that one night earlier in the week when I didn't deep-clean my face for this soon-to-be volcano-sized zit on my face.

How'd You Sleep? Not very well but it's entirely my fault. I stayed up late to watch a re-run of Southern Charm. I am too invested in the Thomas-Ashley-Kathryn drama to feel guilty.

How About Your Energy Levels? I definitely started feeling more confident on Thursday, mostly because I coolly rejected the free sandwiches and ice cream being served at work. I did, however, stand within feet of the free food just to see/smell it but found myself back at my desk minutes later (hair flip).

Day Three

Tell Me About Your Day: My morning started off with a 7 a.m. boxing class at Shadowbox, which meant I was finally able to try out the plan's pre-, mid- and post-workout shots. Since I'm only really used to chugging water while exercising and making a protein shake right after, the shots - made with ingredients like beet root (pre), cucumber (mid) and ginger (post) - were a nice little departure. The post-workout shot, in particular, was a nice kick thanks to the ginger and turmeric. It claims to reduce inflammation and officially woke me up. After that, I made my way to work, had a Green Berry smoothie and a Happy Belly juice hours later, when my body was finally ready. In terms of food, Day 3 of the plan is the best one yet. Lunch and dinner were comprised of an umami plant Veggie Burger - which I had to stop myself from eating so fast because it is that good - and a Black Rice Umeboshi Bowl that came with salmon. Salmon! I was thrilled because as much as I love salads, I do appreciate a variety in my protein (i.e. something other than chicken). The afternoon snack called for the last half of the Sour Cream & Chive Zucchini Chips bag, which ended up being more than half because I was so paranoid about eating the entire thing on Day 1. I was very satisfied throughout the day, mostly because I finally got the hang of drinking my mid-morning juice when I felt less-than-uncomfortably-stuffed. That evening was a little trickier. My good friend was treating me and four of her other bridesmaids to a nice dinner a week before her wedding. It took me a very long time to order because I a.) wasn't that hungry at all and b.) wanted to make Kate Upton proud! In the end, I chose roasted chicken with veggies for my entrée … and a little slice of peach cobbler with blackberry ice cream for dessert. (Sorry, Kate!!) It sounded too delicious to pass up.

How's Your Skin? The little bump on my right cheek grew into a full-fledged whitehead, which - spoiler alert! - eventually disappeared almost a week later.

How'd You Sleep? Pretty good! Waking up early for a fitness class before work usually catches up with me at the end of the day.

How About Your Energy Levels? I felt pretty good at work. Not tired one bit.

Conclusion

The meals were delicious and very easy to prep since all I really had to do was mix in the dressing, chicken and salmon. No microwave needed! It was a much-needed reboot to my system, which up until starting the meal plan, only recognized the chocolate chip waffles and chicken nuggets I continuously ate during a weekend binge. The only downside is that the meal plan does have a hefty price tag, which makes sense considering every meal is fresh and packed with nutrients your body needs. That being said, I would definitely still treat myself to the Veggie Burger and a few Mint Cacao Chip smoothies in the near future. The best news? You can buy any item individually.

0 notes

reynoldslevi10-blog · 6 years ago

Text

I Ate Like Supermodel Kate Upton for Three Days-and It Wasn't That Hard

What It Is: Kate Upton x Urban Remedy Meal Plan

Who Tried It: Grace Gavilanes, PEOPLE.com associate editor

Level of Difficulty: 4/10

In late June, Upton announced on Instagram that she partnered up with Urban Remedy and its founder, Neka Pasquale, to create an exclusive Kate-Upton-approved meal plan that promotes an organic diet.

And with that heads-up, I was off:

Day One

How'd You Sleep? Like a baby. But I think it had less to do with the meal plan and more to do with my A/C being on the whole night.

How About Your Energy Levels? I will say, I did feel healthier since I was being encouraged to focus on portion controls, and not just eating cupcakes or cookies whenever I needed a break from work.

Day Two

How'd You Sleep? Not very well but it's entirely my fault. I stayed up late to watch a re-run of Southern Charm. I am too invested in the Thomas-Ashley-Kathryn drama to feel guilty.

Day Three

How's Your Skin? The little bump on my right cheek grew into a full-fledged whitehead, which - spoiler alert! - eventually disappeared almost a week later.

How'd You Sleep? Pretty good! Waking up early for a fitness class before work usually catches up with me at the end of the day.

How About Your Energy Levels? I felt pretty good at work. Not tired one bit.

Conclusion

0 notes

psmf-diet · 6 years ago

Text

I Ate Like Supermodel Kate Upton for Three Days—and It Wasn’t That Hard

What It Is: Kate Upton x Urban Remedy Meal Plan

Who Tried It: Grace Gavilanes, PEOPLE.com associate editor

Level of Difficulty: 4/10

When I think Kate Upton, three things come to mind: Her laugh-out-loud role in The Other Woman, her picture-perfect relationship with husband Justin Verlander and her totally enviable physique (and body-positive attitude to boot!). Upton’s a supermodel whose hectic schedule keeps her on the go, but she makes sure to eat clean, nourishing meals throughout the day no matter what.

In late June, Upton announced on Instagram that she partnered up with Urban Remedy and its founder, Neka Pasquale, to create an exclusive Kate-Upton-approved meal plan that promotes an organic diet.

The three-day meal plan ($189; urbanremedy.com) features salads, a veggie burger, a black rice bowl and several shots of juice for fitness fans to take before, during and after their workouts. As People.com’s self-proclaimed guinea pig, I was immediately intrigued and knew I had to try it out. But this isn’t just another celebrity who has no personal attachment to the product she’s endorsing. Upton tells PEOPLE she’s long been a fan of the company and its delicious and healthy offerings.

So, what advice did she have for me before I kicked off my living-like-a-supermodel adventure? She recommended I pay extra-close attention to subtle and noticeable changes I’d be experiencing in those three days. “I always can tell when I’m eating clean because I sleep better, my skin clears up, and I have significantly more energy,” Upton tells PEOPLE of her own experience with the service. “It truly makes a huge difference.”

And with that heads-up, I was off:

Day One

Tell Me About Your Day: I don’t even know how to describe what I felt on my first day. Surprise? Total satisfaction? I was just happy, and yes, most definitely surprised. I kicked off my three-day journey on a Wednesday, which in theory sounded perfect. I’d end this meal plan right before the weekend so if I’m miserable I can just treat myself to cheese fries on Saturday, I thought. But here’s the thing: The meals were really, really good — even the smoothies, which I was skeptical about at first. I usually start my day off with a big ol’ cup of oatmeal and a banana, but the Green Berry smoothie was first on the meal plan’s Day 1 list. I don’t have an ongoing relationship with smoothies so I was curious about my very first beverage on the plan. The drink was sweet and thick, but not in an overwhelming way. I was immediately satisfied and much to my surprise, felt satiated. A much lighter green juice (Slender Greens) came next for “mid-morning.” Clearly unexperienced, I kind of forced myself to drink Slender Greens 1.5 hours after the Green Berry, despite still feeling quite full. Lunch called for Thai Veggie Noodles and Chicken. The noodles were made from zucchini, and the dish was delicious. It even came with a spicy ginger lime dressing! And because Kate Upton knows every sane person needs an afternoon snack to get them through the mid-day slump, she included Sour Cream & Chive Zucchini Chips (1/2 bag) in the plan. I was extra cautious about not eating the entire bag. At around 5 p.m. I ate dinner, a Vegan Caesar Salad that came with parmesan seed cheese made from hemp, sesame and sunflower. I did feel hungry a few hours later, though, so I ate an RX Bar after coming across a “plan tip” written at the top of the meal plan schedule card that read, “Listen to your body and eat when hungry.” I took it as a sign to enjoy the chocolate sea salt bar, which I do end up doing while also vowing to not force-drink the mid-morning juice so soon after my breakfast.

How’s Your Skin? I’ve always been prone to breakouts so I’ll be honest and say I wasn’t expecting an overnight miracle. Regardless, I did keep an extra-close eye on a bump I saw forming on my right cheek that morning.

How’d You Sleep? Like a baby. But I think it had less to do with the meal plan and more to do with my A/C being on the whole night.

How About Your Energy Levels? I will say, I did feel healthier since I was being encouraged to focus on portion controls, and not just eating cupcakes or cookies whenever I needed a break from work.

Day Two

Tell Me About Your Day: I felt like a contestant on the early-aughts reality show Temptation Island, but instead of hunky guys, my temptation came in the form of a catered company lunch and DIY sundae bar. I must persevere! And I did. Somehow. In the morning, I happily gulped my breakfast — a Mint Cacao Chip smoothie — which almost made me cry because it tasted like a cheat meal but is so, so good for you because of the vitamin-loaded spinach, banana, cashews, mint and cacao in it. Lunch and dinner were comprised of Rainbow Salad + Chicken and Ensalada Bowl salads. The afternoon snack, a Cacao Chip Protein Bar, was exactly what I needed after being tempted with goodies. Oh, I also downed almost two liters of water throughout the day … which I mindlessly end with an RX Bar while reading a few articles on my phone. What can I say? I’m a creature of habit.

How’s Your Skin? The bump on my cheek got bigger. Again, not your fault, Kate Upton. I blame that one night earlier in the week when I didn’t deep-clean my face for this soon-to-be volcano-sized zit on my face.

How’d You Sleep? Not very well but it’s entirely my fault. I stayed up late to watch a re-run of Southern Charm. I am too invested in the Thomas-Ashley-Kathryn drama to feel guilty.

Day Three

Tell Me About Your Day: My morning started off with a 7 a.m. boxing class at Shadowbox, which meant I was finally able to try out the plan’s pre-, mid- and post-workout shots. Since I’m only really used to chugging water while exercising and making a protein shake right after, the shots — made with ingredients like beet root (pre), cucumber (mid) and ginger (post) — were a nice little departure. The post-workout shot, in particular, was a nice kick thanks to the ginger and turmeric. It claims to reduce inflammation and officially woke me up. After that, I made my way to work, had a Green Berry smoothie and a Happy Belly juice hours later, when my body was finally ready. In terms of food, Day 3 of the plan is the best one yet. Lunch and dinner were comprised of an umami plant Veggie Burger — which I had to stop myself from eating so fast because it is that good — and a Black Rice Umeboshi Bowl that came with salmon. Salmon! I was thrilled because as much as I love salads, I do appreciate a variety in my protein (i.e. something other than chicken). The afternoon snack called for the last half of the Sour Cream & Chive Zucchini Chips bag, which ended up being more than half because I was so paranoid about eating the entire thing on Day 1. I was very satisfied throughout the day, mostly because I finally got the hang of drinking my mid-morning juice when I felt less-than-uncomfortably-stuffed. That evening was a little trickier. My good friend was treating me and four of her other bridesmaids to a nice dinner a week before her wedding. It took me a very long time to order because I a.) wasn’t that hungry at all and b.) wanted to make Kate Upton proud! In the end, I chose roasted chicken with veggies for my entrée … and a little slice of peach cobbler with blackberry ice cream for dessert. (Sorry, Kate!!) It sounded too delicious to pass up.

How’s Your Skin? The little bump on my right cheek grew into a full-fledged whitehead, which — spoiler alert! — eventually disappeared almost a week later.

How’d You Sleep? Pretty good! Waking up early for a fitness class before work usually catches up with me at the end of the day.

How About Your Energy Levels? I felt pretty good at work. Not tired one bit.

Conclusion

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corneliussteinbeck · 7 years ago

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5 Life-Changing Nutrition Tips for New Moms

Nothing has tested my relationship with food like pregnancy and the early postpartum months did!

There are a couple main nutrition challenges that new moms commonly face:

First, it can be incredibly difficult at times to simply remember to eat, or to eat enough, when you’re caring for a tiny human that demands the majority of your attention.

Moreover, any eating you do typically has to happen quickly and easily, so consuming high quality, nutrient dense food can go by the wayside quickly.

If you’re a new mom, I’d encourage you not to strive for perfect nutrition. Eat in a way that makes you feel good in your body and satisfied after eating. Choose food that tastes delicious, is mostly nutrient dense, and that is easy to prepare.

1. Prioritize Protein (Almost) Every Time You Eat

I have never experienced such intense, almost constant hunger, as what I felt during the first weeks and months of postpartum recovery and breastfeeding. It was such a strange thing to be eating all day and, mostly, all night long, too!

One of the most helpful ways to not only increase satiation — because sometimes your meals must last you a few hours — but also to promote tissue repair and healing, is to prioritize protein every time you eat.

Here are a few simple examples:

A smoothie with a scoop of protein powder or collagen powder

A wrap or sandwich with deli meat or chicken

Two scrambled eggs with hemp hearts mixed in

Some Greek yogurt with banana and honey

A pepperoni stick with a slice of cheese

A good guideline is to aim for 20 to 30 grams of protein at each meal. If you can hit this three to four times per day, you’ll be feeling much more satisfied after eating and between meals.

A good way to gauge this would be to eat a portion of protein with each one of your meals — that’s about the size of your palm — and a half portion with every snack. Remember, this doesn’t have to be perfect. If you can eat one hard boiled egg, which has five to six grams of protein, before feeding the baby and getting your oldest kid ready for school, that is fine. Do what you can!

2. Eat to Support Recovery

With pregnancy and birth, your body goes through an intense process. Recovery requires even more work, not to mention the huge amount of energy you’re expending caring for your newborn, and possibly your other children as well.

Do I need to point out that you’re doing all of this on very little sleep too?

It’s essential that you treat food, in part, as fuel for your recovery. Good nutrition — with protein, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals — will help you overcome the physical depletion that inherently stems from having birthed a child.

Additionally, eating minimally-processed and nutrient-dense food can support you on a mental and emotional level. It’s easier to deal with a fussy baby who is refusing to nap when you aren’t starving!

Early postpartum is not the time to be restricting calories or to be thinking about dieting.

Your body needs fuel in the form of macro and micronutrients to support your energy demands and your healing connective tissues, and to keep your energy as even as possible throughout the days and nights.

You might have heard that you should eat 1,800 to 2,200 calories per day, and possibly more while breastfeeding. While this could be a good calorie recommendation for some moms, this will not be effective for everyone.

Your needs are likely to change from day to day, as well, and will be different whether you’re at the first month or the sixth month postpartum.

You might have days where you have been nursing every hour on the hour and you find yourself eating 750 calories at breakfast alone. You might have other days where your activity level is lower and you’re naturally not as hungry.

If you are breastfeeding, be mindful of the fact that your body will naturally prioritize breast milk production over your own recovery. This is why you should make sure to get the vitamins and minerals you need, so that your body has the means to both feed your baby and heal itself.

Try not to get too caught up in the numbers and instead do your best to figure out how you can eat in a way that feels good for you. This takes practice, but does not have to be complicated.

3. Eat Veggies at Two or More Meals per Day

Eating veggies can feel tricky when the majority of your meals are being eaten with one hand.

Do what you can to eat vegetables at two (or more) meals each day, with a goal of eventually eating five servings of vegetables or fruits on a daily basis. Vegetables are packed with vitamins, minerals, and are important for good nutrition and health.

Here a few ways to add veggies into your day:

Breakfast: add a half cup of cooked leftover potatoes and a half cup chopped bell peppers into an egg scramble

Snack: use one to two handfuls of spinach in a smoothie

Lunch: make a sandwich and add lettuce, tomato, and pickles

Dinner: roughly chop veggies and roast them in the oven

You can also give yourself a “daily veggies goal” where you strive to eat a certain number of vegetable servings per day.

For example, if eating three daily servings of veggies feels quite effortless, you might consider increasing to four to five servings. You can roughly keep track throughout the day, thinking about eating a cup or two of veggies at your bigger meals.

In Tip #5 below I give you more tips on making veggie eating simpler, so read on!

4. Do Not Try to White-Knuckle Your Way Through Cravings

Cravings arise during periods of low sleep and higher stress. During these moments, you’ll most likely be craving foods that are high in sugar and high in carbohydrates.

My advice is to prioritize protein and vegetables whenever you can, while also giving yourself some grace and eating moderate amounts of the foods that will satisfy your cravings.

When cravings hit and we choose to avoid the food we really want and instead eat other, less satisfying foods, we often end up eating a bigger serving, which in turn leaves us feeling overfull, bloated, or with a sugar crash. Not an ideal scenario.

Instead, determine what would be really satisfying for you to eat, and eat it.

The most important thing is that you feel good after eating, every single time. This is typically why it’s more enjoyable to practice tuning into your cravings, eating exactly what you want to eat (e.g. selecting the full fat ice cream vs. the sugar free ice cream), eating an amount that leaves you feeling satisfied yet not overfull, and moving on with your life.

Above all, do not beat yourself up over those cravings. It’s absolutely normal under the circumstances. It will change. Once you are getting more rest and your body is more recovered from birth, you will naturally crave less sugar and carbohydrates and be more able to eat in a manner that resembles what you’re used to.

5. Keep It Simple

Eating does not have to feel hard. In fact, it’s going to feel a lot easier as a new mom if you let yourself relax as much as possible about the specifics.

There is no meal planning that happens in my house. No specific plan when I go the grocery store. There is very little meal prep done.

That being said, there are things that I do on a weekly basis that helps make eating and mealtime easier:

Buy a couple of pre-cooked rotisserie chickens

Buy a few varieties of pre-made salads

Buy two or three packets of microwavable rice

Have smoothie ingredients on hand, including protein powder, spinach, cucumber, frozen fruit, and coconut, cashew or almond milk

Get sliced deli meat, salami, and bacon

Buy salad dressings, dips, and hummus

This works in my life. I’m not necessarily suggesting that you do this, but that you see what you can do to simplify the process.

Does a local grocery store deliver?

Can you order your groceries online and pick them up at the store?

Can you buy pre-cut veggies or pre-made salads?

Can you buy pre-cooked meat?

Do you have an instant pot or crockpot?

Can you batch cook veggies or protein sources once or twice per week?

As you go about finding ways to make your nutrition work for your life as a new mom remember the cardinal rule of eating: it should make you feel good.

Eating should be enjoyable, not stressful. Don’t get wrapped up in the minute details! You don’t have to sit to eat, chew each bite X times, or track your macros.

Follow the five tips above and eat in a way that works for your body and your life!

The post 5 Life-Changing Nutrition Tips for New Moms appeared first on Girls Gone Strong.

from Blogger http://corneliussteinbeck.blogspot.com/2017/09/5-life-changing-nutrition-tips-for-new.html

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