Yesterday I promised I would share what a typical day's worth of meals looks like since changing my eating habits (cutting out meat and dairy and cutting way back on sugar, processed foods, etc.). I don't view this as a diet, but rather a way of life that makes me feel great and is gentle on the earth. Here's what I eat in a typical day.
Upon waking
Large glass of warm water with slice of organic unwaxed lemon (this acts as a natural cleanser to your system)
Large glass of warm water with slice of organic unwaxed lemon (this acts as a natural cleanser to your system)
Breakfast
I usually drink a mug of either green tea or almond milk mixed with Chai concentrate. Food-wise, I try to make sure that I combine a grain with a protein for sustained energy throughout the day. For example:
Multi-grain toast (I like Vermont Bread Company's organic multi-grain) with organic raw almond butter and organic no-sugar-added apricot fruit preserves
A bowl of Nature’s Path oatmeal, topped with walnuts or almonds and chopped dates or berries
Mid-morning Snack
An apple OR bunch of grapes OR bowl of blueberries
Lunch
Lunch is usually leftovers from the previous day's dinner and almost always includes some type of whole grain, veggie, and protein. For example:
Cold buckwheat noodles topp ed with cubed tofu, cucumber, scallion, and cilantro tossed with ginger-soy dressing
Risotto-style barley (chopped onion + minced garlic + pearled barley cooked in veggie broth and white wine) with artichoke hearts, mushrooms, and arugula
Brown rice penne topped with slices of avocado, cubed sweet potato, edamame, snow peas, shredded carrot (or whatever veggies we've got on hand), drizzled with tamari and toasted sesame oil
Brown rice pasta topped with marinara sauce (we make our own by sautéing minced garlic and onions in olive oil, then adding crushed organic tomatoes + fresh oregano and basil + crushed red pepper flakes + sea salt) with a side of garlicky kale
Mid-afternoon Snack
We usually make enough dinner to provide leftovers for the next day's lunch, so see lunch options above. Some other favorite meals are:
Vegetarian tacos (whole wheat tortillas filled with black beans, diced raw onion, sautéed zucchini, cubed butternut squash, spinach, and guacamole)
Big salad with spinach or mixed greens, topped with with chickpeas, broccoli, red onion, sprouts, sun-dried tomatoes and a cumin-spiked dressing (cumin + minced garlic + squeeze of lemon + olive oil + sea salt)
Brown rice linguine with homemade pesto (fresh basil + minced garlic + olive oil + pine nuts + sea salt mixed in the food processor)
Butternut squash soup garnished with a sprinkle of chives, with a side of cold bean salad (cannelini or gigante beans + parsley + cured olives + tomato-lemon vinaigrette)
As I mentioned yesterday, I don't count calories but I am mindful of portion sizes and try to listen to my body to determine when I'm truly hungry, when I'm full, etc. I also try to drink water throughout the day so that I stay hydrated and don't mistake thirst for hunger.
I would love to hear about your favorite meals!
xo,
7 comments:
these meals sound amazing & delicious! what an inspiration... you've just provided my grocery list for this weekend's shopping! :)
Love your meal plans - very similar to mine, so of course I'm biased ;) Question for you: has your fiance switched to your approach to eating as well? I ask because the solution for my husband (who eats cheese and meat but rarely fish) is either that he eats the vegan dish of the day or he adds grilled chicken or crumbled turkey sausage to his part of the dish, but curious to hear how you guys have accomodate your new approach to eating.
Yum! My parents always fuss at me for drinking cold water, but I just can't stand warm water for some reason. Maybe I adding lemon would help!
yum! i love to eat whole wheat pasta with a tomato sauce crammed full of yummy veggies and ground beef or chicken. it's so satisfying and feels indulgent with a little cheese sprinkled on top. it's my go to food - i could eat it every day!
sounds delish! i love a mug of warm/hot water with lemon. in notice when i put lemon in my water i drink a lot more of it! i don't like cold water so i drink it room temp or warmer. loving these posts & you!! so inspirational! hugs!!
sounds great! Do you have a recipe for the barley risotto? I bought some pearled barley this weekend- do you make the risotto in pretty much the same way as a regular risotto? (sans cheese ofcourse)
City Girl - Just realized I never responded to your question. My fiance has changed his eating habits somewhat, but, like your husband, he still eats meat and dairy, just in smaller amounts than he used to. He typically supplements whatever we make with some meat and/or cheese. For example, he likes to buy a couple different flavors of organic chicken sausage from Whole Foods at the beginning of each week, so that he has some meat handy throughout the week. If we're making tacos or pasta or something like that, he sometimes adds cheese to his. I was worried about how we would work things out when I first changed my diet, but so far, it has been pretty smooth sailing. He has become more motivated to improve his own health, and has actually lost 25 pounds through the combination of eating more healthily and working out.
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