Health
Poached eggs with tomato, avocado, and fresh herbs
Fish tacos with mango, avocado, beet, cabbage and corn
Budda bowl ;-)))))
Avocado toast
3 - ingredient pancakes packed with protein
So these bad boys I made last weekend on a whim (and I say that because there are only 3 ingredients!). They are packed with protein and are a great way to add some variety to your morning. I used a combo of chick pea (garbanzo bean) and peanut flours, mainly because of their high protein content, but you could use coconut or whatever other flour you like!
Pancakes
1/4 cup garbanzo bean flour, 1/4 cup peanut flour
2 eggs
1 mashed banana
Sauce
1/2c peanut flour
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 1/2 tbsp rice milk
Mash the banana and wisk in the egg, then stir in the flour(s), Slowly blending together. It will end up being quite runny but when they start cooking they puff up quite nicely. I mixed together some peanut flour, maple syrup and some milk to make a sauce that I drizzled over the top of the pancakes with some sliced bananas on top. I had to add a little bit more maple syrup because I am a bit of a sweet tooth though :-)
Pancakes
1/4 cup garbanzo bean flour, 1/4 cup peanut flour
2 eggs
1 mashed banana
Sauce
1/2c peanut flour
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 1/2 tbsp rice milk
Mash the banana and wisk in the egg, then stir in the flour(s), Slowly blending together. It will end up being quite runny but when they start cooking they puff up quite nicely. I mixed together some peanut flour, maple syrup and some milk to make a sauce that I drizzled over the top of the pancakes with some sliced bananas on top. I had to add a little bit more maple syrup because I am a bit of a sweet tooth though :-)
A 'day' of eating well...
A lot of people find it difficult to eat healthy, and more importantly, to be consistent. So don't let the title of this post fool you, you want to be eating healthy foods for every meal, every day. Granted, I have my share of treats I throw in, but that's definitely not my focus (...backtracks guiltily...depending on the time of month ;-)
So what does it look like? First of all, I like to have a list of basic or go-to meals that are simple, quick to prepare and are full of nutrition. I also make sure my kitchen is full of the ingredients I regularly use. For example, fresh or frozen blueberries are a staple, same with chia, quinoa, a variety of lettuces, avocados, and eggs, to list a few. I also have a few different cookbooks and websites bookmarked for easy access so when I am having a moment of ahhhhh, what do I want, I am easily set in the right direction.
The next step is to take a moment the night before of what your day looks like and pre-plan some ideas of what it's going to look like. If you know you have a day full of meetings, you're going to have to plan ahead anyway so it's a good idea to get used to doing this. I get myself excited about what I am going to eat and therefore look forward to it the next day. If things change, you can adapt as necessary. Making a lunch ahead of time for example, prepares you for what kind of breakfast you will be having as well. If it's a smaller lunch, you will probably want to have eggs for breakfast because the protein keeps you feeling fuller, longer.
Alright, onto a sample meal plan for the day already...
A lot of people find it difficult to eat healthy, and more importantly, to be consistent. So don't let the title of this post fool you, you want to be eating healthy foods for every meal, every day. Granted, I have my share of treats I throw in, but that's definitely not my focus (...backtracks guiltily...depending on the time of month ;-)
So what does it look like? First of all, I like to have a list of basic or go-to meals that are simple, quick to prepare and are full of nutrition. I also make sure my kitchen is full of the ingredients I regularly use. For example, fresh or frozen blueberries are a staple, same with chia, quinoa, a variety of lettuces, avocados, and eggs, to list a few. I also have a few different cookbooks and websites bookmarked for easy access so when I am having a moment of ahhhhh, what do I want, I am easily set in the right direction.
The next step is to take a moment the night before of what your day looks like and pre-plan some ideas of what it's going to look like. If you know you have a day full of meetings, you're going to have to plan ahead anyway so it's a good idea to get used to doing this. I get myself excited about what I am going to eat and therefore look forward to it the next day. If things change, you can adapt as necessary. Making a lunch ahead of time for example, prepares you for what kind of breakfast you will be having as well. If it's a smaller lunch, you will probably want to have eggs for breakfast because the protein keeps you feeling fuller, longer.
Alright, onto a sample meal plan for the day already...
- Breakfast - 1c blueberries (can be frozen), 3tbsp chia, 1 tbsp slivered almonds, 1c almond milk, 1tbsp maple syrup, 1tsp vanilla - mix in a glass and enjoy
- Lunch - one egg, 1c quinoa, 2c of spinach, chopped green onion for garnish - cook it all in a fry pan with some olive oil - see photo above
- Dinner - in a bowl - 1c rice, bunch of spinach, chopped veggies of your liking, 2tbsp chopped kimchi, 1 tbsp hemp seeds, 1-2c chicken, oil and vinegar and salt and pepper. Try throwing on some dried chili flakes too - spicy but a great metabolic boost!
Get Your CLA's!
I'm no doctor, but I do have a ferocious appetite for medical literature. Sounds fun eh? Well I will share with you some interesting stuff I've been reading lately about CLA's (conjugated linoleic acid).
If you have jumped on the juicing train, great, keep at her, but let's not forget that the best diet is a little of a lot. Take beef for example, which has a bit of a bad rap for the saturated fat content. However, what you may not have heard or read about is that there is a powerhouse fatty acid called CLA's that have been studied and linked to optimal health and long term weight management. It's found in grass fed beef and dairy products primarily.
Ok cool right? More fast facts about studies on CLA's also include it's ability to combat cancer, asthma, depression, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and inflammation to name a few.
Ok so now let's touch on "grass fed". You are what you eat right? If a cow in the wild walked up to two troughs (because that's what exists in the wild lol) and one was filled with corn and soy feed and the other was filled with green grass, which one would it naturally choose to eat? This isn't a trick question peeps! Grass!! A cow will choose to munch on grass because that is it's natural predisposition. This, in turn, creates a body composition of fatty acids in the cow of just above two; so two parts omega 6 and one part omega 3, which is a pretty much ideal ratio for these fats.
Now, when the cattle we eat are fed a diet of corn and soy (grains) to fatten em up, studies have shown a body composition between five to one and 13 to one!
So with regard to you are what you eat, the body composition of the cattle you eat subsequently affects the proper balance of fatty acids within your body. You consume grain fed cattle and the environment within your body changes - which is why there are so many diseases associated with eating red meat.
If you consume GRASS fed beef and dairy products - not to be confused with organic - you get the proper ratio of GOOD fatty acids. This translates into health benefits for you. What you end up leaving behind is the BAD or LOW levels of fatty acid ratios, thus eliminating unbalanced fats linked to various diseases. You also consume lower calories = losing weight and feeling great!
Check out this awesome site for further info http://www.eatwild.com/healthbenefits.htm
References
Bhattacharya, A., J. Banu, M. Rahman, J. Causey, and G. Fernandes. 2006. Biological effects of conjugated linoleic acids in health and disease. Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry 17:789-810
Daley, et. al. A review of fatty acid profiles and antioxidant content in grass-fed and grain-fed beef. Nutrition Journal 2010, 9:10
Faucitano L, Chouinard PY, Fortin J, Mandell IB, Lafrenière C, Girard CL, Berthiaume R. Comparison of alternative beef production systems based on forage finishing or grain-forage diets with or without growth promotants: 2. Meat quality, fatty acid composition, and overall palatability. Animal Science. 2008 Jul;86(7):1678-89. Epub 2008 Mar 28.PMID: 18375659
Muchenje, V., K. Dzama, M. Chimonyo, P.E. Strydom, A. Hugo, and J.G. Raats. 2009. Some biochemical aspects pertaining to beef eating quality and consumer health: A review. Journal of Food Chemistry 112:279-289
Razminowicz, R.H., M. Kreuzer, and M.R.L. Scheeder. 2006. Quality of retail beef from two grass-based production systems in comparison with conventional beef. Journal of Meat Science 73:351-361
Smedman, A., and B. Vessby. 2001. Conjugated linoleic acid supplementation in humans – metabolic effects. Journal of Nutrition 36:773-781
Understanding Meat Quality, Dr. Susan Ducket, Clemson University, Results from Pasture Based Beef Systems – 3 year Multi State Study
I'm no doctor, but I do have a ferocious appetite for medical literature. Sounds fun eh? Well I will share with you some interesting stuff I've been reading lately about CLA's (conjugated linoleic acid).
If you have jumped on the juicing train, great, keep at her, but let's not forget that the best diet is a little of a lot. Take beef for example, which has a bit of a bad rap for the saturated fat content. However, what you may not have heard or read about is that there is a powerhouse fatty acid called CLA's that have been studied and linked to optimal health and long term weight management. It's found in grass fed beef and dairy products primarily.
Ok cool right? More fast facts about studies on CLA's also include it's ability to combat cancer, asthma, depression, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and inflammation to name a few.
Ok so now let's touch on "grass fed". You are what you eat right? If a cow in the wild walked up to two troughs (because that's what exists in the wild lol) and one was filled with corn and soy feed and the other was filled with green grass, which one would it naturally choose to eat? This isn't a trick question peeps! Grass!! A cow will choose to munch on grass because that is it's natural predisposition. This, in turn, creates a body composition of fatty acids in the cow of just above two; so two parts omega 6 and one part omega 3, which is a pretty much ideal ratio for these fats.
Now, when the cattle we eat are fed a diet of corn and soy (grains) to fatten em up, studies have shown a body composition between five to one and 13 to one!
So with regard to you are what you eat, the body composition of the cattle you eat subsequently affects the proper balance of fatty acids within your body. You consume grain fed cattle and the environment within your body changes - which is why there are so many diseases associated with eating red meat.
If you consume GRASS fed beef and dairy products - not to be confused with organic - you get the proper ratio of GOOD fatty acids. This translates into health benefits for you. What you end up leaving behind is the BAD or LOW levels of fatty acid ratios, thus eliminating unbalanced fats linked to various diseases. You also consume lower calories = losing weight and feeling great!
Check out this awesome site for further info http://www.eatwild.com/healthbenefits.htm
References
Bhattacharya, A., J. Banu, M. Rahman, J. Causey, and G. Fernandes. 2006. Biological effects of conjugated linoleic acids in health and disease. Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry 17:789-810
Daley, et. al. A review of fatty acid profiles and antioxidant content in grass-fed and grain-fed beef. Nutrition Journal 2010, 9:10
Faucitano L, Chouinard PY, Fortin J, Mandell IB, Lafrenière C, Girard CL, Berthiaume R. Comparison of alternative beef production systems based on forage finishing or grain-forage diets with or without growth promotants: 2. Meat quality, fatty acid composition, and overall palatability. Animal Science. 2008 Jul;86(7):1678-89. Epub 2008 Mar 28.PMID: 18375659
Muchenje, V., K. Dzama, M. Chimonyo, P.E. Strydom, A. Hugo, and J.G. Raats. 2009. Some biochemical aspects pertaining to beef eating quality and consumer health: A review. Journal of Food Chemistry 112:279-289
Razminowicz, R.H., M. Kreuzer, and M.R.L. Scheeder. 2006. Quality of retail beef from two grass-based production systems in comparison with conventional beef. Journal of Meat Science 73:351-361
Smedman, A., and B. Vessby. 2001. Conjugated linoleic acid supplementation in humans – metabolic effects. Journal of Nutrition 36:773-781
Understanding Meat Quality, Dr. Susan Ducket, Clemson University, Results from Pasture Based Beef Systems – 3 year Multi State Study
