Food Food Food

As the saying goes, "Abs are made in the kitchen". Now don't get me wrong, I am not going to be doing anything over the top or weird to stay healthy and be fit. I don't do extreme detoxes or fruit juice diets. It's simply about what my body NEEDS (noticed how I didn't say want?). I am not going to do a no carb or dangerous low calorie diet. I am just going to apply what I am learning at school to my own life and share it with you. 
On this page you will find simple recipes or tips on what I do to eat healthy. But also remember, I don't eat junk food, drink soda (pop?),  eat a bunch of fried food, or eat out very often (and especially not at fast food restaurants), so if you do any of those things...sorry but... you might want to consider cutting back  or eliminating them all together.

You can also follow my Food! Board on Pinterest to see some recipes I like :)

Some Quick Tips:
Staying away from simple carbs and adding more vegetables and high fiber foods to your diets, will not only give you a healthier body and digestive tract but will also help you feel fuller longer. Fiber is essential for a healthy digestive tract, and many of us don't eat enough of it. It is recommended that we eat about 25-35 grams per day! 



Breakfast:

Green Smoothie
This is great for breakfast or any time of the day really. It is loaded with protein and nutrients!
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup Almond milk (unsweetened vanilla)
1-2 cup spinach ( I do organic baby leaf)
Scoop of protein powder (vanilla or chocolate would be good, just make sure it is either sugar free or low sugar)
1 Tablespoon Almond Butter (I get mine at Costco)
1 Tablespoon chia or flax seeds
1 Tablespoon Coconut Oil
Blend well and add ice if you want it to be icy! YUM!

Photo Credit: fitsugar.com

Coconut Parfait/Pudding: This is delicious and easy to make before bed so it is ready for breakfast in the morning! You can also eat it as a snack but I would recommend eating only half of it because it isn't low in calories or carbs. I like to top it with any kind of fruit and a few nuts or seeds.  Enjoy :) (Follow the link above to go to recipe)

No Bake Protein Bars: See recipe here


Lunch or Dinner:

Fish and Stir-fry Veggies
Ingredients/directions:
Swai Fillet- cook with lemon, pinch of salt, fresh minced (small) garlic clove, paprika, cilantro, and 1 Tablespoon of Olive Oil
Steam Carrots and Broccoli until still crunchy but cooked.
Add to a frying pan with a little less than a tablespoon of coconut oil. Cook and stir until desired texture while adding 1/2 tablespoon of coconut aminos or Braggs soy aminos 
(I can't have soy so I have to use coconut)
Add a pinch of salt and season with paprika and parsley.
Eat and Enjoy!

Fish and Stir-Fry Veggies Modified
Last night I had basically the same thing as the above recipe only this time I took out the garlic and added some spaghetti squash to the veggies. With any of these recipes it is easy to modify and add different things. Just play around with them :) make sure it is healthy ingredients though!


"Taco" Salad:
I really enjoy this one! I sometimes will add a few tortilla chips to it, but not much because they bring with them added calories and simple carbs. This is a great meal to eat, because it is loaded with vitamins, fiber, protein, and deliciousness :)

Ingredients:
1 lb. Lean all natural ground turkey (no added hormones or antibiotics!)
Black Beans (canned or cooked yourself)
Baby Spinach Leaves
Romaine Lettuce
Cooked Sweet Potato (some people call them yams, even though they aren't)
Salsa of choice (make sure it has minimal preservative and sugar, I use fresh salsa mostly)

Directions:
Thoroughly cook turkey, add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of salsa to cooked meat and stir till nice and hot. Also stir in paprika and a pinch of salt (I like to use sea salt or pink Himalayan salt). Add 1 can of black beans (rinsed). Stir until warm. Prepare salad leaves (1 to 2 cups). Pour a portion (1 to 2 cups) of mixture over leaves and add warm sweet potato chunks (about 1/3 of a medium size sweet potato). You can add a tablespoon or two extra of salsa if it is too dry. Eat and ENJOY! 

Yummy Quinoa Avocado Salad - see the recipe here.

Soups:
They are a great way to make a lot of food with very little time. I usually just boil a bunch of vegetables together and then strain them out and blend them up with some of the leftover juices and water. It is a great way to increase your vegetable intake while decreasing caloric intake. Soups are very filling and if done right can be low in calories.
With the blended veggie soup it is great to do a LARGE amount go it and freeze some containers full. It is also nice to have on hand because it is quick and nutritious. I usually like to add some chicken breasts or ground turkey to mine and have it for lunch. I will even bake up a spaghetti squash and pour the soup over it. Be creative! But remember to keep it healthy!

My Vegetable Soup Contains:
Broccoli
Carrots
Celery
1 Sweet Potato (adds some good flavor)
Cauliflower
Garlic Clove (I don't put it in while they are boiling, I add it to them while blending)


Snacks:
These are delicious and a great quick bite to eat. I don't know about you but I get hungry about every 2 to 3 hours so these help me a lot. Obviously, like any food, you should eat these sparingly as they do contain some sugar. I really like them though. They have protein, fiber and carbs. Check them out :) 

Healthy Banana Coconut Chocolate Chunk Muffins: Check out the recipe and give it a try. If you are Paleo then you can substitute the flour with Almond or Coconut.

No Bake Protein Bars: See recipe here