Now, on to the eats! Healthy eats, that is...
Does anyone else hate deciding what to make for dinner? With so many food delivery options, eating poorly at home is easier than ever! We used to have to drive-thru to get junky fast food and pizza delivery was bad enough. Now they are all available with to-your-door service! Being the Lazy Housewife, I am sorely tempted to call once in a while, but I have resisted. My sons, on the other hand, love this service. Ugh.And at the end of the week when there's no food in the house, the temptation is even greater to order in or eat out. What's a woman who's trying to eat healthier to do??
Well, here are some suggestions that I am trying to follow. (with some help from PREVENTION magazine, plus my own tidbits)
- Healthy Staples -- keep these on hand for quick meals and snacks:
- Frozen Fruits and Veggies - the first is great for making smoothies or replacing jelly and veg easily liven up pasta or rice (Tara's One Step Further - when fresh berries or bananas are on the verge of turning, cut and bag them up and toss them in the freezer! same for leftover veggies)
- Quick Cook Grains - quinoa was suggested, but I love having oatmeal on hand - it's great with fruit or in meatloaf
- Pass the Beans - great source of protein to substitute for meat, and you know they're good for your heart (haha) (Tara's One Step Further - refried beans are perfect for tortillas or make a great dip all on their own)
- Rotisserie Chicken - this is great fast food, one of my hub's favorites and they suggest turning leftovers into chicken salad which he is a pro at!
- Healthy Substitutes -- when you're shopping, consider these:
- Better Bread - whole grain is better for digestion with fiber, plus most have more protein, we found one the whole family likes and won't turn back to plain white bread!
- Don't Deli Deli - deli meat has a lot of sodium. Can tuna is leaner (Tara's One Step Further - can chicken is a great go to with lower sodium than my tuna! perfect for recipes, chicken salad, and tossed salads **Super easy RECIPE: Rainbow pepper salad - chop red, yellow, and green peppers and toss with a can of chicken** that's it!)
- Change up your Chips - if you need the salty crunch of chips, reach for tortilla chips made with beans (Tara's One Step Further - I've been munching on Tarot veggie chips lately, they have the taste and crunch to satisfy that craving!)
- Healthy Superfoods (bonus mini recipes!)-- for a boost after a long, dry winter!
- Mashed carrots with honey and cinnamon for a healthy, moisturizing glow (Tara's One Step Further - I've been snacking on baby carrots all winter, a great year-round veg!)
- Sweet potato pancakes - mix mashed with 2 eggs and cinnamon - rich in vitamin A to soften the sting of dry eyes. And I love sweet potato recipes. I'll be trying this soon!
- Oranges for de-stressing - Another favorite of mine to toss in my lunch bag, love those Clementine "Cuties!"
I think that's enough jam-packed healthy info for now! More fun tips and things to try next time!
I loath being in the kitchen, so it helps to have healthy shortcuts. I don't like crunchy foods, so that cuts out a lot of fruits & veggies for me. So I get those little pureed packages you usually see parents giving toddlers. They're fast and easy, and you can get a serving of fruit & veggies in each one!
ReplyDeleteOne thing I do, make lots of things which are enough to go into the freezer as well as eat that night. That way I always have a main dish handy. Like today, I made enough Marinara sauce for 4 helpings. Unlike Christine, I love crunchy foods so I also make lots of pickled vegetables which are good for snacking on. Very easy to do, don't need a water batch.
ReplyDeleteI want to try those sweet potato pancakes.
ReplyDeleteI love almost any fruit or vegetable. Almost. I'll pass on the Brussel Sprouts.
Hi Tara - it's all good ... and drink a glass of water when you feel like snacking, and then clean your teeth - you won't want to eat for a while. But having family around and needing to cook for them ... will be a challenge - good luck. Try smaller plates too ... be sensible - eat what suits you ... take care and enjoy the warmer weather - cheers Hilary
ReplyDeleteOh I must try the sweet potato pancakes!
ReplyDeleteLisa
Baby carrots have been my snack-time friends these last months and lots of fruit. With Summer approaching and humidity, we start turning away from heavier meals to freshies too.
ReplyDelete