Ingredients for well BE~ing

Manifest the best possibilities in life with a little planning and preparation for the week ahead

A Week of Meals

Sunday

We often think of Sunday as the end of the weekend but how about considering it as a time for new beginnings? The start of the week is a great day to set intentions for healthy lifestyle. One way to do this is to prepare large meals and nutritious sides on your days off for use later in the week. Fill the freezer with easy grab and go meals and plan snacks so that you can make healthier food choices.

  • Bake a whole chicken or turkey for Sunday dinner and then separate the leftovers, meat from the bones. Use the meat for lunches or another dinner and simmer the bones for a healthy, fatty bone broth to use for stew or soup.

  • Make a batch of hummus (chickpea or any kind of legume will do). Choose this protein rich accompaniment made with tahini (or any seed/nut butter), Extra virgin olive oil, fresh garlic and any spices you like. Eat hummus with a whole grain like brown rice, quinoa, or wheat bread to get enough protein necessary to build muscle. Dip your favorite raw or lightly steamed veggies in it as a lunch staple or a a side to your big, beautiful salad. Hummus will stay fresh for up to 4 days in the fridge, I usually make a massive batch and freeze smaller portions to defrost for each new week.

Monday

Consider substituting refined carbohydrates (found in most baked goods-even gluten free), pasta, snacks and sweets, with vital energy and nutrient rich whole grains, fruit and vegetables.

  • Bake whole grain, seeded bread or crackers. There are a variety of choices of whole grains to eat. Choose minimally processed or unrefined grains for the best nutrition. Choose a recipe that includes lots of nuts and seeds for and essential added fat and protein.

  • Make whole fruit multigrain muffins without sugar for a quick breakfast or mid day pick me up. It’s important to reduce sugar when we can, changing taste is a process, yes you can enjoy baked goods with just dried and fresh fruit to sweeten them. The fiber in the fruit reduces unnecessary and unhealthy blood sugar increases.

Tuesday

Choosing the correct type and amount of protein matters in the function of your physiology. If you are an omnivore then clean, grass fed animals as a small fraction of your meal, organic legumes with whole grains and protein rich chia seeds and quinoa. Omega 3 fatty acids are also essential, meaning they are hard to get enough of and we can’t make it ourselves so we must eat salmon and other fatty fish, nuts, and grass fed meats. So many options to add healthy protein sources to our diet.

Prepare some easy protein rich snacks that will provide support for an active day

  • Raw or lightly roasted (*no salt) nuts and seeds

  • DIY granola with no refined sugars, use chopped dates and other dried fruit instead

  • Chia seed and chocolate energy bars

  • PB & Banana oat cookies

Wednesday

A wide selection of fruits and veggies to be eaten fresh and locally grown if possible for the highest antioxidant content. Sweetness makes life more delicious!

  • Roast vegetables! Slice big winter or summer squash, zucchini, cauliflower and broccoli into 1/2 inch wide pieces, rub both sides with olive oil and a little salt and then bake at 350° until soft. Quick and easy and leftovers can be easily eaten cool or warmed up the next day with hummus or added to a salad.

  • Always have your favorite fresh fruit on hand (yes it’s worth the cost.) One of the biggest issues we all face is afternoon cravings for sweets, if fruit is left on our countertops we are much more likely to grab a piece of that instead of sugary sweet snacks which are not health supporting. Avoid the energy crash and choose fruit and nuts instead!

Seasonal produce is the key

Thursday

To dairy or nut? Moderate intake of animal dairy is ok if you choose to partake and can be eaten frequently as an excellent source of probiotics if they are cultured.

  • Alternatives can include home made nut and grain based products, which unfortunately can include lots of added sugars, so look for plain and unsweetened if you choose to go with plant based milks. Most commercially manufactured nut milks are full of thckeners an additive that are not healthy.

  • Make your own or purchase unsweetened kefir or yoghurt and then add real fruit and homemade granola, or as a base for smoothies for an increase of probiotics and protein.

Friday

Choose your elixir for celebrating the upcoming weekend. How is your personal fluidity affected by hydration? What you drink directly influences states of mind and body. Water for sustenance (of course) and for desired libations, moderate alcohol without the added syrup!

  • Never say Never! Allow yourself to indulge in alcohol or a fizzy drink once in a while, moderate use of red wine has even been found to be beneficial as a source of antioxidants. If relaxing with a beverage makes your week’s end cheery then by all means go for it, without regrets. Just make sure you are feeling up to a vigorous yoga practice in. the morning!

Saturday

Indulge in healthy and sumptuous flavors. We must give ourselves allowances, selective indulgence makes life rich and tasty! Use common sense and enjoy a treat, usually after a bout of exercise is befitting!

  • High fat desserts are a common way to enjoy a less sweet dessert. Try out an olive oil cake with almond flour and fresh fruit, or avocado chocolate mousse with real cacao powder and maple syrup, yum!

  • Chocolate is best eaten bittersweet! 85% and up is considered medicine and never go as low as 65%. Real dark chocolate is a rich source of antioxidants and can even effect dopamine receptors and spark a serotonin release in the brain which is euphoric indeed!