Balanced Meals: simple and easy

Keep it simple and make it easy. Weeknights can be busy and challenge us to make wholesome meals. Keep the “My Plate” picture in mind when putting together meals to ensure nutritional balance. By incorporating at least three food groups in each meal and focusing on variety of foods from each food group will make your meals healthy and interesting. Here are some simple combinations to make it easy for you to put together balanced meals.

 

Breakfast:

• Add blueberries to your oatmeal and drink milk on the side
• Make an omelette with 2 eggs, some spinach, mushrooms and cheese, add a piece of whole grain toast with fruit spread
• Make pancakes using whole grain flour, eggs and berries, drizzle pure maple syrup on top with dollop of whipped greek yogurt
• whole grain toast with peanut butter and banana makes for a quick and delicious breakfast.

Lunch:

• Put canned tuna or canned salmon on salad greens, add sliced mushrooms, grape tomatoes, drizzle with a vinegar based salad dressing and pack a fresh, juicy apple
• Wrap the leftover grilled veggies in a whole grain tortilla with some goat cheese and baby arugula, take 1/4 cup nuts and 3 dried apricots for dessert
• Turn leftover chicken into chicken salad by adding some chopped celery, greek yogurt, lemon juice, apples or grapes. Serve 1/2 cup of chicken salad with whole grain crackers such as Triscuit.
• Make an enchilada with canned black beans mixed with diced onion, diced peppers, cilantro, cumin, lemon juice and shredded low-fat cheese. Add some salsa and fresh pineapple to complete the meal.

Dinner:

• Add chopped zucchini and onions to chunky tomato sauce and serve over whole grain pasta. Add a side salad and you have complete meal.
• Rotisserie chicken (even store bought) can serve up dinner paired with steamed broccoli or green beans and quinoa.
• Salad mixes make it easy to put together a main dish salad. Use the pre-washed, pre-cut greens, add tomatoes, sliced cucumber, sliced mushrooms, sliced cooked beets and top it with a filet of Rainbow Trout. Rainbow Trout cooks in literally minutes.
• Don’t forget the eggs. Breakfast for dinner is always popular. Boiled eggs can top a salad, you can make an omelette or scramble them with some diced veggies and serve with fresh waffles.

Now you have some ideas on easy, simple and balanced meals. Start planning your week’s menu and make that list for the grocery store trip.

 

 

Snack attack

Almost every day there are times when I am hungry but don’t really want a whole meal. This generally occurs mid-morning and especially mid-afternoon around 4 pm. Our bodies have a natural cycle and eating every 4 hours meets the needs. For those who are early risers and thus eat their breakfast early in the morning, naturally their bodies are ready for more fuel by mid-morning, others not so much. Most people find the mid-afternoon snack time the most challenging, including me unless I plan for it.

Depending on where I will be at that mid-afternoon snack time dictates what I eat. Especially if I am going to be out and about, I want to have my snack with me. Otherwise this snack attack will take me straight to a coffee shop for pastry. That pastry will definitely give the “pick me up” calories but I know it won’t last. Not to mention all of those calories will come from refined grains, sugar and fat. To avoid giving in to such impulse snacks planning is key.

Here are some snacks I plan:

1. A granola/cereal bar: as a snack I want to make sure it has 200 calories  or less, some protein and some fiber. Some my favorites are Kind (nut and spice ones), Lara Bars and even the Nature’s Path Macaroon Crunch.
2. An apple and some nuts (fistful) or low-fat cheese stick: a no-prep snack that is easy to carry and delivers the right crunch, taste and nutrients.
3. Dried Apricots and Almonds: a snack-bag size zipped bag works perfect to tote these around. A serving would be 4 apricots and a fistful of almonds.
4. Lightly salted cashews (fistful) and 2 dates: Again, a wonderful mix of taste, texture and nutrients.
5. Greek Yogurt: Especially if there is refrigeration available, keeping greek yogurt handy is so easy. There are lots of flavors and it lasts a while if you don’t happen to eat it right away. My favorite is Siggi’s Orange Ginger or just plain vanilla.
6. Need something warm? A mocha using skim milk does the trick. Sip away and enjoy the warmth.
7. Cut up colored peppers and take some along with low fat cheese stick or light spreadable cheese wedges. They are so handy!
8. Keeping a jar of nut-butter around is also helpful as it can be paired with fruit or vegetables. I love the combination of apple and peanut butter.
9. Boiled eggs can also make an easy snack. I keep them unpeeled so they are easy to tote around. Pair them with a few Triscuit crackers to add a variety of texture and taste.
10. When it comes to vegetables my personal favorites are sugar snap peas and edamame. Fresh sugar snap peas don’t much prep other than washing. Edamame is available frozen, either whole bean pods or shelled beans. Either way a minute in the microwave oven and you have a snack ready.

Be prepared for the snack attacks. Expect them. It’s natural.