Week 3

January 25th – 31st

Week 3, we are READY for you!  This week we are adding legumes back into our diets.   So grab a few cans of beans, or cook up a big batch from scratch (if you can boil water…you can cook beans).  Lentils, soybeans, and peanuts fit into this category too, so experiment with whatever you like best.

As you start to incorporate legumes back into your meals, take notice of how they make you feel.   Do you have more energy that sticks with you longer?  Were you longing for lentils, or ready to go crazy with edamame?  Be careful not to incorporate them into every meal.  There’s no need to overdo it on the protein, and some legumes really can cause stomach upset to a lot of folks.  Continue to focus on those fresh, whole foods —  there’s no need to trade your mid-morning fruit snack for hummus every day.

Tips for the week

It’s time to get social.  If you’ve been avoiding dinner with friends, or lunch with co-workers, it’s time to get back in the saddle.  Sooner or later you have to emerge back into the real world, so now that you’ve started creating some healthier habits and connecting with how food makes you feel, give those restaurant menus a peruse and see what’s there for you.

How’s your skin treating you these days?  Sometimes dietary changes can create some imbalances that send breakouts your way.   We’ve known for a long time that we are what we eat, but we are just beginning to learn about what happens when we put this good food ON our faces.  You won’t catch us roaming around the office with hummus under our eyes, but we have a few favorite food products we’ve been incorporating into our skin care routines.  Just because we like you, we thought we’d share:

  • baking soda – the perfect exfoliant
  • apple cider vinegar – try it as a toner
  • raw honey – makes a sweet mask for calming irritation
  • coconut oil – does double duty as a deep moisturizer that smells great too

Recipes and Meal Planning

Have our tips been helping with meal planning?  We’ve got another round of tips for week 3, so read on for recipes and ideas.  For each of these ideas mentioned below we have provided a link to a simple recipe.  You can also check out our Pinterest Boards for more inspiration.

  • Breakfast
    • Chickpea Patties with a Poached Egg.  Turn your leftovers into a new meal!  Make a couple extra rosemary chickpea patties (see our dinner recipes) and save for a delicious breakfast.  Heat a nonstick skillet with a small amount of oil and warm the patties.  Meanwhile, poach or fry an egg to put on top of the patty.  If you’re feeling fancy, grab a handful of arugula or other greens, place the patties on top of the fresh greens, and top with an egg.
    • Apple & Peanut Butter. Morning can often be a mad rush to get out the door — but don’t forget breakfast!  One of our go-to’s takes no time at all and can be eaten on the go.  Simply cut the four sides off an apple, scoop a spoonful of PB onto the apples and toss them in a container.  Try a little cinnamon sprinkled on top.  Check out our Pinterest Boards for some ideas for “apple cookies.”
  • Lunch
    • Chili is the ultimate comfort food, and since it’s packed with beans, tomatoes, and spices, it’s also an easy, healthy meal option.  It only gets better when made ahead of time, so try making a pot on Sunday and take it for lunch throughout the week! There are so many variations it’s impossible to get it wrong.  For a few pointers to make sure your chili is top notch, check out the tips and the recipes from Bon Appetit.
    • Lettuce wraps.  No time to make chili?  Incorporating some legumes into lunch is as simple as draining and rinsing a can of beans or lentils, dicing up some veggies from your fridge, piling it up in a piece of lettuce and topping with salsa or pesto. What’s great about these is that you can use virtually any bean you have in your pantry and any veggies or sauces you have in your fridge. But if you want a bit more direction try one of these variations: black bean & butter lettuce, chickpea & radicchio
  • Dinner: For our customers who received meal kits this week, we’ve already handled a few nights for you!  In addition to that, and for everyone else, we are sharing 4 complete dinner recipes.  Click HERE to download and/or print all 4 recipes and a complete shopping list.
    1. Spicy Miso Salmon. Lemon-Ginger Cauliflower. Sauteed Kale.
    2. Asian Beef with Broccoli & Eggplant.
    3. Five-Spice Pork. Roasted Pear & Parsnip. Green Salad.
    4. Rosemary Chickpea Patties. Lemon-Roasted Tomatoes.
  • Snacks
    • Hummus is low in fat and high in fiber and protein, making it a perfect addition to a healthy diet.  Here’s a simple recipe for a traditional style hummus, but feel free to make it your own by adding other ingredients (red peppers, jalapenos, spinach, artichoke).  Careful, this snack can be very addictive…enjoy it in moderation with your favorite veggie dippers!
    • Edamame — Cold or warm, with or without salt…this is a healthy and quick snack.  Costco sells individual packs in the frozen section.  We love them warm tossed with citrus zest and a sprinkle of salt!  Check out our Pinterest Boards for a few more ideas.

Reminder

As always, we’re here to help where we can, so let us know if you have any questions. And have fun with this! This is meant to be a way to explore your body and diet, not to make you hate meal time.  Happy Prepping!

Leave a comment or question below, and we’ll get back to you ASAP.