Tag Archives: healthy meal

Image of hands holding up a sign that says BINGO with words: Food Budget Bingo plus recipes: crispy tofu, carrots, rice.

Food Budget Bingo: Cut Costs on Your Food Budget

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May 2025. Grocery costs are out of control! Let’s look at some tips to help you cut costs on your food budget with Food Budget Bingo.

Contents of blog: 1. Intro: Living out of a Dorm Fridge. 2. On The Table: Crispy Tofu, Carrots, and Rice. 3. Coach's Corner: Food Budget Bingo.

What is up with appliances these days, amirite?

A brand-new refrigerator that hubs and I purchased six months ago stopped holding temp. We didn’t notice until the ice maker stopped making ice. So, it likely had conked out 1-2 days before we noticed.

Let me start with: Hi! 👋 I’m kind of strict when it comes to food safety. I had to learn about all the food borne illnesses, so… 
 
We lost a bunch of food (!!!) and were living out of coolers and a dorm-sized fridge. The repair guy couldn’t come to do a diagnostic check for 4 days. Don’t get me started on working with warranties. At the time I’m writing this, the repair guy comes tomorrow.
 
Which brings me around to everyone’s ever-increasing food budget. Losing food hurts more now than it did 3 fridges ago when the same thing happened. Especially right after a grocery trip! Back then it was irritating. These days, it hurts.
 
So, this month I am bringing you ideas to save money on food with Food Budget Bingo. There is also a plant-based recipe that uses ingredients many of us may have on hand already. It’s vegan and can easily be made with meat.
 
I know I’m getting older. But… back in my day, appliances didn’t break within the first year of having them. And if anyone has a harvest gold fridge from the 70s to sell, HMU. Those things ran like, well, a machine.
 
“A balanced diet is a cookie in each hand. And a well-stocked refrigerator.” – Source unknown

Yours in good health,
Alexia Lewis, RD
Master’s Level Nutritionist
Registered Dietitian
Certified Health Coach

DYK I still have a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating after 158 reviews?!

This month, I want to share a patient’s success story with you.
 
My patient had a goal to get his LDL under 70 in 3 months. If he did so, he would not need to increase to his statin medication. So, we targeted LDL, and I provided lab requisitions for blood draws every 30 days. We added this to his work on less restrictive dieting and food rules.

The result? He is feeling such relief from on-and-off dieting AND his LDL went from 99 to 68. Mission accomplished!

Get my nutrition tips for improving heart health and LDL.

What’s On My Table

Ever wondered what a dietitian eats? Surprise! It is not only super-healthy foods. This dietitian eats for nutrition and for pleasure. You can too. 

I love tofu. I know many people do not like it. To that I say, it’s because you haven’t learned how to cook it yet.
 
I’m here to help with a budget-friendly tofu recipe that uses many common ingredients you may already have.
 
For tofu, first things first. For recipes like this you need extra firm tofu.
 
Second things second. You must press the tofu before using it. Otherwise, it won’t absorb the sauce/seasonings as well and it will stay soggy and mushy instead of getting crispy. Here’s a quick web story if you don’t have a tofu press. 

Last things last. You must season tofu, or it tastes bland and blah.

Now, some people encourage freezing the tofu and thawing it out before using it. This is not required, especially if it puts another step between you and your tofu. Freezing will make it more spongy and crumbly, but it will hold the seasonings and flavors more.

Not vegan? No problem. Replace the tofu with the meat or fish of your choice.

Vegan or vegetarian? Get my tips for meeting your protein needs with whole and minimally processed foods.

Crispy Tofu, Carrots, and Rice. 

Makes 4 servings.

  • Cook 1 cup of dry brown rice (or rice of your choice) according to package directions. When done, set aside to cool.
  • Preheat oven to 400ºF (204ºC). Spray a large baking sheet with cooking spray (or use parchment paper if you don’t have anxiety about oven fires. Hi again. That’s also me.)
  • Press 1 package of extra-firm tofu (usually 14ish ounces). Cut block into cubes. Think bite sized.
  • In a large bowl, gently toss tofu cubes with 3 Tablespoons of low-sodium soy sauce. Add 3 Tablespoons of cornstarch to the bowl and gently toss again until tofu cubes are well-coated. Using a spatula helps with this step.
  • Place tofu cubes on the baking sheet and bake for 25-35 minutes, flipping halfway through.
  • Grab 4 serving bowls or meal-prep/storage containers and add to each bowl:
    • 1/2 cup of mixed greens
    • 1/2 of a shredded carrot
    • 3/4 cup of cooked rice (once cooled)
    • 1/4 of the tofu cubes (once cooled)
    • 1/2 Tablespoon of lemon juice

To meal prep:

  • Batch-cooking style: cook rice and tofu, store it in fridge until ready to make meal.
  • Cook-and assemble style: follow recipe, store meal-prep containers in the fridge.
  • For both styles: if not eating within 3-4 days, freeze it. Thaw when ready to eat.

If the rice or tofu needs more time to cool, place it in the refrigerator. Cooked rice is one thing you don’t want to leave on the counter too long because Bacillus cereus. This little bacterium loves cooked rice and pasta. 
 
Have fun and prevent food boredom with variety. Add more non-starchy vegetables. I like broccoli florets or summer squash/zucchini. Swap out brown rice for quinoa or basmati rice.
 
You can get another tofu recipe from one of my weekly meal plans: Baked tofu with zucchini carpaccio. Just please forgive the photography. I was still learning! Speaking of meal planning, DYK I wrote an e-book on Creating Your Own Personalized Meal Plan with Ease. You can read the beginning of the e-book on Amazon.
 
Give this recipe a try and let me know what you think! I would also love your suggestions for ways to jazz it up! Sometimes we all need a little #foodspiration.

What I’ve Been Coaching On

Catch a glimpse of my coaching style in this section, where I share what I’m working on with clients.

This is based on my experience with my patients and is provided solely for educational purposes. It may NOT be appropriate for you. Please check with your healthcare provider before making changes based on the information provided here.

Image of hands holding up a sign that says BINGO with words: Food Budget Bingo plus recipes: crispy tofu, carrots, rice.

Rewind a few years to when I had my private practice… I created this Food Budget Bingo game as a challenge and offered a prize to those who got bingo. No more prizes, but each spot on this bingo card provides a way to stretch your food budget.

And that, my friends, is quite the prize these days. 

Have fun!

Click for PDF to print or use on your electronic device.

Want strategies just for you to stretch your food budget while still enjoying your food? Schedule an appointment with me through Nourish.

Medical Nutrition Therapy

Yes, RDs are kinda an expert on saving on your food budget. We help with finding recipes, teaching how to cook different cost-effective foods, and meal planning with your budget in mind! You may be surprised at how much this can help! So much more than doom-scrolling recipes on social or bookmarking a zillion recipes you never make. (You are not alone!).

My main jams are heart health, breaking food rules to improve people’s relationship with food, and weight loss including supporting those on weight loss medication and stopping binge eating.

If you are ready, let’s do it!

  • Click right here to go to my Nourish scheduling page.
  • Choose a date/time and start the scheduling process.
  • Before you finish, you will enter your insurance information and get an estimate of the expected costs.
  • 94% of people have no out-of-pocket costs!!

If I’m not licensed in your state, you can go to my page and click on “Find Your Dietitian.” To search for another RD. And, of course, you can reply to this email with questions or for help choosing another amazing RD at Nourish.

About Alexia Lewis RD

Hi there! I’m Alexia. I believe in science, humor, and delicious food.

I believe you shouldn’t sacrifice your mental health in pursuit of better physical health. You deserve to be both happy and healthy. You don’t have to choose just one. I’ve been working with people to improve this balance while still meeting their food and lifestyle goals since 2012.

I am a master’s level nutritionist who is also a registered and licensed dietitian in multiple states in the USA, a certified personal trainer, and certified health coach. I also invested in becoming a culinary nutritionist and weight management specialist. In other words, I got you.

Banner with the words "Alexia Lewis. The Real Deal Nutrition" with a red heart next to it.

References and Links

Creating Your Own Personalized Meal Plan with Ease: https://www.amazon.com/ASPIRE-Strategy-Creating-Your-Personalized-ebook/dp/B0D3GPTC9C/

The Basics of Hearth Healthy Eating: https://alexialewisrd.com/2013/07/12/the-basics-of-heart-healthy-eating/

How to Press Tofu without a Tofu Press: https://theliveinkitchen.com/web-stories/how-to-press-tofu-without-a-press-story/

Three Whole Foods to Boost the Protein in Your Plant-Based Diet: https://alexialewisrd.com/2024/06/15/boost-protein-plant-based-diet/

Foodborne Illness Bacillus cereus:https://health.clevelandclinic.org/fried-rice-syndrome

Meal Plan Yumminess – Baked Tofu with Zucchini Carpaccio: https://alexialewisrd.com/2016/05/29/meal-plan-yumminess/

Food Budget Bingo PDF: https://alexialewisrd.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/alrd-food-budget-bingo-1-3.pdf

Background picture of candy canes and pine tree branches dusted with snow.

Hello December!

coaching, Dietitian, health coach, health goals, health professional, Healthy Diet, Heart Healthy, holiday eating, meal delivery, meal plan, Meal Prep, nutrition, nutrition coach, registered dietitian, wellness, , , , ,

Hello festive friends!

You may know that I’ve had a private nutrition practice. If not, I do. Well, I did. The business is called Keeping Healthy Simple Club® and it has been partnering with people to help them live a heart-healthy lifestyle since 2021. And things are changing in 2025.

We are no longer accepting private practice or worksite wellness clients. In other words, the doors are closing after four amazing years. You can get more information here, and individuals can still work with me through Nourish.

I have loved every minute of working with my clients – individuals and businesses – to help people live healthier lives. Now, I’m ready to focus on more personal endeavors. 

But wait – that still includes sending you health and wellness tips. YAY! I mean, you know I love to write, right? 

So, let’s get on with it!

It’s been busy! Hubs and I moved to a new town in October and have been settling in during November. So, we have been leaning in to pre-made meals. And I’ve got tips for how to make these pre-made meals healthier so you can fit these in on your busy evenings. 

Plus I’m sharing 4 holiday tips that I’ve been sharing with my coaching clients. 

Yours in good health, 
Alexia Lewis, RD 
No longer Keeping Healthy Simple Club ®
Now just Alexia Lewis Health and Wellness

What’s On My Table This Month

Ever wondered what a dietitian eats? Surprise! It is not only super-healthy foods. This dietitian eats for nutrition and for pleasure. You can too. 

Pre-Made Meals

Did I mention we moved and I’ve been super busy? Yeah, so, I have been on a search for the best pre-made meals. You know, the ones that get delivered and are marketed for bulking up or losing weight?

I’m not super concerned with calories or macros right now, but I do want to get a dinner on the table without much work.

And to be clear, by “without much work” I mean I just want to throw something in the microwave.

And to be clear, by “best” I mean meals that don’t get mushy, taste bland or way too salty, and have meats I can recognize. I am super picky about meats and get to the gross-factor easily. 

Picture of an empty plate, fork, and knife with the caption:

I have tried Clean Eatz, Modify Health Meals, and Super Fit Foods. I am not in any way affiliated with these companies and they don’t even know I’m writing about them. 

My favorite by far is Clean Eatz. I also did like that I was near a store so could pick the weekly meal plan meals up instead of having them delivered. Check to see if there’s a store near you. I’m guessing that helped with the meal quality. These meals are the best tasting and look the most like what I would make on my own. I can’t speak to their delivery meals, but they look very similar.

I did not like Modify Health Meals or Super Fit Foods as much. If you are considering these and want more info, hit reply and ask. 

No matter which meal company you choose, plan to microwave one thing to make these meals healthier.

That one thing depends on what you have in front of you. I like to balance my meals with this visual method.

Graphic image of a plate with labeled sections: 50% non-starchy veggies, 25% protein foods, 25% starchy foods, and a small circle representing healthy fats.

If it’s a low-carb meal, then it’s heavy on the meats and the veggies. To get my plate balanced, I would add a grain. A microwavable rice or quinoa cup is fast and easy. 

If it’s not a low-carb meal, then you are likely looking at some meat, grains, and veggies. I like lots of veggies, like half my plate lots, so I would add some more vegetables. A microwaveable steamer bag is fast and easy. 

Throw a couple things in the microwave and there ya go. Fast, healthy, and easy meal for those busy nights!

I  looked at some other meal plan options but didn’t try them. If you have a meal plan company you enjoy, I would LOVE to know, so feel free to drop a comment or use the Contact form to let me know.

What I’m Coaching On Lately

You can catch a glimpse of what my coaching style is like in this section, where I share some of what I’m working with my clients on. 

Holiday Meal and Party Tips

Tis the season! Let me just run down these tips.

First, enjoy your food. 

If you don’t turn a few holiday meals into a holiday eating season, then eat whatever you want. For real. Eating 2-6 meals without worrying about what’s on your plate is not going to *poof* make you unhealthy and give you all sorts of chronic health conditions that make your doctor tsk-tsk you. Now, if it’s a season, meaning weeks, of meals like this, we will have a different conversation. And if you need to monitor what you eat closely due to existing health conditions, then this will not apply for you. 

Second, survey the buffet. 

I don’t have a lot of food rules that I promote. I prefer to help people break food rules and recover from diet/wellness culture. But, one of the few rules I have is don’t eat food you don’t enjoy. Which means that before you put anything on your plate at a meal or party, take a gander down the table to see what your options are. Save space on your plate for things you love (and some veggies, please, just a few!) so you don’t end up with a mountain of food on your plate from taking some of everything. And, if you want some of everything, surveying the buffet let’s you know this and allows you to take a small portion of all the things. 

Third, hold something in both hands. 

Mindless eating is real. If you are at a party and find yourself standing near the food and munching because it’s there. Then pick up a drink with one hand and your phone or clutch with the other. Now you can’t eat mindlessly. You have to pause to find somewhere to put something down, and this pause is often enough to allow you to make a conscious decision about eating. 

Finally, take a walk, or do some form of activity, after eating. 

Getting moving activates a secondary system in your muscles that helps take up blood sugar. It also can help you to not feel so full if you overfilled your stomach. And some fresh air does wonders for your mental health (possibly by separating you from people that you love, but totally need a break from!). 

Hopefully, these tips can help you enjoy the rest of the holiday season. And that includes the pie!

If you want to work one-on-one with me on your health and wellness, keep reading below…

Medical Nutrition Therapy

Click right here to get to Alexia’s provider page, choose a date/time and and start the scheduling process.

  • One of the first screens when you start will let know if your health insurance is accepted by Nourish.
  • Before you finish the booking process, you will enter your insurance information and get an estimate of the expected costs.

And, of course, you can reply to this email if you have questions or want to be hooked up with another amazing RD at Nourish. I’m happy to help! 

About Alexia Lewis RD

Photo of Alexia with her kitchen in the background.

I believe in science, humor, and delicious food.

Heart health is my jam. I love to write and speak publicly on this topic and all aspects of living a heart-healthy lifestyle.

I believe you shouldn’t sacrifice your mental health chasing better physical health. You deserve to be both happy and healthy. You don’t have to choose just one.

I am a registered and licensed dietitian in multiple states in the USA, a certified personal trainer, and certified health coach. I also investing in becoming a culinary nutritionist and weight management specialist. In other words, I got you boo.

Banner with words "Hello October" and a row of pumpkins on the bottom border.

Hello October 2024

Dietitian, Food, health professional, Healthy Diet, Heart Healthy, home cooked meal, meal planning, Meal Prep, nutrition, nutrition coaching, plant based, plant-based, Recipe, registered dietitian, Vegetarian, wellness, , , , , , ,

On the table for October is a meal-prep Breakfast Burrito Bowl and the top 5 nutrition recommendations I make for most patients.

Hello beauti-fall people!

I love fall! I love the crispness in the air, the vibrant colors on the trees, and the winter squashes on my table! (I have no idea why I live in Florida where we don’t have much of an autumn season).

Butternut is better than pumpkin.

I said it, I meant it, and I’m bringing you one of my favorite meal prep breakfasts this month. People rave about this Breakfast Burrito Bowl because it is so flavorful and filling. And it features butternut squash, which is why you butternut miss this recipe! 

Lately, my work with patients has focused on revisiting the basics of nutrition. What to eat can be incredibly complex when you dive into all the little details about food. What to eat can also be incredibly simple when you focus on the big picture. 

Many patients come to me with lots of questions about the details – and for good reason – there is so much nutrition and food noise out there! Those details can absolutely matter and are worth talking about. But… only after the big picture changes have been made. 

In this edition, I am sharing my Nutrition 101 spiel, along with the 5 things I usually ask my patients to focus on first.

My hope is these tips can help you too – especially as you start to navigate the holiday season. 

PS – If you want to get this goodness delivered right to your inbox, you can subscribe to my newsletter!

Yours in good health, 
Alexia Lewis, RD 
Keeping Healthy Simple Club ®
Alexia Lewis Health and Wellness

What’s On My Table This Month

Ever wondered what a dietitian eats? Surprise! It is not only super-healthy foods. This dietitian eats for nutrition and for pleasure. You can too. 

Breakfast Burrito Bowls

Picture of 3 meal prep containers filled with breakfast burrito bowls.

My morning routine is: coffee first, exercise second, breakfast third. 

It’s usually around 9:00, when I am ready for breakfast. The time makes it tempting to go straight into work without eating, so I need something that is grab-and-go but also homemade, healthy, and delicious. Meal prep to the rescue!

This recipe is also a winner for those who don’t like breakfast foods. 

To make, open up 3 meal-prep or other storage containers and start building your burrito bowl by adding these ingredients to each container: 

  • 1/3 cup sliced and cooked Vidalia (or other sweet) onion
  • 1/4 cup chopped Roma (or plum) tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup rinsed and drained low-sodium black beans
  • 1/2 cup cubed and roasted butternut squash
  • 1/3 of a medium ripe avocado, diced
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
  • 1/8 teaspoon each of garlic powder, cumin, paprika, chili powder (use less if you don’t like spicy), and a dash of salt.

Mix the ingredients within the container to distribute the seasonings.

Top with a cooked egg. Boiled and sliced works well or if you have time you can cook an egg before you eat. 

TIP! Butternut is a pain to chop. Consider splurging on the pre-chopped squash!

This recipe can be adapted in so many ways. Change the protein, change the beans, change the veggies. It will all work and transform this recipe into a lunch or dinner!

The nutrition info will vary based on the brands you choose, but one serving (one bowl) comes to about 325 calories, 16g protein, 39g carbs, 13g fat, 3g saturated fat, 139mg sodium, and 13g fiber. 

Post a comment with a picture if you make this!

PS – I am not perfect! I don’t always do morning routing step 2: exercise. It’s totally a new habit in the process of being built!

What I’m Coaching On Lately

You can catch a glimpse of what my coaching style is like in this section, where I share some of what I’m working with my clients on. 

Going back to the basics has been the focus for many of my patients recently.

So, here are the first 5 big picture nutrition recommendations I make for many of my patients. Below it is information that covers some basics about food and nutrition to help you understand the recommendations, which are:  

  • Meals: Include all three macronutrients and a bunch of non-starchy vegetables.
  • Snacks: Include a protein and a carb.
  • Water: Drink it. 
  • Alcohol: Limit or avoid it.
  • Fiber and Fermented Foods: Eat daily. 

Nutrition Basics. 
What and when we eat can be driven by many reasons: hunger cues to fuel our bodies, social events, cultural norms, and even to soothe emotions. You are allowed to eat any food for any reason, but you must realize that the foods you choose impacts your health and wellness.

Macronutrients are nutrients your body needs in large amounts. They provide energy (calories) and maintain your body’s structure and systems. 

  • Proteins build your body’s muscles and other tissues, enzymes, hormones, and more. 
  • Carbohydrates provide energy to your body and brain, protect your muscle, and more.
  • Fats store energy, build hormones, and are needed to absorb some vitamins, and more. 

Micronutrients are nutrients your body needs in smaller amounts. These vitamins and minerals play a role in your body’s processes and promote improved health. 


Nutrition to Promote Health. 

Eat fiber and fermented foods. These help with gut health, regularity, and more. 

Drink water. It is needed in large amounts and plays a vital role in your body. 

Avoid or limit alcohol. Not only does this provide extra calories, but it often has a negative impact on health.

Hopefully, these tips can help you stay focused on the big picture as you navigate nutrition and food changes, especially over the upcoming holiday season. If this sounds good to you and you want to work with me on your health and wellness, keep reading below…

Medical Nutrition Therapy

You can work one-on-one with me through Nourish and your health insurance may even cover the cost!

Click the button below to start the scheduling process:

  • One of the first screens when you start will let know if your health insurance is accepted by Nourish.
  • Before you finish the booking process, you will enter your insurance information and get an estimate of the expected costs.
Yes! I Want To work with Alexia on my health and wellness!

Image with ebook cover and preview of worksheet pages.

It’s Time to Meal Plan with Ease

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It’s time for a big announcement!!

Alexia has just released her latest eBook on The Aspire Strategy: Creating Your Own Personalized Meal Plan with Ease.

Cover of eBook showing the title over a picture of healthy foods.

It’s time to trust yourself to be the expert on what you should eat. You don’t need yet another meal plan that someone else created.

For any meal plan to work for you, it has to be tailored to your food preferences, eating style, cooking skills, food budget, and available time.

No wonder those one-size-fits-all plans never work for long.

Come along with registered dietitian and culinary nutritionist, Alexia Lewis, as she lays out a strategy to guide you in how to create your own meal plan. There are also more than 35 recipes to get you started.

This how-to guide is the sum of years of experience leading meal planning workshops and coaching clients to help them find their unique and personalized way to meet their nutrition and health goals.

You can reach your food and nutrition goals when you ASPIRE to plan healthy meals!

Take a look and feel free to share your best meal planning tip – or biggest meal planning challenge – in the comments!

Well, hello HelloFresh!

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This meal delivery box could not have arrived at a better time. My hubs and I had just gotten back from an out-of-state trip with an 11-hour travel day the day before this box showed up on my doorstep. Dinner plans? Nope! Time to get to the grocery store yet? Nope! Hungry after working a full-day? Yep! Wanting something healthy to eat after enjoying vacation food? Yep!

I mean, did you see the rhubarb pie!?

It took all the effort I had to shoot the video of opening the box as I just wanted to dig in and get to cooking a meal for dinner; but I wanted you to have the first-timer experience just like I was about to have. So, this. This is what it is like to open up your first meal delivery box. You’re welcome! 


Looks like fun, right?

If you want your own box of delicious food, you can Get Cooking Today With HelloFresh And Get 50% Off! This is a great deal and you won’t find this high of a discount without this affiliate link!

Opening the box, you will see recipe cards that give your eyes a little feast of deliciousness as there is a full page beautiful picture of the plated meal on one side and step-by-step (only 6 steps!) directions with pictures on the back. The cards also tell you what other supplies you will need to make the meal (pans, colander, olive oil, etc.), lists the ingredients in the box, and has a cooking tip. Oh, and they can send wines that pair with the meals. That’s on the to-check-out list! For those of you who do food math, there is also full nutriiton information for each meal.

The next layer contained the ingredient boxes, which were separated from the recipe cards by paper (shopping bag consistency) filled with padding. The three ingredient boxes were nestled together – thank goodness for the holes to help pull them out although I’m sure they were for freshness – and they were clearly labeled with the recipe names. These boxes are compact and I put them right into our counter-depth fridge where they took up surprisingly little room! (Note: It looks like these boxes have been replaced with paper bags – more recycle friendly!).

The last layer was the proteins (meats) which were separated from the ingredient boxes by cardboard and two huge ice packs. Seriously, these ice packs are amaze-balls! Hubs travels by car for work and usually takes a cooler to bring healthy travel/hotel room food and we are keeping these for his cooler! Bonus!!

As a dietitian, I had some concerns about meal delivery and food safety. The box arrived around 3pm but I waited until 6pm to bring it inside as many of you probably don’t work from home so won’t have the luxury of bringing the box indoors when it arrives. Did I mention I live in Florida? And we are already in the 90-degrees summer temps? So, the box had its fair share of HOT before I grabbed it and pulled it into my air-conditioned house. The food was still cold, the meats were still cold, and the ice-packs were still frozen solid with little condensation because very little melting. Food safety concerns gone.

Follow my blog because I made the first meal the same night I opened the box and will soon be posting a video and blog on the Zesty Crusted Catfish over Cilantro Jasmine Rice and Roasted Broccoli!! 

HelloFresh provided a Meal Delivery Box containing three meals to me free of charge. This is #sponsored and I was so impressed that I have joined their #affiliate program. As always, all opinions in my reviews are mine and I if love it or hate it, I’ll let you know.

Here’s that amazing 50% off deal link again – Get Cooking Today With HelloFresh And Get 50% Off!

Meal Plan Yumminess

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It’s been a while since I posted a meal plan and I’m back with a delicious week of meals to share with you. I’ve been faithfully planning and prepping and have started to get a little bored with the same old meals. This week, I added a few new recipes.

Do as much prep as you can over the weekend. I chop omelet veggies, make overnight oats, boil eggs (last 5 days if they don’t crack!), make mason jar salads, and do whatever else I can to prepare ahead of time. Notice this week is heavier in cooking the first few days but then relies on leftovers to get through the week.

Not listed is a Chocolate Chia Pudding dessert I’ll be making when I sign off from here because chocolate. Yum.

Sunday: 

B – Egg white omelet made with egg whites, shredded cheddar/jack, onions, mushrooms, and spinach served with a piece of toast with olive oil butter. TIP: Do your breakfast prep for the week by chopping onions and mushrooms that have been cleaned with a paper towel (no water!) and storing in mason jars – you still have to cook; but the chopping is the time-consuming part so this saves time in the morning!

L – White Bean Caprese Salad (added chopped raw videlia onions) served on spinach/romaine lettuce.

D – Baked tofu (press, cube, toss with Italian salad dressing and bake) mixed with zucchini carpaccio (pictured with this blog). Note to self: invest in a mandolin.

S – Boiled egg; cucumbers and Zesty Carrot Hummus – you seriously must try this! DELISH!

Monday:

B – omelet with toast

L – Loaded Sweet Potato

D – Strawberry Cucumber Salad (with balsamic glaze – yes please!) and (Chicken) Sausage Stuffed Zucchini Boats. 

S – Apple with Laughing Cow Cheese

Tuesday:

B – Overnight Oats (were prepped over weekend so easy breezy breakfast) with a sliced banana.

L – Leftover White Bean Caprese Salad on lettuce/spinach

D – Leftover Sausage Boats and Strawberry Cucumber Salad

S – Kefir and blackberries

Wednesday:

B – Overnight Oats with banana

L – Leftover Loaded Sweet Potato

D – Baked fish, steamer vegetables, quinoa

S – Egg salad (egg, mayo) with carrots

Thursday:

B – Overnight Oats with banana

L – Mason Jar Salad (prepped over weekend) with a boiled egg and blue cheese crumbles

D – Fish Bowls (leftover fish, quinoa, chipotle, jalapeno, veggies, sour cream – whatever is on hand and needs to be eaten but with a Mexican twist).

S – Apple with carrot hummus

Friday:

B – Omelet with toast

L – Leftover Loaded Sweet Potato

D – Turkey burgers (tomato, lettuce, red onion, avocado, cheese) and fries (yes – the splurge meal happens for me too!)

S – Kefir and blackberries

Saturday: 

B – Overnight Oats

L – Mason Jar Salad with tuna packet (buffalo tuna is so yum).

D – Turkey Burger Bowls (chopped burger, lettuce, tomato, pickles, blue cheese and the rest of the chopped food that needs to be eaten!

S – Carrots with carrot hummus

Thanks for the inspiration as always to Clean Eating Magazine (just the recipes please people, not the articles! Food is NOT “clean” or “dirty” unless of course, it needs to be washed), SkinnyTaste (easy, low calorie, and crazy good recipes) and this week to my new find, Minimalist Baker.

Let me know if you try any recipes this week and if you like the Meal Plan posts!

Overnight Oats

Dietitian, Food, Healthy Diet, Heart Healthy, meal planning, oatmeal recipe, overnight oats, Recipe, , , , , , ,

“Getting what you want is simple, but not easy.” – Mel Robbins.

I believe this is true when applied to nutrition. I think many of us know WHAT to do – nutrition is really simple once you get away from the hype of the media and uneducated bloggers. We just struggle with ACTUALLY DOING IT – it isn’t easy!

To further my mission of “heart healthy nutrition made easy,” I bring you a way to fit a healthy breakfast into your meal planning. I love the ease of the week when I take the time to do meal preparation on the weekends. In fact, my husband and I have only eaten out about 8 times since the year began five months ago. That was not our goal; but is a happy unanticipated consequence of having a plan in place.

One of the best perks of meal prep is having a hot breakfast for very little work. I’ve been accomplishing this with overnight oats and with pre-chopped vegetables for omelets or “scrambles” if I’m in a hurry. Mason jars are AMAZING for keeping my chopped onion and mushrooms (cleaned with a paper towel, not water) fresh through the week!

However, in my work with my patients lately, I have been hard pressed to find an overnight oats recipe online that works for all of my patients – especially those working on blood sugar control. Once you add oats, dairy, and fruit together, you’ve got a small jar carbohydrate delight that is just an overload for the morning meal.

Note – carbohydrates are NOT bad. Carbohydrates are AWESOME! However, many people tend to eat tooooo many of them. So, please DO NOT ban or severely limit carbohydrates; but many of us could do with reigning in our portion sizes a bit.

Without further ado – my basic overnight oats recipe is below. This serving provides 215 calories and 30 grams of carbohydrates per jar. Feel free to add more fruit and nuts and other assorted yumminess to fit your needs and preferences.

Oh and by the way, Mel Robbins 20 minute video is so worth the time!

Click the recipe title for a printer-friendly version!

Simple-Overnight-Oats

Serves one

Ingredients

1/3 cup of old-fashioned or quick cooking plain oats

2/3 cup of unsweetened almond milk

1 tablespoon of chia seeds

1 Tablespoon peanut butter powder (no sugar added)

1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon cocoa powder

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

  1.  Put all ingredients into a Mason jar or other container and stir to combine.
  2. Store in refrigerator at least overnight (can be made up to 5 days in advance and stored in fridge!)

To serve: This can be eaten cold or hot (microwave 1-2 minutes but do NOT microwave in a plastic container).

Nutrition per serving (entire recipe): 215 calories, 8 grams fat, 7 grams unsaturated fats, 1 gram saturated fat, 0 grams trans fat, 0 milligrams cholesterol, 165 milligrams sodium, 30 grams carbohydrates, 10 grams fiber, 8 grams protein.

NOTES:

The chia seeds act as a thickener (in addition to be a great heart healthy food!) but they are expensive so you can try leaving them out or substituting ground flaxseed.

For those counting carbohydrates to manage blood sugar:  Don’t forget to add your carb grams for any fruit or sweeteners you add!

Bag Full of Heart Healthy Foods

No More Excuses for Fast Food!

Diet, Dietitian, Fast Food, Food, Healthy Diet, Lunch, meal plan, Snacks, , , , , ,

I get it. You’re busy, you’re tired, you don’t have time for meal planning, grocery shopping, meal prepping. You think your only option is that fast food drive through or the quick convenience restaurants.

I completely disagree.

We are ALL busy, tired, and don’t have free time to do all that planning and preparation. You have no less hours in your days that anyone else. You have chosen how to prioritize your time and to what and whom you give your time and effort. I’m not trying to make you feel any certain way but I can already hear your reasons that it’s not your choice and there is nothing you can do to change it.

Perhaps that is true for some people. I’ve been a caretaker for a family member going through a multiple year crisis and I found myself not taking care of myself at first. After devoting all my energy to care-taking, I realized I needed to take care of me too and I found a way to fit it in. (Anyone else ever walked the parking garage stairs and levels at a hospital? Yep, me too).

The thing is – we pay for our choices one way or the other. We pay in dollars and health when we routinely eat most choices available for a quick lunch (and we save time and effort). We pay in time and effort spent every evening or in a block of time on the weekends to meal plan, shop, and cook dinner (and we save our health and dollars). You get to decide which is more important for you in this moment.

The good news is that YOU have the power to shift your schedule and priorities. Maybe not completely; but I challenge you to find ONE SMALL THING over which you have control and can make a change.

Trust me – you’ll feel better if you do. 🙂

So, to help you realize that you DO have some control to choose something simple – like a healthier lunch or snacks – I bring you my “I’m-starving-and-have-nothing-to-eat-for-lunch” list for the grocery store. These are grab-and-go meals and snacks that you can choose instead of a fast food meal. (Spoiler alert – that fast food salad likely has more calories and less nutrition than the bacon cheeseburger).

  • Lunch?
    • Tuna (or salmon packet or packaged grilled chicken strips) mixed into prepared green salad (from produce section) with dressing of your choice
    • 1 whole wheat roll with sliced meat and cheese (all from the deli so you get only what you need!) plus a mustard packet and box of high-fiber crackers
      • Bonus – now you’ve got crackers to stash at your desk for snack-time!
    • Sushi roll with edamame (if store has this option)
    • Diced fruit and nuts on cottage cheese (major yum!)
  • Going back to the office?
    • Frozen dinner and steamer bag of vegetables (no sauces please)
    • Can of low-sodium soup plus green salad (from produce section) with dressing
  • Snacks?
    • Cheese stick with those crackers you stashed in your desk
    • Chopped fruit from produce section with a handful of nuts
    • Yogurt with Grape Nuts (really, don’t spend money on “granola” or “trail mix” as Grape Nuts give you the crunch without added sugar or ridiculous price!)
    • Apple with peanut butter (single packs are now sold! Try the natural no-sugar-added kind)

Oh, and do yourself one more favor and just grab a simple, cold, refreshing bottle of water (or fill up your bottle!) on your way out of the store.

Tell me  your other ideas and tricks for eating healthy when crunched for time?

 

Spiralized Sweet Potato

Happy New Meal Planning!

Diet, Food, Healthy Diet, Heart Healthy, meal plan, meal planning, Recipe, , , , ,

I returned to work today and the majority of people are focusing on meal planning as their current focus with their renewed enthusiasm of a new year. Meal planning and preparing foods ahead of time is a wonderful way to have a successful week in terms of meeting your nutrition goals. Two quotes come to mind:

  1. Ben Franklin is purported to have said: He who fails to plan, plans to fail.
  2. Mel Robbins kind of said (forgive me Mel, I paraphrase your Ted talk): You can have anything you want – it’s simple; but it’s not easy.

By the way, I really encourage you to invest 20 minutes in watching Mel’s Ted talk. I watch it every time I need a  motivation boost.

In the interest of helping others who struggle with meal planning, I decided to share my meal plan for this week and links to recipes where possible. I warn you though, this takes time and effort. Expect to spend a good 4 hours in the kitchen… but then relax because your food for the week is DONE!

Sunday:

B = egg white omelet with mushrooms, onions, spinach, shredded cheddar cheese(veggies chopped on Sunday for the week), L = green salad (veggies chopped on Sunday for the week) with Asian Sesame dressing with chicken salad (canned chicken, olive oil mayonnaise, red onion, celery, red grapes, black pepper); Zesty Lime Shrimp and Avocado over brown rice, vegetable soup (garlic, onion, tomato, zucchini, low sodium chicken broth, black pepper, red pepper flakes, basil).

Monday:

B = overnight oats (made for week) with oatmeal, unsweetened almond milk, chia seeds, peanut butter powder, cinnamon, cocoa powder, and vanilla extract with banana sliced into it in the morning, L = Zesty Lime Shrimp on romaine, D = Mexican Sweet Potato Casserole, broccoli, Snacks = yogurt, crackers.

Tuesday:

B = omelet, L = tofu sandwich (chipotle baked tofu, lettuce tomato, whole wheat bread), vegetable soup, D = Mexican Sweet Potato Casserole, brussels sprouts.

Wednesday:

B = omelet, L = green salad with chicken salad, vegetable soup, D = pork chop, edamame pesto pasta (copied from a recipe book so can’t link sorry!) with grape tomatoes, sauteed squash and mushrooms.

Thursday:

B = oatmeal, L = tofu sandwich, vegetable soup, D = pork chop, leftover pasta, green salad.

Friday:

B = omelet, L = green salad with chicken salad, D = Mexican Sweet Potato Casserole (from frozen), broccoli.

Saturday:

B = omelet, L = sandwich, crackers, D = a leftovers meal with whatever remains!

My snacks aren’t planned day by day but they include celery/carrots with hummus or peanut butter; yogurt with grape nuts; or crackers with cheese.

I hope this helps!

 

 

D-vine Orange Chipotle Cod

“D”-vine Orange Chipotle Cod: A Dish High in Vitamin D

Dietitian, Fish, Food, Heart Healthy, Recipe, , , , ,

Vitamin D is one of those vitamins that keeps popping up in the media as beneficial for our health and it’s a vitamin that many of us are lacking. I created a recipe high in vitamin D using Atlantic cod, orange juice, bran cereal flakes, and chipotle. The result was a divine vitamin-D rich Orange Chipotle Cod recipe.

904 Fitness Magazine gave me this challenge to go along with a vitamin D article that is in the May edition. As a dietitian, I love turning to food before supplements so I accepted the challenge!

Facts about Vitamin D

  • According to the CDC, 31% of non-Hispanic blacks, 12% of Mexican Americans, and 3% of non-Hispanic whites have vitamin D deficiency.
  • Vitamin D is called the “sunshine vitamin” because substances in our skin are activated by the UV rays to produce vitamin D. This partially explains why vitamin D deficiency is higher in those with darker skin (which protects against UV rays) as well as those who live in climates with less sunshine or who spend more time indoors.
  • The recommended amount of Vitamin D for adults between 19-70 is 600 IU (international units) per day. A deficiency may cause bone issues such as bone pain, muscle pain or spasms, osteomalacia (soft bones), and rickets in children.
  • Since many people supplement, I’ll also give you the tolerable upper limit, which is 4,000 IU per day. Research is ongoing that is looking at the effects of large amounts of Vitamin D so these recommendations may change in the future. A toxicity may cause bone loss and kidney stones – you cannot overload on vitamin D from sunlight.
  • Vitamin D is important for calcium absorption and bone health. It’s being researched for its impact on heart disease, cancer, immune function, type 2 diabetes, blood pressure, and many other things.

I’m a light-skinned white dietitian who lives at the beach in Florida and even I had low enough levels of vitamin D that my physician put me on supplements! So, it is difficult to get your D when you rely on sunshine and foods.

Here’s why it is difficult to get enough vitamin D (600 IU) from foods… unless you are willing to swallow cod liver oil or can afford to eat salmon every day!

Food Amount IU (average) Source
Cod liver oil 1 tablespoon 1,360 Natural
Swordfish 3 ounces 560 Natural
Portabella mushrooms (with UV exposure) 1 cup 450 Natural
Salmon/mackerel (fatty fish) 3 ounces 425 Natural
Tuna (light, canned) 3 ounces 200 Natural
Fortified orange juice 1 cup 115 Fortified
Fortified milk 1 cup 115 Fortified
Fortified yogurt 6 ounces 80 Fortified
Fortified cereal 1 cup 70 Fortified
Sardines (canned in oil, drained) 2 pieces 50 Natural
Egg yolk 1 large 30 Natural
Portabella mushrooms (no UV exposure) 1 cup 10 Natural

Note that the fortified foods give an average for the IU of vitamin D and the actual amount can vary quite widely based on the level of fortification. When I was looking for cereals for my recipe, I found cereals with 0% to 25% of the daily value of vitamin D! It’s important to look at the labels for the fortified foods you choose. Also, notice that mushrooms contain much more vitamin D if they have been exposed to UV light. Since the packaged mushrooms in my store didn’t mention UV light on their labels, I asked my grocer about the mushrooms in the store and he had no idea if they were UV-exposed.

I turned to fish and fortified foods to make a “D”-vine Orange Chipotle Cod dish that has 32% of the daily value (~ 200 IU) of vitamin D and packs a nice little spicy kick. This recipe is also heart-healthy with low calories, low saturated fat, no trans fat, and low sodium. It is a little higher in cholesterol than I’d like; but still within heart healthy recommendations.

D-vine Orange Chipotle Cod (click link for a printer-friendly version)

Makes: 4 servings

Ingredients

Orange Chipotle Sauce

  • Chipotle in Adobo: 1 chipotle pepper, de-seeded and chopped plus 1 Tablespoon sauce
  • 1 cup vitamin D fortified orange juice
  • 1/4 cup vitamin D fortified plain non-fat yogurt

Fish

  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 cups vitamin D rich (25% DV) bran flakes cereal
  • 4 6-ounce Atlantic Cod filets
  • Non-stick cooking spray

Directions

Preheat oven to 450° F. Line baking sheet with tin foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

When preparing chipotle peppers, or any hot pepper for that matter, remember that the heat is mostly in the seeds. Chipotles pack a spicy punch so remove these little seeds before chopping to reduce the kick in the sauce.

Deseeding Chipotle Peppers
Deseeding Chipotle Peppers

Begin sauce. Pour 1 cup orange juice, chipotle pepper, and chipotle sauce into small saucepan and heat until mixture just begins to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring frequently to prevent sticking until mixture thickens, approximately 35 minutes. Set aside when done.

The thicker drops show that the sauce has begun to thicken - it will continue to thicken after removed from the heat.
The thicker drops show that the sauce has begun to thicken – it will continue to thicken after removed from the heat.

In a shallow bowl, crack eggs and stir to combine yolk and white. Pour bran cereal into another shallow bowl and use measuring cup or the back of a spoon to crush the cereal into small pieces.

Use the back of your measuring cup as a crushing tool for the cereal
The smaller the flakes, the better the coating!

Rinse fish filets, draw through the egg and then press gently into the cereal to coat the fish with cereal. Place fish on foil-lined baking sheet. Repeat with each filet. Sprinkle any remaining cereal on top of fish.

Having everything prepared and close together makes coating the fish much easier
Having everything prepared and close together makes coating the fish much easier

Bake fish in oven for 20 minutes or until done and flesh flakes easily with a fork.

When orange-chipotle sauce has cooled, combine the sauce with the yogurt and stir to combine.

To serve, top each fish filet with approximately 1/4 cup of sauce.

Nutrition Information per serving (1 fish filet topped with 1/4 cup sauce): 315 calories, 5 grams fat (1 gram saturated fat, 0 trans fat), 174 milligrams cholesterol, 375 milligrams sodium, 26 grams carbohydrate (3 grams fiber), 37 grams protein, and 32% DV of vitamin D.

Served with brown rice mixed with chopped mushrooms and spinach – enjoy!

D-vine Orange Chipotle Cod
D-vine Orange Chipotle Cod

References as linked above, Nutrition: Concepts and Controversies, and the Linus Pauling Institute.