Meal Plan Day 1

So on the flight back from Alaska, I decided to write out a meal plan for the next 6 days. I did this for a couple reasons, to save money when shopping at the store (only buying what I need and having a structure to my purchases) and also to stay on track with being back on paleo!

For day 1:

June 16

*Grill 2 turkey breasts (for 16^thlunch and 17^th lunch) and grill 2 chicken breasts (16^thdinner, 18^th lunch)

Meal 1:

3 egg whites + 1 whole egg + 1 cup veggies (spinach, onion, bell pepper,green onion) + ½ avocado

½ cup fruit (strawberries + blueberries)

Snack: Fruit & VeggieSmoothie: raspberries + kale + mango + carrot + coconut milk/water

Meal 2:

Arugula Salad with grilled turkey breast, apple slices, red onion, grapes,celery, walnuts and balsamic vinegar

Snack: 1 banana, sliced, 2TBSP emulsified sunflower seed butter + 1 TBSP seeds (chia seeds, flax seeds,hemp seeds) + 1 TBSP unsweetened coconut threads 

I am trying sunflower seed butter for the first time and I like it! It is not sweet but more a savory flavor. It pairs nice with the sweet banana and coconut flakes.

Hemp seed hearts have a nutty flavor and are high in digestible, complete proteins (18g for a 2oz. package). They are also high in polyunsaturated fatty acids (19g for a 2 oz package) and high in fiber (5g for a 2oz package). They are high in vitamins and minerals like iron, thiamin, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, folate and zinc. They can be used in a lot of ways; I like to put them on/in smoothies, with nut butters, on salads, in granola and on top of yogurt. It is low in carbs (only 6g for 2oz) and helps curb hunger between meals!

Meal 3:

Grilled chicken breast (sesame seeds, salt, pepper, paprika)  

+ 5 roasted asparagus spears + 1 cup roasted sweet potato cubes

I was putting away my groceries today and I realized I may have a coconut problem! I have coconut water, coconut milk, coconut threads, and coconut oil! I almost bought coconut aminos and coconut butter today at the market too. Luckily this is a healthy obsession! Coconut oil is high in medium chained triglycerides (also known as medium chain fatty acids). These MCT/MCFA encourage weight loss by being broken down into monoglycerides and medium chain free fatty acids which can be used immediately for energy so do not store as fat in your body! Also raw coconut is a good source of fiber. 

Lastly, I wanted to give a review of how I roast my veggies! I typed this up for a friend so I decided to post it on here for anyone confused about roasting their veggies. 

Sweet Potato:

1.  Peel potatoes and cut into 1 inch cubes

2. In a large bowl, mix sweet potatoes with light olive oil, garlic powder, pepper, and sea salt.

3. Put baking sheet into a 425 F preheated oven for 20-25 minutes (turning over half way through) until sweet potatoes are lightly browned and fork tender

4. Let cool and serve

Broccoli or Cauliflower:

1. Cut broccoli florets into bite size pieces and put these into a large bowl.

2. Drizzle the broccoli lightly with olive oil, season lightly with garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, and sea salt. Mix the broccoli and seasonings well (use your hands or 2 forks to mix well until the broccoli is evenly coated)

3. Add broccoli to a baking sheet, and roast in a preheated 425 degree F oven for about 10-15 minutes, until tender, bright green and browning.

Asparagus:

1. Trim ends off aspraus.

2. Coast asparagus lightly with olive oil, and seasoning.

3. Add asparagus to a baking sheet, and roast in a preheated 425 degree F oven for 8-10 minutes. You want the asparagus to get brown on the outside without over cooking and without getting mushy and floppy (not good).

Zucchini:

1. Cut into ½-1 inch slices

2. In a large bowl, mix zucchini slices with olive oil, and seasonings.

3. Add zucchini to a baking sheet and roast in a preheated 425 degree F oven for 10-15 minutes, turning over half way through time.

Bell Peppers:
1. Cut 1 bell pepper into 4 pieces and discard stem, seeds, and white innards.
2. In a large bowl, toss with olive oil, 2 garlic cloves thinly sliced, sea salt and pepper.
3. Add peppers to a baking sheet and roast in a preheated 450 degree F oven for 10-14 minutes.

Different seasoning ideas:

*Garlic, Chopped Rosemary, pepper and sea salt

*Lemon juice, garlic, pepper, sea salt

*Oregano, Basil, Rosemary, Garlic

*Balsamic vinegar, thyme, garlic, pepper

REMINDER: A key component when roasting, you do not want to overcook the vegetables. The high oven temperature is to get a nice brown on the outside while keeping the vegetable tender. You do not want your vegetables to get too floppy or mushy because then the nutrients are lost.