As promised, here are 4 recipes that can be used to replace any meal in your day (see first post).
REMEMBER TO START SLOWLY!
I know it's sometimes tempting to overhaul our diets at once, but if you're reading this post it's most likely because you feel pressed for time or overwhelmed by the prospect of making major life changes right now.
Making small gradual changes will better ensure that you stick with you plan. Take one breakfast, lunch or dinner, on one day and swap it for one of the recipes below.
Do this for 3 weeks.
If at the end of 3 weeks, this is working for you. You are liking your new meals, you've tweaked the recipes or found similar recipes that you like even better, then go ahead and choose 3 additional meals during the week that you will change.
That means within 4 weeks / 1 month, you would have changed 20% of your weekly meals to include more protein and vegetables.
Help us all to follow along with you as you make this journey by Cultivate in your Facebook or Instagram photos or using the hashtag, #cultivate
You don't need luck, because I know you can do it!
Looking forward to hearing about your progress!!!!!!
Let's do this.
1. Yummy Protein Smoothie recipes can be made in a blender, a Magic Bullet or Ninja:
Chocolate Nut Butter Smoothie
1-1.5 scoops protein powder (I am using Aloha protein powder these days, because I do not like the taste of Stevia, nor do I like dairy in my protein powder)
8 ounces coconut water, almond milk, or unsweetened rice milk (your choice!)
1 heaping tablespoon nut butter
1 tablespoon
2. Strawberry Milkshake
1 scoop Vanilla Protein
¾ cup frozen strawberries (or any other berry)
8 oz unsweetened almond milk
2 tbsp sugar free vanilla pudding mix
Cinnamon (as desired)
Add ice and blend to desired consistency
3. Sadie's Mexican Salad (for two)
2 chopped heads of romaine lettuce
1 can black beans drained and rinsed (to remove as much sodium as possible)
1 avocado pealed and sliced
1/2 can of canned corn rinsed OR 1 cup of tortilla dust
1/2-1 cucumber chopped
2-3 carrots chopped
chopped fresh cilantro
1/3 cup goat cheese
1/2 can black olives drained
1/2 can hearts of palm (sliced)
1/4 cup feta, goat or cheese of your choice
Top the salad with a sliced grilled chicken breast cooked by you or purchased in prepared foods section of grocery. You can also use the meat from rotisserie chicken, skip the skin.
Choose a dressing that you will enjoy, try not to douse the salad in it and mute all the flavors.
I included recipes for some of my favorite dressings below.
Vinaigrette dressings (you might need to adjust recipes to taste so that you are enjoying your salads!)
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup white wine or red wine vinegar
Juice of one lemon
Chopped mint
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons honey
Seasoned rice vinegar-just adding this straight to a salad can be super tasty
4. Tunacado
1 can tuna
1/2-1 whole (depending on size and your taste) avocado
1 tsp olive oil
dash or two of salt (I use garlic salt)
cracked black pepper if you enjoy that!
Drain can of tuna
Scoop avocado in small or medium-sized bowl and mash
Add tuna and olive oil and mix throughly
Finish with some salt and pepper
Eat plain or spread on a piece of romaine lettuce or high fiber bread like Ezekiel bread.