Tips to Healthy Eating without Drastically Changing your Lifestyle
The summer is behind us and while many of us aren’t focusing on fitting into that swimsuit, it doesn’t mean we should be “falling” into bad eating habits this fall. There are ways in which you can adopt healthy habits without following the latest trending diet. There are three simple tips that you can start tomorrow, and it won’t be a drastic change to your overall lifestyle.
Tip 1: Meal Prep
Preparing your meals in advance or at the very least, having an idea of what is on the menu for dinner, can make a huge difference in your overall health. We all lead very busy lives, between work, raising families and fitting in social activities. With a packed schedule, it’s easy to run through the drive-thru and throw a happy meal in the backseat at your toddler. Fast food or takeout is the obvious choice when you’re racing home from work trying to make it to dance class on time. However, meal prep can save you from this bad habit.
Try your best to plan your dinners for the week over the weekend. It doesn’t have to be anything gourmet. There are plenty of easy crockpot recipes or one pan meals that you can prepare in advance (check out thesavoryspoonbynoelle.com for some ideas).
Tip 2: Measure the Fats You’re Cooking With
Anytime I prepare a meal, it traditionally starts with coating a sauté pan in olive oil. It’s amazing how heavy handed we can be without even realizing it. Most recipes call for some sort of fat: olive oil, butter, canola oil. Whatever it is, try measuring it. You will be amazed at the number of fatty calories you will be cutting out of your regular daily diet.
Tip 3: Dairy in Moderation
My GI doctor once told me that milk and dairy products were only meant for babies to consume. While many may have a similar opinion, we agreed to disagree. I won’t be cutting burrata or fresh mozzarella out of my diet any time soon. But I will tell you that paying attention to your dairy intake is key. No need to measure on this one. Just be more aware. If you had cereal for breakfast, skip the cheese on your sandwich for lunch. If quesadillas are on the menu tonight for dinner, then eliminate the bleu cheese from your cob salad during lunch time.
Adjusting to healthy eating habits can seem daunting, so take baby steps. I’m not a doctor nor am I nutritionist, but these simple tips have helped me feel better physically and emotionally. And I hope they can do the same for you! I have also provided one of my healthy recipes: Spaghetti Squash Puttanesca. For more recipes like this, visit my food blog at thesavoryspoonbynoelle.com.
Spaghetti Squash Puttanesca Recipe
Ingredients
1 Spaghetti Squash
2 Cloves of Garlic Minced
½ Cup of Kalamata Olives Chopped Finely
1 Cup of Cannelloni Beans
14.5 Oz. Can of Fire Roasted Tomatoes
2 T of capers
Basil
Pepper
¼ Cup of Parmesan Cheese
2 T of Olive Oil
Directions for the squash
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Slice spaghetti squash in half and scoop the seeds out
• Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper, and place on a baking sheet
• Bake for 45 minutes to an hour or until the spaghetti squash will easily shred with a fork into spaghetti-like pieces
• Set cooked squash aside
Directions for the sauce
• Put saucepan on medium heat
• Add olive oil
• Add garlic
• Cook garlic for a couple of minutes until tender, moving around in the pan frequently as to not burn.
• Add basil, tomatoes & olives
• Let sauce simmer on low for 5 minutes
• Stir in capers and cannelloni beans
• Cook for another few minutes to marry the flavors together.
Pour sauce on top of squash and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese (cheese is optional. If you’re vegan or really cutting fat out of your diet, feel free to leave this out).
