Breakfasts
- oatmeal or cream of wheat with fresh fruit
- a hunk of fresh baked bread drizzled with honey
- an omelet made with fresh veggies
- homemade egg "McMuffins"
Lunches and Dinners
- home made Mediterranean pizza
- big fresh green salads
- chicken and seasoned veggies over rice
- lemon baked Tilapia and taboule stuffed in a home made pita
- well seasoned soups served with crusty home made french bread
- egg salad made with home made mayonnaise served on fresh baked bread
Snacks
- home made granola bars
- fresh fruits and veggies
- nuts
- home made hummus dip with fresh bread or veggies
- a mug of herbal tea
I really do love this way of eating, and I wonder why I didn't do it on my own before! It does take a bit more time, and finding fresh wholesome ingredients can be a bit of a challenge when you are on food stamps, but it is well worth the digging! Just in case you were wondering what diet the Doctor put me on:
I have been advised to eat:
- fresh, dried, and frozen fruits and veggies
- eggs
- fresh fish and poultry
- real honey
- goat cheeses like feta
- dairy products, moderately
- fresh, home made breads
- dried beans, peas, and lentils
- nuts and nut butters
- whole grains (including rolled oats, barley, brown rice, millet.....etc....)
- olive oil
- All seasonings except salt and salt substitutes
- tea, coffee, and water (but I don't drink coffee and only partake in herbal teas)
I am to avoid:
- any pre-frozen meats (because they are injected with salt solutions before freezing)
- canned meats
- beef and pork
- any foods that come in cans, bottles, bags, or boxes (except for those things specifically allowed above)
- juices
- chocolate (the horrors!!!!)
- salt and salt-substitutes
- refined sugars and sugar substitutes
That limits my shopping to the fringes of the stores, where they keep the perishables, and to the baking aisle and dried beans and grains aisle.
I have also found that there is a big difference between real food and edible food-like substances.... I have also noticed that my local superchain food store has less real food and more of the "other" stuff. Take honey for example.... if you go to the store and pick up a bottle of honey, you probably hold in your hand a bottle containing a little real honey stretched by corn syrup and other fillers. But you can go to a place where you can buy a jar of real honey made by local bees, not only is the taste substantially different (better in my opinion) the product will be better metabolized by the body, and you are less likely to have seasonal allergies because that honey is made from your local flora!
I have found a neat website eatwellguide.org where you can search your area for places where you can purchase wholesome, fresh, sustainable food.... which I have become more aware of. I figure if I am eating this way, I might as well eat the best I can, so I am looking at buying more of my things from local sources, where I can be sure that the food I am eating is fresh and not covered in pesticides or other toxins.
I really thought that switching my eating habits would be harder. It has been a little difficult not grabbing that bag of chips when I get the munchies, but it is getting better every day. I really have been spoiled by convenience foods, which is apparent from the size of my waist and the myriad of health problems that have come with that. I know that eating this more healthy and natural diet will help with my recent diagnosis of Type II Diabetes, Hypertension, Stress, and mood problems.
I am going to post a new recipe that I have found every week so that if you want ideas for a more healthy eating style, you can join me at Choice Spirit's Kitchen!
I would love to hear from you if this post has inspired you to make changes in your life.
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