It happens every spring. As the trees and plants and flowers stir and awaken, so too does my desire to eat healthier. I think my body wants to hibernate throughout the winter. It gets sluggish. I want to eat more. As the days grow longer, the abundant sunshine triggers a surge in energy in me and a greater awareness of my health and well being.
This evening I spent time in the kitchen, prepping for a week’s worth of meals. I’ve been saving recipes on Pinterest, for this purpose. After a trip to the grocery store, I was ready.
I am heeding a call, surrendering, to simplicity and nutrition, focusing on whole foods. For breakfast each morning, I’m enjoying a cup of warm lemon water, followed by 16 ounces of fresh celery juice. If I need something before lunch I’ll have an apple or a handful of walnuts.
Lunch will be a bowl of brown rice or black beans, topped with stir-fried chicken and vegetables and half an avocado. The food is cooked and in the fridge, ready to eat.
For dinners I prepared a couple of healthy slow cooker dump meals. I’ve been looking forward to trying these. There’s a huge variety of recipes available on Pinterest.
Red Pepper Chicken
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, fat trimmed
1 medium-sized red bell pepper, sliced (about 1.5 cups)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 large garlic cloves, minced
1 small onion, diced (about one cup)
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
Combine all ingredients in crockpot and cook for 3-6 hours, or until chicken is cooked through and tender. Or freeze in one gallon bag. To use, thaw overnight in refrigerator and cook for 3-6 hours on low.
Turkey White Bean Kale Soup
1 small onion, diced
1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 bunch of kale, washed and sliced
1 can cannellini beans (white kidney beans), washed and drained
1 Italian salad dressing pouch or 2 tablespoons of Italian seasonings
1 pound ground turkey
8 cups chicken broth
Combine all ingredients in crockpot and cook on “low” setting for 8 hours, or until carrots are soft. Or freeze all ingredients except broth in one gallon bag. To use, thaw overnight in refrigerator, dump into slow cooker and add 8 cups of chicken broth. Cook on low for 8 hours.
Both recipes are from newleafwellness.biz There are lots of additional recipes on her site. Two and a half hours of prep, and that included clean up, and I have a week of meals ready to go. Each dinner recipe makes enough to eat on 2-3 times. My grocery bill for the adventure today was $29.
I’m excited to be listening to my body’s desire to eat healthily, and pleased to be saving money by eating at home. Most of all, I’m relishing the idea of simplicity and wholesomeness. That nourishes my body and my soul.
