I’m lucky to have a few really great cooks in my life, and I have a collection of healthy foodie influencers that I’m an avid fan of.
Anyway … one of these great cooks blew my mind when she gave me the secret to her amazing family meals.
I am sharing this because all too often we OVERTHINK meal planning and prepping.
Her advice is so simple and so foolproof that it completely transformed how I personally approach my own meals.
Here it is:
“As long as you put together ingredients that taste good, your meal is going to taste good.”
(I told you it was simple.)
However, I’m going to take it to the next level – with one slight change:
- I would add the words “healthy whole food” to the ingredient criteria: “As long as you put together healthy, whole food ingredients that taste good, your meal will be healthy and taste good.”
I used to spend too much time making over-complicated recipes … it always felt like a chore and virtually impossible to do with kids underfoot and limited time to cook.
You know, something fancy like “braised Brussels sprouts with pork tenderloin and peaches.”
Which is fun sometimes, but gets old fast … and the cleanup takes way too much time.
Instead, it’s all about putting together:
At least one palm-sized portion of protein + 1-2 fistfuls of vegetables + a tablespoon of healthy fat + (sometimes) a whole grain or starchy veggie.
And then adding a seasoning or sauce that tastes great! Or you can even throw them together in a pot with some broth and make a soup.
Now, on any given day you will find in my fridge:
- Protein: grilled chicken thighs, ground turkey, air fried salmon, deli turkey meat
- Veggies: air fried broccoli and brussels sprouts, sauteed onions and mushrooms, roasted cauliflower,
- Grains and starchy veggies: jasmine rice, roasted sweet potatoes
- Fats: Avocado, salad dressings, dairy-free cheese, nuts
When it’s time to put together a meal for lunch or dinner, all I have to do is grab my ingredients and put it together.
It’s not always fancy, but it IS always healthy and delish. And it also keeps me on track with my goals and energized to take on my day.
Like I always say, it’s the small, simple steps that add up to BIG RESULTS!
What are YOU having for dinner tonight?
Make it a great day,
Lisa
PS: If you want at least one new EASY recipe a week to try, be sure to join our Facebook group!
