This is a guest post by Brooke Benlifer.
The second installment of her Back To Goodness Series in 2016.
I feel so fortunate to have her as our resident Dietitian here at The Wellness Bucket.
A delicious must-try recipe, an example of what a healthy shopping list looks like, and one of the best ways I’ve seen yet for creating accountability… it’s all in there.
Without further ado… take it away Brooke!
Thanks Mike!
It’s always so great to be here with you and the rest of The Wellness Bucket community, I love it.
I’m excited to share a bunch with you this month.
Let’s start things off with a recipe… it’s a twist on an old favorite.
Creamy Curry Deviled Eggs
Hard boil and finely chop 4 eggs
Add 2 Tbsp of coconut cream (the solid white, top portion of a can of full fat coconut milk)
Add a curry spice mix (such as Vindaloo), sea salt and pepper
Spoon the chopped eggs into lettuce leaves and wrap them up like a burrito
Coconut cream is an amazing substitute for mayonnaise in savory recipes and can also be used to enhance desserts, like fresh berries.
It’s also a healthy saturated fat that promotes satiety and weight loss, and best of all, it tastes great!
Healthy Shopping List
Here is an abbreviated list of my current staples (healthy foods I absolutely love).
Leafy greens (for wraps)
Romaine or Butter leaf lettuce
Edamame (a perfect snack, chock full of protein, fiber and omega 3 fats)
Beans (chickpeas, black beans, kidney or pinto beans)
Canned wild salmon
Sardines in olive oil
Chunk light tuna
Dry roasted, salted almonds
Pistachios (in the shell)
Full fat coconut milk
Primal Kitchen mayo
Apples
Blueberries
Sweet potatoes
Meal Prep/Planning
My best tip for meal prep is to choose several breakfast, lunch, and dinner meals that can be repeated regularly, as well as a handful of snacks you love.
Keep these staples around on a regular basis, so that you can quickly prep one of your meals in a pinch.
I tend to buy apples and lettuce in bulk, as well as keep organic frozen berries and some organic veggies in the freezer at all times.
Pantry staples include beans, canned fish, olives, nuts, seeds, and oils. In my fridge, you’ll find hard boiled eggs and a few varieties of cheese, among other things.
Staying on Track (Accountability to Yourself & Others)
This month, my family and I created our own accountability calendars that list our health and wellness goals.
We posted them front and center on the fridge making our goals public to each other.
Each day that we complete our goals, we mark an X for that calendar day.
As the weeks pass, we create an “unbroken chain” of X’s.
The chain serves a purpose of creating momentum.
It’s also our public declaration that helps us stay accountable to each other and more importantly, to ourselves.
While each of us have different goals, we all are aiming to feel our best by eating well, exercising regularly and learning new skills.
On easy days, checking a red X in the box is simple, but on days when we are faced with challenges (mentally, physically, emotionally), this task can seem daunting and completing the goals near impossible.
However, staying the course and realizing the benefits that come with determination and persistence are priceless.
I’d love to hear about all you’re doing this month to get Back to Goodness.
Let me know in the comments below and if I can help you in any way, let me know that too.
Brooke Joanna Benlifer, RD is a Cornell University graduate and Registered Dietitian. She currently lives in San Diego with her husband and twins.
“My passion is preventative health through optimal nutrition. I want to lead people toward healthier, more fulfilling lives.”
http://www.brookejoannanutrition.com
