Healthy meals are what help me in fulfilling my life.  What does my meal plan consist of during the week?

I am sharing with you all my menu. First, I want to explain that my diet is very particular because of a digestive condition that I have been working around, for at least 20 years.

My morning ritual

It starts with a hardy breakfast which usually consists of plain, zero percent, FAGE greek yogurt or an egg frittata.  I mix up the greek yogurt recipe by adding or eliminating a few ingredients. I always add fresh fruit; strawberries, apples, grapes, bananas are some examples. Most of the time I add nuts, mixed and unsalted, or raw cashews, raw almonds. When I am in a pinch I buy the bulk unsalted mixed nuts.  I can never find them raw.

On the days I make the frittata (eggs), I will add fresh tomatoes, spinach, onions, or any green leafy vegetables.  If I am craving a little heat, then I either spread a medium salsa or salsa verde on top. And don’t forget the hot sauce!

Afternoon feast

Lately, for lunches I have been slow cooking a sweet potato or squash in my slow cooker. I love all types of squash, butternut, acorn, spaghetti are just a few. Thanks to Cook Eat Paleo, I learned the quickest way to prepare these foods.  I wash them and place them in my slow cooker on low. There is zero preparation! This is my morning ritual, to make breakfast and get my lunch started.

I make my lunch more balanced by having sides off raw/uncooked vegetables, like carrots or broccoli, with a 1/4 or half cup of ricotta cheese. The brand I use is BelGioioso, Ricotta con Latte (part skim milk). It’s imperative that I feel full and satisfied because I usually have an entire evening instructing my personal training clients or I am in dance rehearsal past the usual dinner hour.

Keep it light

Because my work hours are so late, dinner is usually my lightest meal. Homemade soups in my crockpot, are most likely a mixture of beans and vegetable broth and mixed vegetables cooked together.  Sometimes I have frozen veggie burgers made from mushrooms, lentils, chickpeas, sweet potatoes, etc…

The real trick is to get, throughout your day, healthy carbohydrates, proteins, and good fats. When I have more time in the evening to cook I make fish, chicken, wild rice or some type of carbo.

There are plenty of evenings I want a sweet treat! I will share my latest craving.  I have always loved sugar, and if you know me then it’s safe to say you have seen me eating jelly bellies or some kind of sour candy.  So, I decided that instead of ingesting all  that artificial ingredients that I would eat something equal naughty, but made from real ingredients.

Here it Goes…

Cut up a lemon into small wedges and sprinkle Sugar in the raw on them.  It truly satisfies me!

Also, I will point out that it’s very critical that you eat whole foods (real ingredients) daily.  If you have cravings try creating food concoctions like my lemon and sugar treat.  Processed foods and other food substitutes are not good for your digestive system, plus they are the main cause of weight gain and cravings.