Is Your Shopping Cart A Rainbow? : A MUST HAVE List for Grocery Shopping.

Eating Healthy Starts with A Good Shopping List!

    Everyone knows you never should grocery shop when you are hungry, because you buy stuff that you just shouldn't. But lets be honest, when you are trying to start eating healthier...You are ALWAYS hungry. 24/7. Non-stop. All I can think about is a big, cheese burger with lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, bacon and all the fixings. So we never should walk into a grocery store again because I might sink my teeth into the first thing that even resembles a cheese burger? No. We have a game plan and stick to it.

 

 

   I am someone that needs organization. I can't sit down and grade papers or read or do anything before I have the house clean and in order. So when I grocery shop I need a game plan so I stay in track. Now that is easy for me to do because I am pretty disciplined when it comes to following the rules, but I know everyone is not like me and it can be very hard. So if you have a hard time following the plan, just ask a friend or a family member to come along. You get to have social time and have someone be "List Master" so that no guests not on the list wander into the club that is your shopping cart.

 

    This has a lot to do with meal prep as well. I would suggest picking a day where you have free time to sit down and decide what you are going to eat for the week. There are a lot of meal planner printables out there that are an amazing help with this, because you cannot build your grocery list till you know what you want to make. I will put a link to my favorites and the ones I use at the bottom of the page.

 

   Once you have done that you are ready to start your grocery list. I like mine to be divided out by section so that shopping is streamlined and efficient, but if you prefer to make several loops all around the store...at least you are getting in all your steps for the day. Exercise can be found anywhere; just because you aren't doing squats in the freezer isle doesn't mean you aren't a lean, mean calorie burning machine!!  So that is a great way to get the extra steps in .

 

My "Must Haves" Weekly Grocery List

Grains/Nuts                                           Dairy/ Deli / Cheese 

• Quinoa                                                  Greek Yogurt
• Oatmeal                                                Almond milk or 1% milk
• Brown Rice                                          Colby Monterey Jack Sliced Cheese
• Whole Wheat Pitas                               Eggs
• **Pita Chips                                    ** Hummus
• Whole Wheat Pasta                              Block Cheese
•   Wheat Bread                                        Block/Fresh Mozzarella
• Almonds                                               Sliced Turkey (smoked)
• Whole Wheat Tortillas

Produce- Veggies                                                       Produce- Fruits

• Kale                                                                                Strawberries
• Baby Spinach                                                                 Raspberries
• **Head of Lettuce                                                          Apples (any kind)
• Green, Red, Orange and Yellow Bell Peppers              Pineapple
• Sugar Snap Peas                                                            Oranges
• Baby Carrots                                                                  **Lemons/Limes
• Cucumbers                                                                     
• Celery
• Cherry Tomatoes

Frozen Foods

• Freezer veggies - Mixed Vegetables, Stir Fry Veggies
• Frozen berries or fruits (for smoothies or yogurt)

Protein:

• Chicken Breast
• Lean Ground Beef
• Shrimp (Frozen)
• Salmon

 

You may have noticed that some foods had ** next to them. Those are either special foods or have some explanations:

The head of lettuce and lemons/limes I grow myself. So I don't actually have those on my list because I don't need to buy them, but I included them here so you could see that they are needed.

The Pita and Hummus are something I love in particular because I am part Lebanese, so we love our Hummus. And it is actually pretty healthy and has lots of different flavors to try. Pita chips are a good pair, but so is cheese with pepperoni slices. (pita chips are just a little better for you).

 

   You can add any additional HEALTY foods to the list, as well as one junk/snack item per week. I usually change mine up each week. But you cannot completely deny yourself everything all the time. It is okay to have one snack a week that isn't a super food. Moderation is key. If you want to know more about Portions and how to size your food that you just purchased see my post about that here.

 Your cart really should look like the rainbow.

The Rainbow Method, Explained:

 

There should be a little something of every color in there, NOT including the boxed and bagged goods. I am talking clean and fresh foods. You should have something of every color in there. Once you have the rainbow, you know you have probably enough healthy fruits and veggies to last you the week. This Rainbow Method also helps you try new things. For example, Purple... Besides plums you have things like Eggplant. I didn't like that food before using my Rainbow method. Now I love trying it in different ways. And it is all because I needed something purple. If you ask me that is a food miracle. (BTW good luck with indigo....I suggest skipping that one because....well blue is blue. )

 

Like I said earlier, there are a lot of pintables out there that will help you get organized and follow your plan. Here are some of my favorites. I also included the water tracker that I have on my fridge that is also in printable format.

 

• My Weekly Meal Plan
• Sea Colored Weekly Meal Plan Without Shopping List
• Shopping List With Sections
• Grocery List with Meal Planner (smaller)
• Daily Water Intake Tracker

 For more printables, a simple google search or a trip to Pinterest should do. You can even make your own using Microsoft word or Excel. Feel Free to be creative and even make a binder out of it.

 

HAPPY SHOPPING!

Portion sizing done Cheap, Right and EASY!!

     Here is a real devil of a post. Portion Sizes. Most of the time people try to be healthy by eating the right things, but too much of a good thing can be bad...unless its ice cream right? Because we all know that if no one sees me eat the entire container of mint chocolate chip ice cream at 3 am then it doesn't count...right? OF COURSE NOT.  According to Casey Neistat, a popular film producer,

"If New Yorkers reduced portion size to 16 ounces from 20 ounces for one sugary drink every two weeks, it would collectively save approximately 2.3 million pounds over one year."
 

That is outrageous. Just reducing the amount of soda intake could change so much. But the key here is that he never says, "if New Yorkers STOPPED drinking soda..." We do not have to cut out everything good and wonderful just because it is unhealthy. We just need to manage our portions and do it in Moderation.

   That is easier said than done of course. When your kitchen drawer of containers looks like this...

And you are sick and tired of using and REWASHING these...

 

 

 

It is time for a MAJOR upgrade. Lets be honest, I hate measuring stuff. H-A-T-E  I-T!! With a burning passion. It makes more dishes than you even have dish liquid for and it increases meal prep times, Especially for on the go meals and lunches. When you are in a hurry out the door and pack a lunch everyday, this whole Portion Sizes thing just doesn't fit with your schedule or your level of patience. But there is a light at the end of the tunnel....

 

 LunchBlox!

 

 

    Lunch Blox is a system of containers that are premeasured to help you organize your meal. I am sure you have all heard of the 21 Day Fix, but you have to pay for that. Why would you pay money just for someone to give you the "secret" to portion sizes. They aren't a secret!! for $7 you can get one of these lunch blox systems.  The picture I have above you see the lunch system ($7), the snack container ($4) and a 32 oz. water infuser ($8). These were all purchased at Walmart, no hassle, no shipping or expensive memberships. And they have a simple explanation of how to use them too!

 

To see all the different systems they have to offer click here.

 

 

There are so many different ways to use these, and seeing how over 80% of Americans eat their lunch in an office or cubical and all moms could use a quick fix for their child's lunch, they are so great and easy to use. They are a life saver.

 

 

Stay tuned for a post on how to fill these bad boys up!!

 



 

 



 

Not Your Average Chocolate Candy!

Stained Glass Chocolate Disks:

   In a life of dieting, we often are not allowed any of the comfort foods of life, unless they have been stripped of all things that make them "Comfortable" in the first place. Lots of diets that send you food through the mail and such say "Oh and I can even eat chocolate cake". Whoopdee- doo. You also have to pay through the nose for that. Making these chocolate disks of deliciousness only cost me around 10 dollars. (give or take depending on what you like on them and what you already have in your cabinets).
   This is a great recipe and its simple, which is great for me because I don't like having to go out and buy a bunch of ingredients that I will probably only use once. That is not very cost effective, and where you aren't made out of green, these are a simple and healthy solution to the problem!!
   I called them stained glass just because I think the way the light looks on them and all the different colors reminds me of stained glass. Plus, I didn't want to spend hours coming up with a name for them because I would rather be talking about them to all of you reading this!

Ingredients:

• 1 /2bag of chocolate chips (over 70% cacao if you can)

• 1 cup of tropical mixed dried fruits

• 1 cup of mixed nuts

• 1/4 cup raisins

This makes about 10 disks with a diameter the size of a drinking glass

   How to make:

Step 1) Prep a baking sheet with parchment paper. If you do not want to buy that, you can use aluminum foil with a coating of Pam. They work equally  well. I used tin foil this time, because I discovered a very empty roll of parchment paper in my cabinet.

 

Step 2) Dump the chocolate chips into a glass, microwave safe bowl. I used half of the bag and it ended up making about 10 disks the size of a cup bottom. I also used Hershey's 60% chocolate chips because I was in a rush at the store and couldn't make it to Trader Joe's to get my favorite 70% dark chocolate. But the darker the chocolate the healthier it is for you.....and the more you can eat, so that's a bonus.

     I heated the chocolate chips in the microwave for 30 second intervals, stirring between each round. It should only take 2 or 3 times before its melted.

 

Step 3) Take a tablespoon and make dollops of chocolate on the parchment paper that are 1 tsb. serving sizes. Make sure not to spread it around, just let it settle on its own.

 

Step 4) Take your mixed nuts and fruits or whatever else you would like to decorate the disk with and drop them onto the chocolate. You will want to do this before it starts to harden.

 

Step 5) Once you have fully decked out your stained glass chocolate disk creations, put the pan into the fridge and let set for 10 minutes or until the chocolate is fully hardened.









These were supper easy to make and even better to eat and enjoy. In the end, they end up being about 88 calories a piece. It depends on what you put on them, but they are very low calories. If you used a darker chocolate than I did, they will be even less!!!

I hope you enjoyed this mini recipe and enjoy eating them even more!

Remember to take pictures of your creations and email them to youwantmetoeatwhatblog@gmail.com I will make a post of all of my favorite follower creations in the future.

Happy cooking! 

Breakfast: The most Important Meal of the Day!

A Whole New Take on Breakfast, Sandwiches & Eggs

    Ever since I was a kid I had a hard time with breakfast. I never knew what I wanted to eat. (Well, actually I did know. I wanted leftovers from dinner.) But cold pizza every morning isn't the healthiest thing, and my mother knew that all too well. She did her best to try and find me a breakfast food I liked, and she succeed several times. The trouble is I got BORED of the same old breakfast foods.

   Now as an adult who is on the journey of becoming healthier, eating better and trying to learn lots about cooking (which may or may not have something to do with convincing my boyfriend to marry me haha), I have found lots of new ways to eat breakfast and be happy about what I am eating. No more slimy oatmeal, no more plain eggs, no more toaster waffles. I bring to you....

           The Open Faced Ham, Egg and Cheese Breakfast Sandwich

 

 

Can we please just have a moment to appreciate the glory that is this breakfast sandwich?! I mean this is gorgeous and delicious.

 

Ingredients:

• 1 Large Egg (Cooked over hard) - 70 Calories
• 1 slice Deli style sliced Colby & Monterey Jack Cheese (Great Value Brand) - 70 Calories
• 2 organic Grape tomatoes - 8 Calories
• 1/4 cup diced Green Pepper - 7 Calories
• 1 slice toasted Honey Wheat Bread (Great Value Brand) - 70 Calories
• 2 pieces Thinly Sliced Smoked Turkey Breast ( Great Value Brand) - 25 Calories
• Black pepper to taste

 

 

That adds up to a grand total of only 250 Calories!!! That is a gorgeous breakfast, low calories and it is absolutely delicious. Plus, did I mention it makes only 3 dishes to wash!! That's right, this is a One Pan Wonder!

 

So how do we make this thing of beauty? You literally need the skill set of a 12 year old in Home Economics Class (Before the end of the year, I might add).

 

Step1) Using a small frying pan, heat a very small amount of oil. I set my stove to level 5.5. But I have an old stove and a dial, so just on medium heat for whatever stove or hot plate you are using.

 

Step 2) Crack that EGG! Crack the egg into the pan and use your spatula to keep it from spreading around too far.  You want it to stay smaller than the size of your bread. You can use an egg form if you want. Lots of people use the tops of mason jar lids. I am a minimal utensil fan, so I just keep it in check with my spatula instead.  Top the egg with your preferred amount of black pepper, but DO NOT add salt if you can help it. Keeping sodium to a low starts with avoiding extra salt.

 

This egg is cooked over hard. If you would rather scramble it or do something else you can! I just think that this way is low maintenance and keeps your sandwich from being too messy or hard to hold together. If you do not know how to do an egg over hard, NO PROBLEM. Click here to see an easy to follow tutorial on how to cook an Egg over hard! And don't feel bad, its something I learned just last year anyways! Its easy and a good skill to have for breakfast sandwiches.

 

Step 3) While the egg is setting up, chop up about a 1/4 cup of green pepper. You can use red, orange or yellow if you prefer and you can use more! Raw foods are unlimited when it comes to healthy and clean.  Also cut in half two or three grape tomatoes. Using the tip of your knife, CAREFULLY, try to scoop out the seeds and liquidy-stuff inside the tomatoes. That will prevent them from getting too squishy and wet.

 

If you have other veggies you prefer then by all means change this up. That is the beauty of cooking. You can make it your own and change it to suit your own personal tastes!

 

Step 4) Dump your chopped goods into the pan and flip your egg. It should be golden brown on the bottom. If its not, just flip it back over and wait another minute or so. You can add extra pepper to your veggies if you prefer. Just wait for a minute or two to let them cook and get softer. They tend to take the pepper better when they have cooked a bit.

                                                                                                                      

As you can see, I kept my egg pretty under control with just my spatula. I have not yet flipped it here, but its-a-comin'!! The veggies have just been added and they are cookin' away!

 

 

 

Step 5) Once your egg has been flipped, you can add the cheese slice. Tear it down the center and overlap it in the middle of your egg slightly. If it is hanging off the edges too much it gets caught up with the other stuff in the pan and burns the edges of the cheese. Not good. Not what we want.

 

NOTE: that we cannot flip the egg back over once you put cheese on it. So make sure the side you are "cheesing" is cooked/browned up to your liking.

 

Step 6)  Toast your bread. I did mine in the toaster, nothing fancy. Just stick in the toaster and let it go while you finish.

 

Step 7) Once your egg is cooked to your liking you can pull it out and set it aside on a plate. I wouldn't set it on the bread just yet, that will make it soggy because it will sit there for a few minutes while we finish cooking.

 

Step 8) Toss in the slices of lunch meat. You can use more than 2 if you like. The serving size on the package is 4 slice, and I only 2. But if you add more slices, you increase the calories by double. Two was plenty for me and my low calorie allotment of only 1,300 a day. Let the lunch meat cook up with the veggies. Flip it over two or three times within the 2 or 3 minutes you cook it. Just cook it till its slightly browned and warmed up.

 

            NOW IT IS TIME TO CONSTRUCT OUT TASTY MASTERPIECE!!

Step 9) Lay the toast down on the plate. Stack on top of it your cheese cover egg, cheese side up, then your lunch meat and last but certainly not least, the veggies!! And There you have it.

 

A delicious sandwich using all the stuff we usually have in our fridge and cabinets. I love this because it is simple, easy and makes virtually NO mess.   Which means a lot because my boyfriend doesn't do dishes...ever. This breakfast pairs well with a good cup of Organic Green Tea and a good Crossword puzzle, Episode of Grey's Anatomy or just Good Conversation. Regardless, it is a perfect twist on a boring everyday egg.

 

Enjoy and I will talk to you next time!!!



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Not Just Another Blog Post About A Yuppie Getting "Thin"

A Blog? Really?

Yes, Really. It feels like in today's world everyone and their mother and their mother's mother is trying to get healthier and get in shape, and they all have an opinion of how to do it. There are MILLIONS of different ways to do it and everyone says that their way is the best "You should do this" or "this is the number one way to lose 20 pounds in 2 weeks". We see adds everywhere saying "Do You Want To Get Thin Fast?" and there are countless doctor shows and talk shows telling us what we should do to be healthy.

  But if we followed ALL of that advice then we would be taking this everyday...

 

 

What those Doctors, Adds, Talk show Hosts and Advice-Givers never tell us is that

  <NOT EVERYTHING WORKS FOR EVERYONE>

     That is going to be the motto behind this journey. Just because something works for me, doesn't mean it will work for you. I am not here to say "Oh look at me doing what I am doing. If you do EXACTLY what I do you will get skinny too!!"  I AM  here to tell you that if you find motivation and encourage form this then perfect. If there is something on here that truly does work for YOU, then that's amazing, and even if there is nothing on here that helps you, but you just like my satirical personality and how I talk (or type I guess) then that is perfectly okay too!  There are so many people out there that tell us that we need to look like this...

LADIES: YOU DO NOT NEED TO LOOK LIKE THIS TO BE BEAUTIFUL!!!

We are human beings. We are all shaped differently and THAT IS OKAY!

Step 1 to getting to the you that you want to be is accepting that you are BEAUTIFUL just the way you are now. You don't NEED to change. No one can tell you that you HAVE to change. Only you can decide that you WANT to change.

    Step 1 is the hardest in anything we do. It took me a long time to love myself. (now for some background on me). How I talk probably makes you think that I might be overweight. I am not, nor have I ever been. I am 5 foot and 1 inch tall and I weigh 130 pounds. I am "thin" among most peoples standards. But I grew up in a family that was all overweight but me. I know what it looks like when someone hates how they look and feels ugly. I used to be called the Fed-Ex baby by my classmates, because no one could understand how I was so thin when my family wasn't.
    I took this step, because I want to do something for myself. I want to be healthier and happier. I want to take care of my mind, body and soul so that the life I live is full and happy.


 The trick to step 1 is NO HATING. ON ANYONE. I know it is easy to look at someone walking down the street that has your dream body and wish him/her poorly or be pissed off for some reason. It is easy to call the skinny girls with the thigh gaps slutty because....well just because. And it is easy to look at someone heavier than you or someone you think isnt as nice looking as you and think "haha I win!" But that is bad karma. BAD JUJU!! Everyone is different. Everyone is beautiful. Wish all people well on all journeys and walks of life. Don't say how much you hate working out or hate the food you have to eat to be healthy. It may be easy, but that is only going to set you back in life and in your goals. It did for me.

   I was picked on a lot as a kid, and for me being judgmental was easy because others were judgmental of me. But then I realized how that was just poisoning my life. I rose above it. I learned to try to love all people. Value all Life and appreciate the little things. That lead me to the path of loving myself. Because when you can look at a stranger and feel a fondness for another random human being, just because they are a life...Then its a hell of a lot easier to love yourself! At least in my opinion.