The holiday season always wreaks havoc on our ability to eat healthy. Lucky for us, the New Year provides an opportunity to press the reset button and get back to business. But, before you start diligently counting fat grams or cutting carbs, I suggest focusing your efforts on eating more food...more home-cooked food that is.
Diet plans are hideous! There, I said it.
It's one thing if a preexisting health issue has you under a doctor's care and following a strict eating regimen. But, if you are a relatively healthy adult who's looking to control your weight by eating healthier, formal diets aren't necessarily the way to do it. Here are my thoughts on the matter.
The majority of diet plans are built around either greatly reducing your intake of a particular component of food, or cutting it out altogether. Doing so will most likely result in weight loss, but there's a problem. After about three or four months of eating this way, most people get bored with their available food choices. Feeling unfulfilled, they will slip and ultimately return to their old ways. The weight eventually returns and the cycle of yo-yo weight loss begins.
Phooey to all of it, I say. I've been following my own diet regimen for the last five years and it's worked out quite well. It's a little something I like to call, "The 80/20 Plan."
Eighty percent of the time I concentrate on consuming whole foods I've prepared myself, paying attention to the fat and sugar content, as well as portion size. The remaining 20 percent of the time, I give absolutely no thought to what I eat, enjoying either more decadent foods or larger quantities of healthy food. This regimen not only helps me stay healthy and lean, it also keeps me from feeling deprived. Along with daily exercise, it is a plan I intend to follow for the rest of my life.
What I'm about to share with you is a typical weekday of eating for me. My goal is to show you that the key to good health is not about depriving yourself of food. It's about committing to the process of preparing it.
Breakfast
Mornings are always busy, right? Between getting my son to school, and getting myself to work on time, it always feels like a rush. That's why the key for me to eat a healthy breakfast is speedy preparation. One of my favorite quick and healthy breakfasts is steel cut Irish oatmeal.
For those unfamiliar, steel-cut oats differ from rolled or old-fashioned oats by how they are processed. Both start with the removal of the oat's inedible outer husk. With rolled oats, the inner grain (or groat) is lightly steamed and then rolled flat. With steel cut oats, the groat is kept raw and cut into smaller pieces.
Nutritionally, both types of oats are virtually the same. The difference for me lies with the nuttier taste and chewier texture of steel cut oatmeal, as well as its ability to satisfy. A bowl of this stuff gives me tons of energy and keeps me plenty full until lunch.
Before we get cooking, please know that regular steel-cut oats take about 25 minutes to cook. This is why I suggest using McCann's Quick and Easy Steel Cut Irish Oatmeal for busy weekday mornings. They are available in the cereal aisle of most supermarkets and can be prepared in 5 minutes.
Steal Cut Oatmeal with Fruit and Spice (makes 1 serving)
- 1/4 C McCann's Quick and Easy Steel Cut Irish Oatmeal
- 3/4 C water
- A pinch of Kosher salt
- 1 Tbsp dark brown sugar
- 1/4 Tsp cinnamon
- A pinch of ground nutmeg
For the toppings:
- Low-fat milk
- Sliced banana
- Fresh blueberries
- Sliced almonds
To a small saucepot, add the water and bring to a boil. Add oats and a pinch of salt, and mix well. Cover the pot and reduce the heat to the lowest setting. Cook for 5 minutes.
To the oatmeal, add brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Mix well, cover and turn off the heat. Allow the oatmeal to sit for 1 minute.
Spoon the oatmeal into a bowl and top with milk, fruit and nuts.
Lunch
For about the last three years, I've been bringing my lunch to work nearly every day. Prior to this I was purchasing it from various restaurants and eateries. But even though I was staying away from typical fast food, I found myself slowly putting on weight. It was also costing me a lot of money. Once I committed to bringing my lunch to work, however, two things happened. I got thinner and my wallet got fatter. Not a bad combo, right?
Speaking of combos, one of favorites is soup and sandwich. While I love both items on their own, together they make for the perfect weekday lunch.
In terms of the soup, I have a sizeable repertoire of easy recipes that I can whip up in roughly 30 minutes. What I like to do is take a half hour out of my Sunday to make one of them. Doing so provides me with soup for the week. All that's left is to portion it into containers and reheat it in the microwave at work. Here's one of my favorites.
Quick and Easy Vegetable Soup (4-6 servings)
- 4 C chicken or vegetable stock
- 1 C water
- 1 14-15oz can chopped tomatoes in puree
- 1/2 onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
- 1 celery rib, chopped
- 1 cup fresh green beans, chopped into 1-inch long pieces
- 1 ear of corn, kernels removed
- 1 14-ounce can white cannellini beans, drained
- 1 Tsp Herbs d' Provence, or Italian seasoning
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
In a soup pot, heat 3 to 4 tablespoons of olive oil over a medium flame. Add onion, garlic, carrot and celery. Season with salt and pepper and allow the vegetables to cook until the onions just start to soften (3 to 4 minutes).
To the vegetables, add the canned tomatoes, chicken stock, water and herbs. Season with salt and pepper, mix well and bring just to the boil.
Add green beans, corn, and canned beans. Reduce to a very low simmer and allow the soup to cook for 12-15 minutes, or until the green beans soften, but remain slightly al dente.
Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.
I normally put together a simple sandwich the night before I go to work. Along with the soup, I'm set to enjoy a tasty and healthy lunch, less expensive than I could get at any restaurant.
Dinner
Weekday dinner making can be challenging for all sorts of reasons. The challenges, however, don't negate your need to eat. Aside from choosing to cook, dinner options typically include dining out, ordering in, or popping a frozen dinner in the microwave.
So, what if told you by preparing a home cooked meal you'd be spending a lot less money than if you dined out or ordered in? And what if I told you that it would also be much healthier for you? Throw in the fact I'm about to give you an outstanding dish that's foolproof and can be prepared in less than 45 minutes, and there's really no excuse not to cook.
Thai Chicken Thighs
- 1.5 lbs. boneless/skinless chicken thighs
- 2 garlic cloves, minced fine or crushed
- 2 Tbsp fresh cilantro, minced
- 1.5 Tbsp. Asian fish sauce (found in the Asian foods aisle of most grocery stores)
- 1 Tsp. brown sugar
- 1/2 Tsp. chili powder
- 1/4 Tsp. crushed red pepper (optional)
- Fresh basil and/or mint, finely chopped
- 3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Lime wedges for serving
Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
In a mixing bowl, combine garlic, cilantro, fish sauce, brown sugar, chili powder and red pepper. Rub the mixture on both sides of the chicken thighs and let stand for as little as 15 minutes, or up to 24 hours.
In a large skillet, heat vegetable oil over a medium-high flame. Add chicken and cook for 3.5 to 4 minutes per side.
Cut each thigh crosswise into three or four pieces and serve over steamed rice. Garnish with herbs and lime wedges. A simple salad or a vegetable is all you need to make this a complete dinner.
So there you go - a whole day's worth of quick and easy meals that are healthy, delicious, and guaranteed to not break the bank. My job here is complete. Your job, on the other hand, has just begun. It's time to get cooking.
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