dinner inspiration for this week and eating healthier

 

Happy Tuesday, friends! I have a question for you. What's for dinner at your house this week? I would love to know! Are you one who snacks? I'd love to know what you snack on as well! I'll share that with you as well. Here goes! 

I had a deconstructed sushi bowl for dinner Sunday night. 

This may not look like much, but it was so good! I cooked riced cauliflower (frozen, from Costco) according the package instructions. While it steamed in the microwave, on the stovetop, I heated up a can of tuna in a drizzle of olive oil and with I Can't Believe it's Not Butter. I seasoned it with red pepper flakes, garlic powder and a dash of salt. When that was heated, and when the rice was finished steaming, I put the rice in a bowl, the tuna on top, and topped with chopped walnuts (I wanted sesame seeds, but didn't have any), and a drizzle of sriracha. It was high in protein thanks to the white albacore tuna and low in fat and calories. It would be delicious with avocado, but I didn't have one or even a little pack of guacamole. We're having this again Thursday, because I want Todd to try it as well. We love sushi, so this is an excellent alternative to make at home. (I'll thank TikTok for this one.)

Last night I made this pasta for us. I ate this on Thursday and Friday nights of last week, it was so good. I did share about it then, but I'll share again. We bought this pasta on Amazon and I cooked it according to the instructions. While that cooked, in a pan on the stove top, I made a healthier version of alfredo. I used about 2 tbsp of the I Can't Believe it's Not Butter, a drizzle of olive oil, a 1/2 cup of heavy cream and 1 cup of milk, and pepper. I let that get really hot and added a 1/2-1 cup of grated parmesan cheese. If it's too thin, you can add more parmesan cheese, if it's too thick, you can drizzle in more milk. This DOES NOT need salt! It does need pepper, though. I also heated up some tomato sauce with garlic and a pinch of salt and poured that over the cooked ground beef. We like to mix our pasta sauces, which is what they refer to as Vodka sauce. It's half alfredo sauce, half marinara. It's so good! I added more red pepper flakes and a dash or two of salt. For the boys, I just cooked another box of regular pasta.

Wednesday night I am making what is called a "skillet". It's in one pan—a skillet. I'll use a pound of taco seasoned ground beef, black beans, corn that I'll char over the stovetop or under the broiler, avocado, tomatoes, quinoa (cooked according to box instructions), and a sprinkling of cheese. It should be delicious! I will garnish it with crushed tortilla chips, more salsa, and a sprinkle of shredded cheese.

That just leaves the weekend and I'll be home a lot by myself most likely, so I'll eat the leftovers of all this amazing food. It's good to have options! Here are a few tips and tricks I've learned for meal planning/prepping:

I have cut way back on my salt intake, because both my Mom and Dad have issues with this. I am being preventative and decided to make a change now. 

I need something to fill me up that seems like carbs, but without gluten. Remember how I mentioned yesterday that I'm eating gluten free and I feel better? Well, gluten is in all the things that fill me up—potatoes, rice, breads, and I not eating any of that. Better options for me are riced cauliflower, quinoa, and sweet potatoes, so I loaded up on those at the grocery store on Monday.

Having healthy snacking options is a must for me! I drink one of these protein drinks for my breakfast...

I snack for lunch on something like tortilla chips, hummus, and maybe a couple of slices of roasted chicken from the deli. I eat a protein bar in the afternoon, this kind we buy from Costco...

... and I've been keeping homemade Chex mix on hand for us to snack on. I make it with all the Chex cereals (wheat, rice, corn) and half a box of Cheese Its. I melt 1/4 cup of that I Can't Believe it's Not Butter, 2 tbsp of olive oil, garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce, and some shakes of a Cajun seasoning we have. I cook it for one hour on 300 and take it out every 15 minutes to give it a good shake. I make it one of those giant black roasting pans and it'll last us through at least four days. The guys love this stuff, so we can go through it quickly. 

I keep tortilla chips, hummus, and guacamole packs on hand for snacking as well. If I crave something sweet, I have a bite of something sweet. Last night it was a piece of peppermint bark and a tiny glass of milk. I don't deprive myself when I crave something, I just eat a little bite and it's enough to satisfy me. I've already lost some weight, but I've also lost that terrible bloated feeling I had after eating too much over the holidays. That's why I made the change the day after Christmas. I'm not following a plan, I'm just kind of doing what is working for me and what satisfies me and what goes along with what Todd is eating. In case you've missed this fact, he has lost over 60 pounds since he started dieting in February of 2022. 

I've learned that I can make things so much healthier by using things like olive oil mixed with I Can't Believe it's Not Butter, I can cut back on salt and use other spices in its place, and I can snack on things I make that are healthier and satisfying without feeling any of the guilt. 

I'm not doing it for any other reason than to just be healthier than I was. The benefit is feeling great, because I'm not eating the things that cause inflammation in my body. I have more energy because I'm resting well at night, I'm never tired anymore, I never feel too full or bloated, and it's changing my desire for what's entirely too personal to share here, but that you can imagine on your own. 😉 Who would have ever thought that all those things would be connected? I'm no professional, obviously, but I'm experiencing it right now in my life, so I know it's true.

Now that I've shared all of that, it's your turn. What are you having for dinner this week? What are you snacking on now that the holidays are behind us? I'd love to hear from you! Thanks for reading my blog, friends, and for the comment love. Much love to you all. ❤