If you're trying to get healthier and shed some weight, it is important to have 5-6 small meals, spaced out during the day. I try to eat every 3 hours or so. This is what a typical work day for me looks like:
Breakfast: Overnight Oats, or a Van's Gluten Free Waffle with almond butter and an apple
(Check out LaurenLivesHealthy for a few great ideas for overnight oats!)
Morning snack: Coconut milk yogurt/soy yogurt with fresh berries
Lunch: Spinach salad with chickpeas or kidney beans, tomatoes, red peppers, onion, whatever other vegetables I have on hand, with balsamic vinegar and lemon as dressing
Afternoon snack: Baby carrots and hummus, or sometimes a Lara bar *not all Lara bars are vegan! The ones with chocolate chips may have traces of dairy. Which sucks because the ones with chocolate are obviously the best ones.
Dinner: Roasted Brussels sprouts or asparagus, (some kind of green veggie) with quinoa, and a tofu veggie patty. (this is my go to!) Other times I will make Vegetable Quinoa (recipe below)
Now on to the good stuff:
I fell in love with these recipes the first time I tried them, and can't get enough!
Cinnamon Apple Chia Porridge
(from Tone It Up) It is sweet and filling and makes enough to have it a few days in a row.
- ½ cup white or black chia seeds
- 2 cups apple juice
- ½ cup diced apples
- ½ cup raisins
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- ¼ tsp. nutmeg
- ¼ tsp. salt
- ¼ cup of agave
Pour chia seeds in a large mixing bowl. Add apple juice and stir until well incorporated. Continue to stir for about 5 minutes off and on to make sure no clumps form. Set aside for 10-15 minutes to let the chia absorb the liquid. You will know it is ready when the consistency is of porridge. Next add remaining ingredients to the chia mixture and stir until powders and sweeteners are well incorporated. Serve immediately. Garnish with additional fruit or your favorite topping.
(Thank you to Veg Kitchen for the initial recipe. I changed a few things for my own preferences)
Gluten free, vegan and super delicious! It makes a lot so you'll have leftovers for a few days, or bring it to a family gathering to share.
8 Servings
- 1 cup quinoa
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 heaping cup thinly shredded green cabbage
- 1 cup carrots cut in medium pieces
- 1 medium yellow squash, halved lengthwise and sliced l/4-inch thick
- 1 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced l/4-inch thick
- 1 1/2 cups canned (drained and rinsed) chickpeas
- 1 1/2 cups diced ripe tomatoes
- 1/2 teaspoon each: ground cumin, coriander, turmeric and salt
Cook quinoa as directed on package, fluff with a fork when done.
For the vegetable stew, heat the oil in a large saucepan or soup pot. Add the onions and sauté over moderate heat until translucent. Stir in cabbage and sauté until both it and the onion are lightly golden.
Add remaining stew ingredients. Bring to a simmer, then over and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 to 20 minutes. Add water as needed to produce a moist, but not soupy, consistency. The vegetables should be tender, but still firm.
Once done, serve the stew over the quinoa and enjoy!
Dark Chocolate Bites
(Photo cred: @waytogohealthy)
This was absolutely perfect for a post dinner anti-oxidant rich sweet treat! Thank you to @waytogohealthy on Instagram for the idea!
Makes approx. 12 pieces
- 2 cups vegan dark chocolate
- Pomegranate Seeds
- Chopped walnuts
- Melt dark chocolate in a double boiler (If you have one. I don't have a double boiler, so I just brought some water to a simmer over the stove in a small pot, stuck a heat-proof bowl in it and melted the chocolate in the bowl.)
- Prepare cookie sheet with a piece of parchment paper
- Spoon dollops of the dark chocolate onto the parchment paper
- Sprinkle pomegranate seeds and walnuts over the dark chocolate
- Put whole cookie sheet in the freezer to set.
- Enjoy!
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