Last year I made some big changes in my eating habits. I have slim genetics so I’ve always been naturally thin, but after three kids I started noticing some changes in my body, and weight that was always fairly easy to keep off…suddenly wasn’t. My clothes were fitting differently, and I was carrying this extra weight that made me feel less like myself.
Plus, I found myself exhausted, suffering from indigestion pretty much every day, breaking out more, getting occasional headaches, and struggling to focus.
Eating well is definitely a challenge as a busy working mom, but I realized that I was the only one who could make changes. If I wanted to feel better, I had to do something.
So I started with my eating. There’s a lot more that goes into this story, and I’ve made a lot more changes since then that I’ll talk about another time, but today I want to share what I eat.
I’ve shared these recipes on instagram stories several times, but I always get questions, so I’m sharing them here so the ingredients and directions are all clear.
Also, I should mention that I am totally a creature of habit and I’m fine eating the same thing every day for breakfast and lunch, as long as it’s something really good.
Also Also, I find that if I eat savory dishes for both breakfast and lunch (steering clear of bread/toast, cereal, or smoothies), I feel more satisfied and not craving more an hour later. So both of these breakfast and lunch ideas are really great for providing energy and nutrition, while keeping me full for hours.
For breakfast every morning, I make an omelet.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 tsp. coconut oil
- 3 eggs
- 3-4 cherry tomatoes
- small handful of spinach
- 1 small mushroom
- 2 TB(ish) green pepper
- Feta cheese
- Homemade salsa
- 1 can fire roasted tomatoes
- 1 can green chilies
- salt and garlic powder to taste
- blend it all in the blender, cover and refrigerate. It usually stays good for about 1 1/2 weeks.
Wash and chop all your veggies. Heat your coconut oil in a small pan and move the pan to evenly spread the oil. Crack the eggs into the pan and use a fork to beat them til yolk and white are completely mixed. Immediately add the veggies. Cook on medium heat until the bottom is set. Use a spatula to flip the omelet and cook the other side.
Remove from the pan onto a plate, add a small handful of feta cheese, and fold the omelet in half. Add a spoonful or two of salsa on top. Eat immediately.
For lunch every day, I make a vegetable stir-fry. I’ve tried pre-chopping these veggies to cut down on time, but if you freeze them it completely ruins the taste, and if you refrigerate them they don’t last for more than a couple of days before going bad. So I typically make a large batch, eat half for lunch, and save the other half in the refrigerator for the next day.
But even if you had to chop and cook every day, it doesn’t take that long.
Ingredients:
- coconut oil
- 1 zucchini
- 1 yellow squash
- 1/4 sweet potato
- salt
- garlic powder
- feta cheese
Chop the zucchini and squash into thick slices (about 1/2″), then chop each slice into quarters. Peel the sweet potato and chop it into tiny pieces (about 1cm square). Head a large frying pan with 1 tsp coconut oil, then add vegetables. Cook on medium-high heat until crisp tender. [note: the sweet potato takes a lot longer to cook than the squash, so cutting it very small helps them cook at a similar rate]. Season with salt and garlic powder to taste.
Remove from the pan into a bowl and top with a few crumbles of feta cheese. Serve warm.
And for a snack, I have one of two things…either apple slices with peanut butter, or a peanut butter smoothie. I usually have my snack around 3:00pm, and both of these are filling and sweet enough to fulfill my need for an afternoon treat.
Here’s the recipe for the smoothie.
Ingredients:
- 1 ripe banana
- 2 TB PBFit powder
- 1 cup ice
- almond milk (this one with coconut milk is my very favorite) to consistency
Add the first three ingredients to the blender, then add about 1 cup of almond milk. Blend, and add more almond milk if needed until you reach your desired consistency.
Thanks for this! I generally make stir fry for dinner and didn’t even think of it for lunch! :). Any suggestions as far as replacing the cheese? I’m lactose intolerant… could I leave it out or does it complete the dish? Also, I like almond milk, not crazy about coconut milk… I know, I know I’m weird. The almond coconut milk sounds interesting… is it more almondy or coconuty? TIA!!
I know that hard cheeses have super low lactose levels, so if you’re ok eating those maybe try parmesan on top? For me the feta makes the dish, but I’m sure another cheese would be just as good. And I’ve had it without the cheese and it’s still good!
Also the coconut milk doesn’t taste like coconut really. It’s just creamier, which makes it taste a little more rich. But I still love regular almond milk!
Totally going to have to give these a try since I’m trying to get on the eating clean and healthier bandwagon too!
Paige
http://thehappyflammily.com
Love this—I am a creature of habit as well and have almost the exact same thing for lunch every day as you, except I roast my veggies! The feta definitely makes the dish, though I have substituted peanuts (lightly salted) in the past. I also sometimes add black beans for a bit more protein, or throw it all on top of some quinoa.
I’m new to your blog & loving it so far! ☺
Lizzie
This sounds yummy AND simple. Do you have any recommendations for toddlers? My grandkids need something other than cereal, etc for breakfast. Any ideas?
We do scrambled eggs a lot for my 1 year old, or I’ll make a huge patch of pancakes on the weekend and freeze them so they’re easy to pop in the toaster in the morning. We also like green smoothies. good luck!
Good for you for making a positive change! These meals look delicious – I only wish I could cook at home for both meals!
xo Jules
Thank-you for posting this,. I think your meals will help me stay focused and out of the kitchen hunting for snacks. I found your site while looking for stylish yet simple skirts and dresses to make for myself. I am beginner, and am very much looking forward to spending time learning from your blog 🙂
I love both your ideas… and frankly I already eat these! Good to know I’m on the right track. One thing I’d like to add … I include sliced red/orange peppers, and put my cut up veggies on a cookie sheet and spray with coconut spray oil (it could be olive oil for some people) and gently shake to lightly coat it all (no feta at this point) … and I have a Convection Roast setting on my oven which at 400 has them done in about 10-12 minutes! Add the feta once its out and in your bowl :-)~ Yummmm. Thanks again.
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Hi Merrick,
Love your blog and how you take care of yourself/your family! I am curious about what other changes you made in your healthy eating jourey that has helped you as you mentioned in this aricle. Please do share when you have time.
“There’s a lot more that goes into this story, and I’ve made a lot more changes since then that I’ll talk about another time”
Best,
Santwana