eating meat-light

I like the idea behind Meatless Mondays. I'm not a vegetarian by any means, but it doesn't mean I don't like to pretend I am for a few days out of the week. I've gone from eating meat every day to eating it only a few times a week.

The grocery bill is lower. I'm getting more creative when making dinner and in the process, increasing my intake of other healthy foods like vegetables and lentils.  Not only is it better for health, but it doesn’t hurt that it’s safer for the environment too.

Read more information about Meatless Mondays here. You might want to consider registering your blog (or making a pledge), if you’re really interested in the movement.

What's your take on it? Would you try going meatless at least once out of the week or are you a full-on vegetarian/vegan?

do you juice?

I like the idea of drinking a day's worth of veggies and fruits in just a few minutes. Not only is it terribly convenient, but the mix of carrots, apples and beets are delicious...sweet and earthy.

Not everyone has a juicer (nor do you need one), so smoothies are always a great option. I'm wanting to try this green smoothie, but you can never go wrong with something that has icy bananas (with a few fresh blueberries thrown in for good measure).

Do you like to juice/blend? Any recipes you swear by?

vegetables for dinner + weekend plans

Fresh veggies have been making their way into every dinner, lately. Spinach, green beans, broccoli, kale...it's been a winter of crunchy greens.

Some favorites include:

-oven-roasted broccoli (with panko bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese tossed in for texture and good measure)
-baby spinach chips (just like kale chips only milder)

In this household, olive oil and vegetables go together like peanut butter and jelly.

Next on the agenda: cauliflower popcorn. However, I'd be open to other cauliflower recipes, if you have any for me.

Otherwise, I hope you have a great weekend!  Bob and I will be hosting our first party (a housewarming!) in the new apartment. I'm notoriously terrible at planning parties, but I hope to turn over a new leaf by the time Saturday comes. Wish me luck!

things i learned from michael pollan

i'm so late to jump on this bandwagon, but i just finished reading michael pollan's in defense of food (he also wrote food rules and the omnivore's dilemma).  initially, it read a bit textbooky to me, but about half way through, i started getting really into it.  what i like about this book is that it's not preachy and he's not telling you exactly what you should be eating.  it's more of a guide to helping you make the right choices.  pollan tells you what to look out for and what not to be fooled by.  there's a lot of useful and important information in this book, but there are a few lessons that have stood out to me:


1.) though the french typically eat fatty foods, they have lower rates of heart disease and diabetes than americans (or western dieters) because the portions are smaller and they don't go back for seconds.

2.) always check the ingredients.  if you can't pronounce it or recognize it, then it's best to steer clear.

3.) people of all cultures around the world have managed to have completely different eating habits and lifestyles and stay much healthier than westerners.  for example, mountainers in switzerland consumed a mostly meat diet and showed no signs of tooth decay.  people in the hebrides existed mostly on seafood and oats.  what they had in common was that they were eating real, fresh and nutrient-rich foods.

4.) foods that go out of their way to make health claims are not as healthy as they claim.  "low-fat" or "no fat" usually means an extra boost of sodium, sugar and/or other additives.

5.) the best foods at the supermarket can generally be found on the outskirts (fruits, veggies, yogurts, milk, eggs), while the worst are usually sandwiched between these aisles (potato chips, cookies, artificial fruit juices, sugar-packed cereals).

6.) we should be eating real food.  period.

at times, pollan's advice can be hard to follow (i.e. buy a whole hog, chop it up into pieces and freeze them).  but the overall message is quite powerful and yet so simple.  common sense!  and sadly, not so common.

highly recommended read for anyone who is looking to better their diet.

-jillian m.

tweaks i've made for better health

1. daily drinks of choice: unsweetened grapefruit juice, 2% milk (i just can't do skim), filtered water, coconut water.

2. better snacking between meals: natural popcorn, dark chocolate, candied almonds, kale chips, bananas with all-natural chocolate peanut butter.

3. buy at least one "superfood" for the week and incorporate it into meals: kale, avocados, almonds.

4. no more salt on pizza (yes, i do did that)! and just trying to cut back on salt altogether.

other changes include, but are not limited to:

• reducing my sugar intake (my oreo consumption has dramatically decreased.  i seriously live for those things.  needless to say, it's been really tough).

• cutting out soda completely (although i get a really strong craving for it when eating pizza).

• eating healthier breakfasts, i.e. greek yogurt mixed with berries and kashi go lean crunch in honey almond flax (it's no bacon, egg and cheese biscuit but it tastes good.  no really, it does!).

with all this being said, i'm no health nut.  i still eat fried foods.  and 99% of time, i will order the dessert (unless i've loaded up on too many beef tacos and there's just no room in there).  why should we deny ourselves?  i think we all deserve a treat from time to time.


is there anything you've done to modify your diet?  it can be as little as taking a multivitamin everyday or as big as going vegan.  feel free to share below!

-jillian m.