What I eat in a day: weekday edition

On weekends my husband and I like to treat ourselves to some wonderful, good-for-the-soul sweets. Friday nights we get ice cream at a local creamery, and Sunday afternoon pastries are our thing. As much as I love our weekends, I also look forward to moments of self-care and nourishment during the week: indulging in things like clean whole foods, exercise and stretching, and plenty of water.

Before I share a few ideas of what we eat during the week, I’d like to say that wholesome, mindful eating can look different for everyone. From what I’ve learned (& I’m still learning every day), the three most important factors of a healthy diet are variety (eat the rainbow!), portion sizes (listening to our bodies), and food quality (opting for clean, whole foods and limiting processed items & preservatives). Follow along to see what a day of healthful eating looks like in our home!

Water

On weekdays (& weekends as well), my goal is 100 oz of water per day. I mostly stick to plain water, but love sipping on Spindrift too - it’s a sparkling water flavored with real fruit juice that makes a great alternative to sugary sodas. Drinking this much water every day helps me feel energized, makes my skin glow, and can even curb cravings. I recommend this to anyone who feels sluggish or out of sync with their body. Water is so vital to our health! I would encourage you to work with your physician to find a daily hydration goal that’s right for you.

A balanced breakfast

My favorite way to start the day is with a balanced breakfast made up of 3 parts: protein, carbs, & fruit. I try my best to avoid added sugars in our meals, so when it comes to carbs I opt for healthy options like homemade banana bread (Elle Penner from Modern Minimalism has a great no sugar added recipe), sourdough toast, or homemade sugar free pancakes.

As for eggs, the most important factor is the quality of the egg. I always look for unbleached, organic, pasture-raised eggs. The yolks should be a bright orange color similar to fresh orange juice. Lately, Hudson has been requesting boiled eggs, but we also enjoy them scrambled or fried with coconut oil and seasoned with freshly cracked salt and pepper.

Fruit is fun because I switch it up with the seasons. Cinnamon persimmons are truly a dream in the fall. Kiwis have been a favorite (all year long really), and I like to pair them with blueberries or blackberries for variety and color. Strawberries and bananas are our other go-to’s!

Sandwiches

I have trained our boys well to love their avocado toast. I slice a locally baked sourdough loaf for the base, and top it with sliced avocado, cracked salt & pepper, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Serve with sliced apples for the perfect afternoon snack!

I also enjoy making healthy sandwiches for lunch - I use sliced sourdough, clean mayo & mustard, quality sliced turkey and cheese, and fresh veggies like greens, tomato, and cucumber. I like to serve with whatever fresh fruit we have on hand.

Turkey meatballs

It can be difficult to find healthy meals that both Tyler & I and the little ones enjoy - but turkey meatballs have become a staple in our home. Erin Clarke at Well Plated has a simple & delicious baked meatball recipe that I pair with organic pasta & red sauce. I serve it with a large helping of arugula salad, dressed with a lemon & olive oil.

Snacks

I’ve found that planning ahead is the key to success when it comes to eating clean during the week. I like to stock our kitchen with healthy staples like organic string cheese, olive oil crackers, and dried fruits. Lesser Evil’s coconut oil popcorn is another favorite of ours.

Thoughts…

If there’s something I’ve learned through my years of struggling through different diet fads, it’s the importance of nurturing my relationship with food. For years, I wrote off bread and starch. I replaced wheat flour with nut flour, flour tortillas with almond tortillas, and loaded up my plate with animal protein in lieu of pasta.

Little did I know that within a few years, I would go through a traumatic emergency surgery to remove 2 large kidney stones. Kidney stones can be caused by excessive protein intake, often specifically related to nut consumption. For years I had been unkind to my body - restricting certain foods, and over-compensating with others.

I have learned that my relationship with food should be about celebrating and nourishing the body that God has blessed me with. Today, I eat for health, energy, and enjoyment. God has given us so many wonderful foods to choose from, and strong, resilient bodies to care for. What a blessing that is!

There will be evenings of celebration, filled with fluffy cake slices & crispy slices of pizza and mornings of stillness when we have the time to slice fresh fruit and scramble some eggs. My prayer is that you & I will take delight in each meal, with gratitude, nurturing a healthy relationship with food along the way.

til next time,

Becks