This week, I offered my husband/running coach/co-conspirator the opportunity to plan this week's menu. I'm the menu planner the other 51 weeks of the year. Using Plan to Eat, he chose a few recipes that I haven't used in a while and so I'm excited eat flavors I haven't had recently. He created a well-balanced menu with varied proteins and vegetables. There's a balance of chicken, pork, fish and shellfish. There's also a variety of vegetables, including: spaghetti squash, brussel sprouts, carrots, kale, and spinach. If I could find a way to include kale/swiss chard/spinach into every meal, I would!
Most nights, we don't include carbohydrates with dinner, as we aim to eat most of our carbs during the day. In the book, ROAR: How to Match Your Food and Fitness to Your Unique Female Physiology for Optimum Performance, Great Health, and a Strong, Lean Body for Life, by Stacy Sims, she writes that as the day wanes, the body becomes more adept for protein, especially in the mid-afternoon and toward bedtime. Protein is key for many cellular processes and muscular repair,
which occur while you sleep. She recommends eating complex carbs in the morning toward mid-day with a greater emphasis on quality protein mid-afternoon through the evening.
Here's what's on the dinner menu this week:
Your New Favorite Pork Chops and Brussel Sprouts (sautéed)
For lunch, I eat the same dish just about every day. Chicken, kale & spinach, and brown rice. I buy enough chicken to make 5 lunches. I continue to tweak this recipe every few weeks or so to keep things fresh. Below is the recipe I've masterminded.
Trees Knees Spicy Maple Chicken Bowl:
22 oz. chicken breast (cut & cubed)
1 tbsp sesame oil
1-2 garlic cloves (chopped)
3 tbsp Trees Knees Spicy Maple
1.5 ts red pepper flakes
2 tsp turmeric
1-2 tbsp Bragg Liquid Aminos
3 tbsp fresh basil (chopped)
1 cup brown rice (steamed)
Kale and spinach (steamed)
Cut and cube the chicken. Chop the garlic. Heat up a sauté pan and add the sesame oil. Once sesame oil has warmed up, sauté the garlic for a few minutes, making sure not to burn. Add the chicken and cook for a minute or two and then stir so chicken cooks evenly. After a few more minutes add the rest of the ingredients except for the basil and stir periodically. Add the basil right before the chicken is completely cooked. Stir one more time to mix in basil. Easy peasy. I make enough brown rice for the week and steam the kale and spinach daily for lunch. Chopsticks optional.
After dinner? DARK CHOCOLATE! Every damn night. I like a variety of brands, including:
For breakfast ideas check out my blog on breakfast.
For more dinner recipes, check out this blog post and recipes under the food tab.