15 Apr Pimp Your Meals With These Healthy Upgrades
People are always wondering how we can enjoy our meals while eating healthy. I can’t blame them. We all grew up to think that healthy means boring, green and not so delicious. But I’m here to break that myth!
- There’s no reason why healthy meals can’t be delicious!
- There’s no reason for you should skip dessert!
- There’s no reason why you should feel miserable or deprived when taking care of your health!
- The opposite is the truth.
Here’s an example of our Sunday meal the other week. We had a dear friend come by for lunch, and although I wanted to serve a beautiful meal, I also didn’t want to spend days in the kitchen. I also know that said friend is prioritising his health now more than ever, and I wanted to serve a meal that everyone can enjoy to the max.
At a first glance, the meal you’re about to see won’t look much different to what you may be making and serving too! The secret is to healthify the dishes so that you get the most out of every bite.
Sunday Roast Healthified
Chicken
- Buying organic, free range chicken means that you’re choosing the best quality available. The chicken lived a happy life, at what it should naturally eat, and enjoyed fresh air and sunshine. This by default means that the meat is healthier than a caged chicken which was fed corn and grains, hardly moved, was given hormones to grow bigger.
- Using oil or fat which is healthy and can take high heat makes a huge difference. Stick to ghee, coconut oil, or high quality avocado oil are the best options for a roast chicken. The chicken will give out its own fat too which is great. If you prefer sticking to good old extra virgin olive oil, wait until you take the chicken out of the oven. Drizzle the evoo and cover to let rest. If you’re curious about different oils and why and how you should use them, check out this oils and fats PDF I’ve put together for you.
- Marinading chicken can be super simple, and you don’t have to worry about letting it sit too long if you forget. The world will not implode (though of course it’ll be more delish if you do manage to remember ahead of time). Good Dijon mustard, white wine, curry powder, and any and all single spice you have in the spice rack. DON’T go for a spice mix. Those are most often full of chemicals, sugar, additives and other mysterious ingredients. Check out the image below, showing you ingredients of a spice mix sold at your local shops. This is what I call a chemical shitstorm.
Potatoes
- We don’t often eat potatoes at home, but when we do, we always go for purple potatoes. Those are a lot more nutrient dense, full of antioxidants and phytonutrients which help reduce inflammation amongst other things. Eat the rainbow 🙂
- Going back to the fat, here again the same applies. Go for a healthy fat which can take high heat. Here’s that fats and oils PDF again in case you didn’t download it yet.
- As for spices, potatoes don’t need too much. A good amount of sea salt, and some rosemary and/or thyme (fresh or dry) will already do the trick. You can always add fresh/dried garlic, freshly ground pepper, or paprika. Whichever way you go, it’ll be delish.
- A cool trick – cooled cooked potatoes digest differently in our bodies. Instead of being their usual carb-forward veg, they “become” resistant starch, a.k.a. food for our gut bacteria. So if you don’t prepare a cold potato dish, you can leave them on your plate for last, letting them cool off by the time you eat them.
Coleslaw
- Mayo that doesn’t have healthy fats and oils is not easy to find, especially in Switzerland. Although some companies claim that their mayo is with olive oil or avocado oil, when looking at the ingredients you can see that they are mostly another unhealthy cheap oil, taking mayo from being an ok condiment to have, to a super unhealthy one. Here’s the mayonnaise I always get from iHerb which we love.
- Sugar… yes, most coleslaw you know and love has sugar in it. Don’t ask me why. When I make coleslaw at home, my dressing is a simple one. Mayo, mustard, salt, lime juice and maple syrup or honey.
- Food processor is your best friend in the kitchen. It takes exactly 2 minutes to grate cabbage, carrots and apple in the food processor. All you have to do it wash and cut the bigger veg, and you’re good to go!
Tomato Salad
Just to get a bit more veg and healthy fat, an extra salad can never be a bad idea.We love tossing together ripe cherry tomatoes, black olives, and loads of basil, drizzle with olive oil and apple cider vinegar, and you’re good to go!
No matter which salad you choose to make, as long as you keep to the healthy fats and oils, plenty of colourful veggies, and avoiding store-bought dressings, your body will thank you, and your palate will too.
I hope you got some ideas on how to pimp up your meals, keeping things simple and delicious, yet giving your body exactly what it needs. Comment below if you have any questions and I’ll be happy to answer.
Danna helps incredible women understand just how incredible they really are – by working on self love, on healing their relationship with food, and giving their gut what it needs in order to support their health and livelihood. Her goal is to help others reach deliciously sustainable lifestyle changes. Enjoy life, and enjoy every bite of food you eat. No diets, no deprivation!
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