changing eatting habits

[xeney]

I have found that one of the best things I can do regarding healthy eating is to manage my breakfasts, because it is easy for me to eat a very healthy meal at that time of day. I eat the same thing most days: two slices of toasted Alvarado Street bread (weird nutty texture, but very high fiber and protein, and it's actually low carb although I don't really watch carbs) with about a tablespoon of no-added-sugar peanut butter and a little bit of low sugar jam. (Not the kind with aspartame, just the kind that isn't as sweet.) That has something like 14 grams of protein and some fat, but it's more filling than cereal and won't make me sugar crash like a pop tart! If I exercise in the morning or if I am hungry again, I have some combination of a banana, a small glass of skim milk, or a container of yogurt around 10 or so.

My rule with lunch is that I just try not to overeat, but I tend to be starving mid-day no matter what I did at breakfast, and I am often eating out, so I don't worry very much about lunch. I generally eat healthy leftovers or choose the healthiest menu option that doesn't sound revolting, but if someone invites me out for Mexican food I am not going to pick at a plate of plain beans and rice. But I do try to get three servings of vegetables in at lunch time.

For dinner we almost always cook something healthy, even when we have been out for a ride and don't get home until it's dark and we are already starving. The secret: garden or Boca burgers. We aren't vegetarians but we keep those in the freezer, along with whole grain buns. They aren't high calorie but they have a lot of protein, and they cook in about five minutes. Back in the days when it was safe to eat salad we usually had a Boca burger with a big salad after our Wednesday night date night (which usually means biking or canoeing).

Another thing that makes quick healthy meals easier is that Barilla Plus pasta, the stuff in the yellow box. It's not weird tasting like whole wheat pasta, but again, it's high fiber and high protein. (It's made with lentils or something weird like that, but it just tastes like pasta.) We eat that with sauteed vegetables, or a sauce made of roasted winter squash, or occasionally with low fat chicken sausage.

[Pedal Wench]

....The secret: garden or Boca burgers. .....


Another thing that makes quick healthy meals easier is that Barilla Plus pasta, the stuff in the yellow box. ... or occasionally with low fat chicken sausage.

Have you tried Boca's Italian sausage? It's really, really good - I had some pasta sauce and hearty wheat bread left over after my BF's visit, so I've been making sausage sandwiches with this - wonderful, and I don't feel guilty eating it.

[xeney]

My confession: I kind of hate soy "meats." I can eat a Boca burger if I put a lot of other stuff on it (salsa, good tomatoes, maybe some cheese) but I'd rather have a Gardenburger. My husband likes Boca burgers so we usually do one of each. He loves the Boca sausages but I always wind up giving my share to the dogs. (Our dogs like Boca stuff more than they like actual meat.)

I am a big Quorn fan, though. We use the ground Quorn (unfortunately hard to find) for things like tacos, and I can add some seasoning and fool myself into thinking it's Italian sausage, too. Mostly we use the version that looks like chicken breasts ... low calorie, high protein, and much faster/easier than actual chicken (which grosses me out a little so I stopped cooking it at home).

[KSH]

My confession: I kind of hate soy "meats." I can eat a Boca burger if I put a lot of other stuff on it (salsa, good tomatoes, maybe some cheese) but I'd rather have a Gardenburger.

I'm a vegetarian... and Boca burgers so so nasty!

Morning Star Farms makes a yummy black bean burger (140 calories?). They also make this delicious breaded "chicken" patty... 170 calories and GOOD!