Some Healthy Alternatives
Some healthy alternatives to less healthy foods — this isn’t a complete list, just a few ideas:
If you eat: Sweet stuff for breakfast — waffles, muffins, croissants, toast w/ butter & jam, donuts, cinnamon rolls, toaster pastries, pie …
Eat instead: Yogurt or soy yogurt with raw nuts, berries, ground flaxseeds, chopped up apples and/or banana.
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If you eat: Eggs and bacon or sausage for breakfast …
Eat instead: Scrambled tofu with olive oil, onions/garlic, grated carrots, broccoli and/or spinach, turmeric & chili powder, salt & pepper.
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If you eat: cereal made from processed flour …
Eat instead: Ezekiel cereal (or cooked steel-cut oats) with berries, raw nuts, flaxseeds (maybe even soymilk instead of milk if you’re daring).
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If you eat: Fried meats for lunch or dinner …
Eat instead: Baked fish/chicken or marinated tofu.
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If you eat: Junk food for snacks …
Eat instead: Raw veggies with hummus; or apples and raw nuts; celery with unsweetened peanut or almond butter; cottage cheese with fruit; edamame; air-popped popcorn with just a little salt (no butter).
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If you eat: Hamburgers …
Eat instead: Pita with falafels, hummus, diced tomatoes, spinach.
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If you eat: French fries …
Eat instead: Baked sweet potato wedges with olive oil & spices.
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If you eat: Mashed potatoes or rice …
Eat instead: Brown rice, quinoa, baked sweet potato (no added sugar or butter).
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If you eat: Pizza …
Eat instead: Mini-pizzas on whole-wheat English muffin, with marinara sauce, veggies, olive oil, a little cheese (or vegan cheese).
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If you drink: Beer or cocktails …
Drink instead: A glass or two of red wine.
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If you drink: Starbucks lattes or frappucinos …
Drink instead: Home-brewed coffee from freshly roasted beans, with a little skim milk or soy creamer, and no or very little sugar.
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If you drink: Sodas or other sweet drinks …
Drink instead: Hot green tea with no sugar, or water.
Those are just a few ideas to get you started.
A few other healthy favorites of mine
I can’t make a comprehensive list of healthy foods (Google can help you there), but here are some healthy foods I love:
- Chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
- Sauteed kale with garlic & olive oil (and salt/pepper)
- Spinach, broccoli, chard, bok choy
- Quinoa (try white, black, and red!)
- Sprouted-grain bread or hamburger buns
- Hummus (roasted red pepper is a good variation!)
- Sweet potatoes, carrots, red bell pepers
- Olives and olive oil
- Avocados
- Big salads with various greens, broccoli, raw nuts, pumpkin seeds, with apples, pears or berries, and a home-made dressing of olive oil/balsamic vinegar
- Home-made guacamole
- Tacos with whole-grain corn tortillas, black beans, salsa, guacamole, diced tomatoes, greens
- Anything with lentils (soup or curry!)
- Vegetarian chili
- Cubed tempeh sauteed with olive oil, garlic, and kale with salt/pepper
- Black bean veggie burgers with thick slice of tomato, avocado, dark greens, dijon mustard
- Gibbs’ muffins
- Tofu stir-fry with lots of veggies and some kinda Asian sauce
- Ground flaxseeds
- Figs
- Apples, pears, peaches
- Dark chocolate
- Citrus fruits