Jill MacInnes: Healthy Holidays!

Thanksgiving is days away -- the one day of the year when so much effort is spent eating so much food that we need a nap 20 minutes later. And with the December holidays not far behind, our healthy eating habits often go right out the window. The big question is: How do we get ourselves back on a healthier track during the busiest time of the year?

The important things in life require planning: A college education, a much-needed vacation. We plan for our retirement and the birth of a child. What we choose to eat each day is among the most important decisions we make, but few of us spend very little time, if any, planning our meals.

Jill MacInnes

If you are willing to dedicate just two hours of your time (plus a trip to the grocery store), you will find that shopping, preparing and cooking dinners for the full week ahead is easier, faster and a whole lot healthier than taking it day by day and winging it.

First, we need a grocery list:

Grains

Choose from a variety: brown rice, quinoa, Farro, whole wheat pasta, buckwheat – pick one or two and see what you like.

Veggies

Choose from a variety: spinach, asparagus, zucchini, kale, edamame, corn, broccoli. Pick at least 4 and if choosing the corn or edamame, those can be the frozen variety.

Meat, fish and poultry

Choose salmon, tilapia or flounder – really almost any fish will do. Again, try a variety and see what you like.

Chicken, chicken sausage – (I recommend Applegate Farms), boneless turkey breasts, lean steaks or ground sirloin at least 90 – 95% lean. And of course all this should be organic, or at least grass-fed. Pick any four of these and buy enough to have some leftovers.

When the shopping is done, the next step is prep: Cook two of the grains on the stove so they can be placed in the frig in containers to be heated up later. Hint – to keep your grains from clumping, cook, drain, let cool and, before refrigerating, add a little olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper.

If the veggies are fresh, you need to rinse and chop what you plan to use for the week and store these in plastic containers in the frig as well. If they are frozen, you can skip this step. I recommend combining fresh veggies with frozen to give variety to your menu.

Now that the grains and veggies are prepared and available as needed, you can plan out the meals for the week ahead. Here is one example of a weeks’ worth of recipes using our new plan approach. These can be varied in limitless ways based on the different ingredients you choose.

Monday: Salmon or white fish with brown rice and edamame. A great topping for baked fish is a tablespoon of maple syrup spread evenly over the fish. Mix a scoop of bread crumbs with a tablespoon of grated parmesan cheese, some red hot pepper flakes and dried parsley. Sprinkle on top and bake at 400 degrees for 18 minutes if fish is at least an inch thick. Use less time for thinner filets.

Tuesday: Chicken with sautéed spinach and quinoa. Spread a tablespoon of olive oil on top of the chicken and add some paprika and pepper. Or try topping with low-sodium soy sauce and orange slices for an Asian twist. Sauté the spinach in a pan and add a small amount of quinoa when it is almost cooked.

Wednesday: Take the leftover chicken and slice into bite-sized pieces. Sauté asparagus in a pan and add your pre-cooked brown rice or whole wheat pasta just enough to warm it up. In a large bowl, mix all ingredients together and add a tablespoon or two of pesto sauce (the kind in a jar is just fine). Stir well and serve. Top with fresh or grated parmesan cheese.

Thursday: Cook chicken sausage as instructed. Sauté the remaining veggies and heat the leftover grains or pasta. Mix all together with olive oil and your favorite spices. For a spicier kick, try the red-hot pepper chicken sausage.

Friday: Cook turkey breasts in a shallow pan with an inch of low sodium organic chicken or vegetable broth. This keeps the turkey moist. Pull out a bag of frozen veggies and have a little desert. TGIF!

For any of the above recipes you can add corn, onion, garlic, chopped broccoli to change it up and add flavor: Don’t be afraid to experiment. Grains are not meant to be eaten alone, but they are perfect complement to veggies and spices. Mix your rice and quinoa with your veggies for added flavor and texture. BE CREATIVE!

For more ideas on healthy eats feel free to contact me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

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