Back on the Healthy Eating Track: Post Holiday Eating on a Budget
January 13, 2014
By KC Kahn
Hi, friends and fans, I’m KC – the Kitchen Chopper. I blog about my Healthful Eating Concept – The Chopped – at http://www.theKitchenChopper.com
Best of intensions aside, the holidays wreak havoc on our budgets and waistlines. Something about this time of year. Don’t over-think it. Parties, shopping, a busy workday – our smart habits go by the wayside. ‘Tis the Season. I can help you get back on track with two words…The Chopped.
The Chopped is a healthful eating concept I created that shows you how to make budget-friendly meals using only chopped ingredients in proper proportion. I combine items like cooked grains and proteins along with raw and cooked veggies to make “Balanced-Meals-In-A-Bowl.” All pulled together with my tasty homemade dressings. Scrumptious, satisfying, economical, and easy on calories.
The secret to “The Chopped Diet” is to always have a variety of veggies, protein and cooked grains on hand. I “create” leftovers by cooking more of each staple than I need. I start the week by making a big batch of grains – brown rice, barley, quinoa or whatever your prefer. They are my “go-to’s” for the week.
Because basic chopped ingredients go farther all week long you can indulge in fairly expensive premium savory items like ahi tuna or avocado for your tasty additions. For example in a chopped diet you’ll only use 2 oz. of ahi and 1/4 avocado per serving. This provides immense flavor while saving you money as you parse these goodies out over many versions of the chopped diet.
Once you buy perishable basics for a recipe, i.e. greens, veggies, proteins, you can use those in every chopped diet until they’re gone. Sort of like a mix-and-match chinese menu but without the fortified sugar and MSG.
The versatility and variety of the chopped diet comes from what I call PED’s…Palate Enhancing Delights. The recipes call for small amounts of cheese, nuts, dried fruit or avocado. A little bit of decadence goes a long way. Good for your wallet and your waistline. Nothing needs to go to waste.
If you don’t want to follow a recipe use my “It’s a Template, Not a Recipe” Method. I make it real easy for you at http://thekitchenchopper.com/indexBlog.php/?p=158
Worried about variety? Chopped recipes are versatile in yet another way. Substitutions are encouraged. If you have romaine lettuce in the fridge and the recipe calls for arugula, by all means use what you have. If you make a big batch of roasted cauliflower and have some leftover, (which is always a good idea), please chop it in, even if the recipe calls for broccoli. Grains and proteins are interchangeable, too. If you’ve made brown rice use it instead of barley or quinoa.
Let’s talk about DRESSING. Do you buy bottles and bottles of dressings so that you’ll have variety? No need for that. I have a vast array of easy chopped style dressings that can be whipped up in just a couple of minutes. Chopped style dressings only use 1 tablespoon of oil per a 4 serving.The rest of the ingredients are flavorful vinegars, citrus, herbs and spices. The beauty of all this savoriness and mouth-pleasing delight? No extra calories. Try finding all this in a bottle!
You want to know my super-duper healthful secret? Chopped style dressings are the perfect delivery system for anti-aging goodies like antioxidant rich turmeric and chia seeds. Sauerkraut, which is a fermented veggie, is a perfect probiotics companion to something like the all-important Natren Healthy Trinity.
Tip of the iceberg for the healthfulness that can help keep your immune system in top condition.
Choppertunities abound for budget and body slimming deliciousness!
“Get Your Spoons Ready!”
About Our Guest Author
KC is a home cook and the blogger behindTheKitchenChopper.com. KC and her family have been following the trifecta of healthy Chopped nutrition, exercise and probiotics for about 15 years. She credits this lifestyle with experiencing fewer colds/allergies, more energy, and the ability to recover from injuries/surgeries faster. KC is a long time user to Natren Probiotics, and says, ” Probiotics changed my life just as eating The Chopped did. When your gut flora is healthy and you’re eating nutritious ingredients like vitamin and mineral packed veggies/fruits, low fat protein, high fiber carbs, healthful fats, and antioxidant rich herbs and spices your body hums along with healthy vitality.“
Other sites KC the Kitchen Chopper can be found:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/theKitchenChopper
Twitter: http://www.Twitter.com/KitchenChopper
Pinterest: http://www.Pinterest.com/KitchenChopper
Instagram: http://www.Instagram.com/theKitchenChopper
Youtube: http://www.Youtube.com/KCtheKitchenChopper
The post Back on the Healthy Eating Track: Post Holiday Eating on a Budget appeared first on Natren Probiotics Blog.
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