Are You a Starch Junkie?
They’re a staple in most people’s dinners. Rice, potatoes, pasta… all that starchy goodness, that somehow seems to go with anything and everything.
But do we really need so much of it? Every day? We don’t. In fact, most of the starchy carbohydrates offer very little nutrition, especially in comparison to carbohydrates from vegetables.
One of the best ways to lean out is to avoid the starchy carbs, especially at night time, when your body really doesn’t need them.
If you enjoy starchy carbs and you find you really can’t cut them out, then at least eat them sparingly, maybe 2 times a week, instead of every night. Better yet, have them for lunch instead. For overall health, protein and veggies are the way to go at night time. You’ll not only have a better sleep, but you’ll also start losing those pesky extra inches.
So, what do I have for dinner after bootcamp? A great big salad.
I know what a lot of you are thinking… “Boring!!!” But it’s not! You really just have to be creative with salads, and experiment with different ingredients and combinations. Salads are actually one of the most versatile meals because you can add just about anything to them.
Here’s the salad I had for dinner last night. Yum!
Mixed Greens Salad, with Beets, Walnuts & Tempeh – Vegan & GF
Serves 1, but double or triple to serve the whole family
Salad
What you’ll need:
2 cups mixed greens (baby spinach, arugula, baby lettuces)*
1 strip marinated organic tempeh, cut into small pieces * (see recipe below)
1 small cooked beet chopped or grated raw beet
1 tbsp of dried cranberries (sulfate free, sugar free)
4-6 slices of thinly sliced red onion
5 Raw Organic Walnuts, left whole or chopped up
¼ cup bean sprouts
1 heaping tbsp organic goat cheese to top (optional if you’re not vegan)In a medium sized bowl, combine all ingredients. Dress with a drizzle of olive oil, a splash of freshly squeezed lemon juice, some sea salt and fresh ground pepper. Mix and enjoy.
Marinated Tempeh
1 (8.5oz) package of organic frozen tempeh, thawed and sliced into 5 or 6 long strips (I use Noble Bean Organic Tempeh)
1/ 4 cup organic tamari sauce (wheat free GF people)
1 tbsp organic sesame oil
1 tsp ground fennel seed
1 garlic clove, mincedCombine last 5 ingredients in a bowl and then our on top of tempeh. Let marinade in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight. Lightly grill on a pan with a bit of coconut oil until all sides are golden.
My two cents:
I’m currently, really loving the Organic Girl mix, which I actually found at the Walmart produce section of all places. It’s a mix of red & green swiss chard, tat soi, arugula & spinach.
Now, I’m not normally big on soy personally (I’ll leave that for another post), but fermented soy such as tempeh is a totally different story. Naturally fermented foods are super gut friendly, and nutritious.
Have a happy and healthy day!
Daniela
