A Day of Healthy Meals

Breakfast: Wheat toast, peanut or almond butter, sliced bananas {or strawberries}, a drizzle of honey, and a sprinkle of lavender {optional}

Healthy Wraps. I wrap them up nicely and refrigerate them for lunch for the week ahead.

Kale & Spinach Salad

Eating healthy should be a lifestyle. And although I consider myself to be doing that already, I know I could always eat healthier. I'm one to say I can have everything in moderation, but you know with the holidays and all the cookie baking, sometimes eating in moderation gets ignored for the sake of enjoying another cookie with a cup of hot chocolate. I promised myself I would start the year with a healthy dose of healthy recipes to trim the unwanted post-holiday weight. These three favorite meals are quickly becoming a weekly affair.

Recipes

Healthy Wraps

1 15-ounce can of chickpeas1/3 cup teriyaki sauce1 Tablespoon Szechuan sauce1 dash of soy sauce1 squeeze of honey1 teaspoon grated ginger1 cup chopped spinach1 cup grated carrots2 cups cooked quinoa or brown riceAvocado slices

Drain and rinse one the chickpeas. Add to a mixing bowl with teriyaki sauce, Szechuan sauce, soy sauce, honey, grated ginger, spinach, grated carrots, and the cooked quinoa or brown rice. Stir until ingredients are evenly mixed. Divide mixture evenly between whole-grain wraps and lay sliced avocado on top of each portion of mixture. Roll up wraps and serve (or save in fridge for later).

Adapted from here

Deb's Kale Salad

Salad½ cup pecans8 ounces kale {I used a baby kale mix}4 to 5 medium radishes½ cup dried cherries or cranberries1 medium Fuji Apple or Granny Smith2 ounces soft goat cheese, chilled

Dressing3 tablespoons olive oil1½ tablespoons apple cider vinegar {or white wine vinegar}1 tablespoon smooth Dijon mustard1½ teaspoons honeySea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Instructions1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spread the pecans on a baking tray. Toast them until lightly golden and fragrant, about 5 to 10 minutes, tossing them once or twice to make sure they bake evenly. Remove the tray from the oven and set them aside to cool.2. Pull the kale leaves off from the tough stems and discard the stems. Use a chef’s knife to chop the kale into small, bite-sized pieces. 3. Transfer the kale to a big salad bowl. Sprinkle a small pinch of sea salt over the kale and massage the leaves with your hands by lightly scrunching big handfuls at a time, until the leaves are darker in color and fragrant.4. Thinly slice the radishes (this is easier to do if you first chop off the root end so you can place the base of the radish flat against your cutting board). Add them to the bowl.5. Coarsely chop the pecans and cranberries (or cherries) and add them to the bowl. Chop the apple into small, bite-sized pieces and add it to the bowl as well. Crumble the goat cheese over the top.6. In a small bowl, whisk the dressing ingredients together and pour the dressing over the salad. Toss until the salad is evenly coated with dressing. Serve immediately, or for even better flavor, let the salad marinate in the dressing for 10 to 20 minutes beforehand.

NOTESRecipe adapted from The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook by Deb Perelman by Cookie & Kate.

Add chicken breast strips for a filling dinner.

MAKE IT VEGAN: Omit the goat cheese, and use agave nectar instead of the honey for the dressing.