Mediterranean Diet Inspiration

"One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well"-Virginia Woolf

I'm going to be honest with you all, today was a lazy day. I had leftovers for lunch and some of my produce is verging on over-ripening so I was intent on not wasting it. Basically I had to use avocado, peppers, onions, and tomatoes in everything I made. Luckily, all of those veggies are in line with my Mediterranean inspiration. 

Breakfast:

• Veggie Egg White Scramble
• What you need:
• egg whites
• spinach
• tomatoes
• onions
• avocado 
• bell peppers
• mozzarella cheese 
• How to make:
• Scramble everything together over medium heat 

• Greek Yogurt Parfait 
• 4 oz. Greek yogurt with 4 cup strawberries, 1 tbs pomegranate seeds, and 1 tsp. honey

Lunch:

• Leftovers from Mediterranean Spinach Shrimp Pasta

Dinner:

• Mediterranean Inspired Nachos
• What you need:
• tortilla chips
• cheese
• onions
• avocado
• tomato 
• bell peppers
• How to make:
• Melt cheese over chips with all the toppings

Cheers X

Mediterranean Diet Inspiration

"The groundwork for all happiness is good health."- Leigh Hunt

Breakfast:

• 6 oz. Greek yogurt with ½ cup strawberries, 2 tbs pomegranate seeds, and 1 tsp. honey

Love starting the morning with these beautiful colors 

Nom nom nom

• 1 slice whole-grain toast with half mashed avocado

Lunch:

• Spinach with Garbanzo Beans and crusty bread 
• What you need:
• 2 cloves minced garlic 
• 1/4 onion diced
• 2 cups spinach 
• 1/2 can of garbanzo beans 
• 1 cup kale
• 1/4 cup shredded carrots
• How to make:
• Heat olive oil 
• Cook the garlic and onion for about 5 minutes

• Stir in the spinach and garbanzo beans

• Mix in the kale and carrots. Lightly mash the beans and cook until everything is thoroughly heated.

Dinner:

• Mediterranean Shrimp and Pasta 
• What you need:
• 2 tsp olive oil 
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 2 cups chopped plum tomatoes 
• 1/4 cup sliced basil
• 1/3 cup kalamata olives 
• spinach linguine 
• 1/4 cup mozzarella 
• How to make:
• Cook pasta

Spinach linguine is healthier than the flour based traditional noodles

• Heat olive oil and saute garlic for 30 seconds

• Add in shrimp saute 1 minute 

• Add in tomato, olives, and basil, simmer 3 minutes

• Add in shrimp, tomato, olives, and basil to the pasta and top with cheese

It's basically the same thing as being in Greece... 

Cheers X

Mediterranean Diet Inspiration

"Health and intellect are the two blessings of life."-Menander

Breakfast:

• 6 oz. Greek yogurt with ½ cup strawberries, 2 tbs pomegranate seeds, and 1 tsp. honey
• 1 slice whole-grain toast with half mashed avocado

Lunch:

• 1 whole-grain pita with 2 tbsp. hummus and stuffed with 1 cup fresh greens and 2 slices tomatoes
• 1 medium orange

Dinner:

• 3 oz. mahi mahi 
• ½ cup couscous, ½ cup zucchini, 4 spears asparagus, 1 cup kale

Couscous

Asparagus 

Couscous, zucchini, asparagus

Mahi-Mahi

Mahi-Mahi with veggie couscous

Cheers X

Cleansing

Happiness lies, first of all, in health."-George William Curtis

As I previously mentioned, I broke my ankle and foot seven weeks ago.  I attempted to execute a pirouette and failed miserably resulting in a Jones Fracture in my foot, a break in my upper ankle, and a seriously painful third degree sprain in that ankle. I was in a boot for a week before I could get into see the Orthopedic surgeon. The doctor then casted my foot for a month and then put me back in a walking boot for another three weeks. During most of this I was unable to drive (it's my right foot) and had to rely completely on my amazing roommate. However, the end is now in sight. I am a week away (hopefully) from getting a clean bill of health.

Immediately after my initial injury

All casted up

I have to say seven weeks of being almost completely stationary in addition to being stressed from starting a new job and trying to get settled after a cross country move is not the easiest thing in the world to do. Especially if you are trying to be healthy. I have lost a lot of muscle tone (not that I even had that much to begin with) and I have been surviving on a horrible diet.

In the last seven days of being stuck in a boot, I decided to try a cleanse in hopes of helping my body adjust to being more healthy and mobile. I have heard about a lot of different cleanses and I have tried a different one previously that made me feel great afterwards, but it required a high-powered blender which I don't yet have in my apartment. Therefore, I was looking for a cleanse that wasn't completely insane, but would still be effective.

Here is the 7 day cleanse I will be doing starting Tuesday:

• Tuesday: All you can eat fruit, but no bananas. 
• Wednesday: All you can eat vegetables.
• Thursday: All you can eat fruits and vegetables.
• Friday: Up to 8 bananas and 3 glasses of milk.
• Saturday: 20 oz. of lean beef and 6 whole tomatoes.
• Sunday: All you can eat lean beef and vegetables.
• Sunday: All you can eat brown rice and vegetables with pure (no sugar added) fruit juice

In addition to the foods listed above, it is important to drink at least 10 glasses of water every day and abstain from alcohol. You are also allowed to supplement any day with as much of the following recipe for soup as you would like. 

Soup:

• Water
• Onions
• Tomatoes
• Green Bell Peppers
• Celery
• Cabbage
• Lipton Onion Soup Packets

Clean Eating Shopping List 

I will also be soaking in a tub with epsom salt for at least 15 minutes everyday. Epsom salt is known for  relaxing the body, easing muscle strain, easing sprains, relieving pain, and eliminating toxins.  I personally like Lavender Scented Epsom Salt.

I will let you all know how my cleanse goes! 

Cheers xx