DAY 1 – MONDAY
Breakfast: Ginger Pear Smoothie:
· 1 1/2 cups water plus 1/2 cup ice
· 1/2 frozen banana
· 1 medium pear
· 1/2 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
· 1 tsp cinnamon
· 1 tablespoon ground flax seed or flax seed oil
· 1 scoop protein powder of choice
AM Snack: optional
1 hard-boiled egg, lightly salted
Lunch: Veggie Wrap:
· 1 whole grain wrap
· 1 tablespoon natural nut or seed butter
· Sliced English cucumber, sliced roma tomatoes, grated carrots
· Handful of baby spinach
· 1 ounce cheese of choice (optional)
GRAIN-FREE OPTION: Place all ingredients on 1 or 2 collard green leaves, avoiding the edges, then roll up.
PM snack:
1/2 cup edamame
Dinner: Baked salmon brushed with Dijon mustard.
Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper to taste. Steamed green beans – toss with fresh lemon juice, minced garlic, olive oil, sea salt and pepper to taste (optional: tamari soy sauce, sliced sun-dried tomatoes, or chopped basil)
DAY 2 –TUESDAY
Breakfast: Yogurt with fruit:
· 1/2 cup 0% fat Greek yogurt
· 1/2 medium apple, shredded or chopped
· 1/4 cup berries
· 1 tablespoon ground flax seed
· 1 tsp cinnamon
· 1 tablespoon chopped walnuts
AM snack: optional
1 piece of fruit of choice
Lunch: 1 cup chilli over 1/2 cup brown rice or 1/2 cup quinoa or 1-2 sliced sprouted grain bread
PM snack:
Raw veggie sticks (bell peppers, carrots, cucumbers, zucchini, celery, broccoli, cauliflower) + 2 tablespoons babaghanouj (Middle Eastern eggplant spread) or hummus
Dinner: Salad Nicoise:
· 1 cup green beans
· 1 can tuna, packed in water
· 1 tablespoon balsamic vinaigrette
· Handful of pitted Kalamata olives
· 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
· 1 teaspoon capers (optional)
· 2 cups mixed baby greens
· 2 hard-boiled eggs, halved
· Chopped parsley (optional)
Steam green beans until tender-crisp and hard-boil eggs. Toss tuna with ½ tablespoon vinaigrette, olives, tomatoes, and capers. Place baby greens on a plate, then arrange beans and eggs on plate and add tuna mixture. Drizzle with remaining vinaigrette and garnish with parsley.
DAY 3 – WEDNESDAY
Breakfast: PB & J Sandwich Reconstructed
· 1-2 slices sprouted grain bread
· 1 tablespoon natural nut butter
· 1/2 cup strawberries, sliced (or 1/2 banana, sliced)
AM snack: optional
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce + 1 tsp cinnamon
Lunch: Turkey Wrap
· 1 whole grain wrap
· Baby spinach or shredded Romaine lettuce
· Nitrite-free turkey slices
· Cucumber, thinly sliced
· Sliced tomatoes
· Red onion, thinly sliced
· Roasted red pepper, well-drained and sliced
· 2 tablespoons hummus
1 cup vegetable or tomato soup
PM snack:
100 g yogurt + 2 tablespoons pumpkin or sunflower seeds
Dinner:
Chicken Kabobs – marinate chicken breast in balsamic vinaigrette, cut into 1-inch cubes, and thread onto skewers, alternating with veggies like bell peppers, onions, zucchini, cherry tomatoes, and whole cremini mushrooms.
Cucumber Salad: Toss together thinly sliced cucumbers, halved cherry tomatoes, and a handful of Kalamata olives. Drizzle with fresh lemon juice and a teaspoon of olive oil, season with pepper to taste, and top with 1 ounce crumbled feta or goat cheese.
DAY 4 – THURSDAY
Breakfast:
Scrambled eggs (1 whole egg + 1/2 cup egg whites) or scrambled tofu, with sautéed red onions, tomatoes, and baby spinach, cooked with 1 teaspoon olive oil in skillet
1/2 cup mixed fruit salad
AM snack: optional
100 g yogurt
Lunch: Lox and Cream Cheese:
· 1 slice sprouted grain bread
· 1 ounce light cream cheese
· 1 tablespoon chopped chives
· 4 ounces smoked salmon
GRAIN-FREE/GLUTEN-FREE OPTION: Use rounds of English cucumber instead of the bread.
Colourful salad with 1 tablespoon balsamic vinaigrette
1 medium apple
PM snack:
1 cup kale chips
Dinner:
Vegetable and Chicken/Tofu/Tempeh Stir-Fry – add lots of chopped greens: broccoli, spinach, collards, and/or bok choy.
DAY 5 – FRIDAY
Breakfast:
Blueberry Blitz Smoothie:
· 1 cup unsweetened almond milk or milk of choice
· 1/2 cup frozen blueberries
· 1/2 frozen bananas
· 1 scoop vanilla-flavoured protein powder
· 1 tbsp ground flax seed or flax seed oil
AM snack: optional
Raw veggies
Lunch:
Roasted Vegetables and Pasta – roast a variety of vegetables (asparagus, zucchini, onions, butternut squash, beets, garlic, celery, carrots, and bell peppers) tossed in olive oil, sea salt, and pepper then add to 1/2 cup of cooked whole grain pasta noodles or rice, and grilled chicken or 1 can of tuna.
Optional: sprinkle 1 ounce mozzarella, goat, feta, or parmesan cheese on top.
PM snack:
10 almonds / walnuts
Dinner:
Italia Frittata – sauté onions, garlic, sliced mushrooms, and tomato then pour beaten eggs and egg whites over vegetables. Top with chopped basil, cover with lid, turn heat to low, and cook over low heat for 5 minutes or until done. Serve with a side mixed salad.
DAY 6 – SATURDAY
Breakfast:
· 175 ml yogurt cup
· 1 apple
· 10 walnuts
AM snack: optional
1 Kashi bar or Vega Vibrancy Bar or Simply Bar
Lunch:
The Restaurant Lunch – look for:
· Protein: Is there grilled chicken breast, lean beef, shrimp, tuna, beans, etc.? Start with that and figure out how to add veggies to it. Request substitutions like additional steamed veggies or a side salad for fries, rice, or potatoes.
· Veggies: Is there a salad? Veggies and dip? Start with that and figure out how to add protein to it. You can often request grilled chicken breast on a salad, etc.
· Side dishes: You can often assemble a good meal from a few side orders like a single egg or a cup of fruit.
· Appetizers: Menu item portion sizes are often too large so order a small item or two instead of a 10 ounce steak.
· Soup and Salad: They are filling and are on most restaurant menus.
NOTE: Build a repertoire of restaurants that you know offer healthy choices. Keep that list on hand as a ready response to “Oh, I don’t know, where would you like to go?”
PM snack:
10 almonds / walnuts
Dinner:
Salmon burger without the bun and a side salad. Small sweet potato optional.
DAY 7 – SUNDAY
Breakfast:
On-the-go: Starbucks Vivanno Smoothie made with skim or soy milk (made with 1 banana and a whey fibre protein blend)
AM snack: optional
10 almonds
Lunch:
Mix 1/2 cup 1% cottage cheese with salsa or pico de gallo and a 1/4 avocado cubed, and add to a bed of leafy greens like mesculin mix or baby spinach.
PM snack:
Laughing Cow cheese + raw veggie sticks (bell peppers, cucumbers, celery, carrots, zucchini)
Dinner:
“I Don’t Feel Like Cooking Sunday Night Dinner” – Toss 1/2 cup canned black beans and a large handful of baby spinach into Imagine brand butternut squash soup and heat till warm.
“Everything but the Kitchen Sink Salad” – in a large bowl, combine whatever ingredients you have on hand in your refrigerator: lettuce, onions, carrots, celery, tomato, bell peppers, cabbage, beets, etc. Dress with healthy fat: olives, olive or flax seed oil based dressing, raw nuts / seeds, etc.