Resolutions, maybe. Taco bowls? Always!
By Sammi Brondo — July 30, 2024
It’s January, and with January comes a major influx of healthy new year resolutions. Honestly, I don’t have much of an opinion on resolutions either way: I think if you want to make them, great, and if you don’t want to, that’s great too. As long as they’re realistic, healthy and sustainable resolutions, it’s totally up to you.
That said, resolutions or not, January always seems to start off on a major health kick in general. Many people are trying to eat more nutritious foods after the holidays, the gyms are overall much more crowded, and grocery stores are packed. By now, you know that I’m into one major thing when it comes to eating healthfully, and that’s making it easy. Healthy eating shouldn’t be something that causes us stress.
It shouldn’t be something overly time consuming. And it definitely shouldn’t be something that breaks the bank. If you’re trying to eat more healthfully, whether it’s for a New Year’s resolution or any time of year, I believe in making healthy eating as easy as possible. Below, find some of my favorite guidelines to help you eat more healthfully, in the simplest ways.
1. Focus on quick and easy meals
Cooking lunch or dinner should be something that only takes 1 hour (maximum, if even that long!). Find recipes that only have a few, simple ingredients and definitely don’t require a long amount of time in the kitchen. I like to look for recipes that also include well-known ingredients that you can use for various purposes in your kitchen. No obscure, expensive, one-time ingredients here.
2. Shop smart
On top of avoiding those expensive, obscure items to your meals, also look for sales and deals on food. I love grocery shopping online or going to Whole Foods Market 365. WFM 365 products have all the quality of general Whole Foods products, with a much lower price tag. Last year, WFM 365 actually opened an entire store (!) in NYC, and it was a dream come true. This store has a more curated collection of delicious products, so that you can get in and out quickly.
Like me, their mission is to make healthy eating easier for everyone. On top of that, Amazon Prime members receive special deals throughout the store, plus an extra 10% off hundreds of sale items in stores. With all this at play, I was able to get nearly a week’s worth of groceries for less than $50! Check out what I got below.
3. Cook once, eat twice
(Did you miss that post? I’ve got you covered here!) Instead of spending hours in the kitchen meal prepping, try the “cook once, eat twice” method. When making a simple dinner with easy, inexpensive ingredients as mentioned above, make enough for at least 2 nights. I like to focus on foods that store and reheat well; things like meatballs, veggie burgers, chilis and soups. Store leftovers in the fridge so that the next night, all you have to do is reheat (or re-plate!) and eat.
4. Experiment with cooking methods and flavors
Healthy eating can seem super unappealing when you look at through a lens of plain grilled chicken, brown rice and steamed broccoli (not appetizing!). Instead, mix things up a little. Experiment with different cooking methods and try cooking veggies in different ways. Right now I love making spaghetti squash into a spaghetti squash pad Thai, or combining different veggies to make homemade veggie burgers. Also try adding flavorful sauces and play around with different spices.
For example, if plain roasted veggies sound boring to you, try adding things like garlic powder, rosemary, Parmesan cheese or fresh parsley.Trust me, a little flavor goes a long way and can totally elevate a dish.
Keeping these tips in mind, I set out to make a delicious, easy and healthy meal from my grocery haul at WFM 365. For a total of $47.45 (!!) here’s what I got:
*3 avocados; 1 pound of boneless, skinless chicken breast; WFM 365 brand whole wheat tortillas; 1 pint of cherry tomatoes; 1 package of Abe’s chocolate chip mini muffins; 3 Sumo oranges; 2 packages of romaine lettuce; 6 oz. blueberries; 1 jar WFM 365 creamy peanut butter; 1 package sugar-free turkey bacon
Using these groceries, I decided to make the most delicious taco bowl. It’s super easy and so nutrient-dense, filled with veggies, healthy fats, lean protein and complex carbs. Make it for yourself and see!
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons + 1 tablespoon + 4 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 4 WFM 365 whole wheat tortillas
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast
- ¼ cup taco seasoning
- 1 avocado
- 1 limed juiced
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 1/2 head romaine lettuce chopped
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
- Salt + Pepper
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350 F.
- Brush chicken breast with 4 tablespoons olive oil (approximately 1 tablespoon per chicken breast). Rub each with 1 tablespoon taco seasoning. Set aside.
- Brush both sides of whole wheat tortillas with olive oil (you only need a little – 1 tablespoon should be enough for all 4 tortillas). Place tortillas in the oven and bake for 10 minutes, until crispy and golden.
- While tortillas are in the oven, grill chicken on a grill pan over high heat for about 4-5 minutes per side.
- In a blender, add avocado, lime juice, remaining 4 tablespoons olive oil, minced garlic, salt and pepper. Blend until a creamy consistency is reached, adding water as needed.
- When tortillas are done and have cooled slightly, break apart in pieces.
- When chicken is cooked through and has cooled slightly, cut into slices.
- Assemble salads: add romaine, tomatoes, seasoned chicken and crushed tortilla chips. Top with avocado dressing.
