Fall Back to Health During the Holidays
Guest blogger Inna Platner is an avid runner and a full-time working mom of two. She is passionate about fitness, nutrition, and keeping her family healthy with easy, clean recipes that can be found on her Instagram account (@eat_yourgreens). Inna enjoys getting creative with her kids’ lunch boxes and sharing her tips with other busy moms.
Fall is in the air: the leaves are changing colors, the temperatures are falling, days are getting shorter and chances are, you are craving comfort foods. I love this time of the year and would like nothing better than sitting by the fire with a good book, a cup of tea and a plate of holiday treats. However, my busy life has me traveling for business, running my kids to school and sports and attending various holiday parties. Believe it or not, you can enjoy some fall foods without guilt if you follow these simple tips.
1. Double up on your fibrous vegetables! I love roasted veggies. I keep it really simple: use your favorite fall vegetables (carrots, sweet potatoes, Brussel sprouts, winter squash), drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil, add a splash of pure maple syrup and salt and pepper, roast at 400 F for 30 min or until nicely caramelized. I always make extra to add to my salads throughout the week.
2. Satisfy your sweet tooth without the guilt. Candy corn is everywhere, calling your name. But there are other “sweets” that won’t make your blood sugar spike and cause you to crash in the middle of the afternoon. Dates are my favorite healthy treat. I take a large date, remove the pit and put a teaspoon of almond butter in the middle. Yum!
3. Eat your snacks. A lot of people think they are doing themselves a favor by going into a calorie deficit during the day, so they can splurge at a holiday party later. The reality is, your blood sugar will drop making you tired and fatigued if you don’t eat a healthy snack (a combination of carbs and fat OR carbs and protein) every 3-4 hours. Good examples include apple slices with natural peanut butter, string cheese and a piece of fruit, rice cakes topped with avocado and sliced deli turkey
4. Pack your lunch. This is where my Bentgo salad box saves the day. I have a great Café at my work with plenty of healthy choices, but most days I barely have time to step away from my office. Bentgo lunch box allows me to pack a big lunch salad, plus some snacks in the top divided compartment. And can we talk about the nice dressing container with the lid? The dressing is going to make or break your “healthy” salad. I always go with a nice high quality olive oil and a balsamic vinegar.
Here are a couple of fall salad ideas to get you started.
Salad 1:
Dino Kale// apples// roasted Delicata squash // crumbled goat cheese // pomegranate seeds // toasted walnuts. Dressing: olive oil + lemon juice
Salad 2:
Mixed greens // garbanzo beans // avocado // steamed beets // roasted Brussels sprouts // shredded carrots. Optional toppings: crumbled goat cheese and toasted walnuts. Dressing: lemon infused olive oil + blackberry balsamic
I hope my tips and recipes help you navigate the holiday season in a healthy way. Please share your favorite healthy holiday recipe in the comments!
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