$49 Challenge Day 3 & What Makes a Healthy Meal

Oh, asparagus…how can I eat thee? Let me count the ways! I think all three meals today included asparagus. Hmm…

Breakfast: Egg with mushrooms, green onions, asparagus, cooked in butter and spices

Lunch: Roast beef with asparagus cooked in coconut oil

Dinner: Italian sausage with spaghetti squash and asparagus, cooked in butter and spices

What makes a healthy meal? That’s a pretty big question and to be honest there isn’t always one answer. There is one universal truth I do believe in:

Whole foods are ALWAYS better than processed foods.

From there it gets a bit murky. Even answering the question “what is real food?” could take some time. When someone asked me recently how I defined real food, I gave a long winded answer and finally took a page from US Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart- “I know it when I see it.”

Sometimes it can be easier to define real food by what it’s not. It’s not overly processed, and is as close to it’s natural form as possible. Think plants, animals, nuts, and seeds.

You may have noticed a few things missing from my menu- mainly grains and legumes. I believe those items CAN be part of a healthy diet for SOME people. I recommend if people choose to eat these things that they prepare them properly (soaking, sprouting, fermenting.) I personally feel better when I don’t include those in my diet. I feel best when I eat meat/eggs, veggies, and fat.

I think the most important thing to keep in mind when planning healthy meals, is that the healthiest meals are the ones that make you feel the best. Start with whole foods and then figure out what works for you.