Happy sunny Sunday everyone! I made some simple recipes today, Josh was up sick most of the night so I was cleaning the house today and cooking meals for myself. I decided it was a good night for soup to help the sick! It was pretty much all he ate today and I hope it helps (I added extra garlic, that helps right?)

This HCLF thing so far has been really easy because it’s not using deprivation and you don’t feel like you’re on a diet because it’s literally the opposite of every diet I’ve ever tried. I get to pick what I want to eat (as long as it’s whole food), I eat until I’m full, and it tastes great. Diet? What?! It sounds too good to be true, but when I entered everything I ate for the whole day into My Fitness Pal it makes sense. You will not BELIEVE how much and what I ate today for the amount of calories it actually was. It’s less calories than I ate on Nutrisystem…and let’s just say the food is a little bit better. That is the power of whole food calorie density and choosing plant foods over processed. IT’S CRAZY! Just guess how many all of this was! (Answer at the bottom) I also had two dates with my afternoon tea and a Gingerade Kombucha before breakfast. Here’s recipes for today’s meals.

Loaded Veggie Hash Browns

1 1/2 cups Shredded Potatoes, frozen at TJ’s (just potatoes)

1/2 yellow onion, diced

3 button mushrooms, sliced

few handfuls of baby spinach

salt and pepper to taste

1. Saute onions in about a tbsp of water until semi soft and add the potatoes, mushrooms, spinach and salt and pepper.
2. Stir until everything is tender and cooked through, then press it down and let it sit until it forms a little crispy layer on the bottom, about 5-7 minutes.
3. Serve with a side of ketchup or sauce of your choice and fruit.

   

   This lunch was really simple, thrown together in few minutes without dirtying a pan, and filled me up. I didn’t love the Ponzu (citrus soy sauce) on this and would probably just do regular low sodium soy next time.

    

   1 cup cooked brown rice

1 cup of broccoli florets

handful of shredded carrots

1 green onion, sliced

2 tbsp Ponzu sauce

1/2 tsp garlic powder

sprinkle of pepper

1. Add the broccoli, garlic powder, pepper, and a tbsp of water into a bowl and microwave for 2 minutes on high.
2. Add carrots and I used leftover brown rice to the bowl. Put it back in the microwave for another minute.
3. Add sauce and and sliced green onion and mix.

I also used chopsticks to practice eating rice with chopsticks, it slows me down which helps me realize when I’m actually full.

This was SO tasty! I didn’t use any oil, but I did use a tbsp of Vegetarian Better Than Bouillon Chicken Flavor and it made it so flavorful and delicious. It was the perfect soup to help anyone feel better. I served it with a piece of whole grain baguette for dipping!

1 15 oz can chickpeas, drained

1 bag of 4 Vegetable Medley, frozen at TJ’s

1/2 yellow onion, diced

2 minced garlic cloves

8 oz Brown Rice and Quinoa Fusilli, TJ’s

1/2 tsp dried rosemary

2 bay leaves

32 oz vegetable broth, Whole Foods brand has no oil

1 cup water

1 tbsp Vegetarian Better Than Boullion Chicken flavor

pepper to taste

1. Saute onion in a few tbsp of the veggie broth and add the garlic in as well.
2. Boil the pasta in a separate pot and cook 2 minutes less than noted.
3. When tender, add the veggies, chickpeas, broth, water, leaves, boullion, and spices. Bring to a boil.
4. Once boiling, turn it back down to a simmer and add pasta.
5. Time to eat! YUM!

 

Answer: 1,210 calories. FOR ALL OF THAT.