The Experts Weigh In: Meal Planning 101 (Part 1)

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BY: KIRSTI PESSO, CONTRIBUTOR

Welcome to my four part series on how to keep a healthy home and kitchen in this busy world we live in! It's a topic I feel so passionate about because I know that many people struggle in this area as they try to juggle work and family commitments. The truth is, life has become complicated! And overly busy! As a result, we have to find ways to save time. Unfortunately, many families are taking short cuts in the kitchen and have lost the ability to keep a clean and healthy home while also preparing fresh, healthy meals. Indeed this can have detrimental effects on your health and the health of your children.

There is nothing more important than your health, and this begins with what you put inside your body. Your health begins in your kitchen!

WHO AM I?

Hi, I'm Kirsti, a busy working mother of two. I consider myself a one-stop shop when it comes to food, nutrition, fitness, beauty and hair information, tips and tricks! I have always loved my food. I was so fortunate to grow up with my father (who was a self-taught chef) and my mother (who was an incredible home cook). My siblings and I grew up watching, learning, living and experiencing food - both at home and in our family restaurants. Food and cooking was always at the center of our lives and the essence of our conversations. We were directed, guided and influenced by food and, as a family, were consumed by our love and passion for it. Cooking became our expression of love, life and our culture. Nutrition, however, took a back seat. We just ate - we didn't consider nutrition. It was different back then. I grew up on all the things my children will never know about - white bread, white pasta, soda, candy galore and yes, lots of white sugar.

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Fast forward to today - one of my deepest passions in life is food, cooking and food's relationship to healthy living. When my father had a heart attack 11 years ago, healthy eating and living took center stage. I started to become curious about what I was feeding my body and my food's connection to my overall health and well-being. This put me on my current path of really understanding in a deep way the important connection between the food we eat and the state of our health - inside and out. 

We truly are what we eat.

Despite the busyness of life, I have made it a priority to prepare freshly cooked meals for my family - even on days when I barely have time to breath. It's been so important and a true priority of mine to educate them. I have been speaking the nutrition language to my children from day one and taking the time out to do so has totally paid off!

I am confident that with some guidance and proven tools, you too will be able to plan and implement ways to keep your family away from unhealthy processed foods because you have the tools to prepare simple (yet wholesome!) meals made from real ingredients. I want to leave you feeling confident about the how to plan, organize your kitchen and prepare fresh weekly meals without any stress. 

Ok, so let's break this down... Part one of the series will focus on the importance of planning and having a strategy to set you up for success. Part two will move into your kitchen setup, as well as supermarket tips and navigation. We will look at how to detox and stock your kitchen to churn out easy, quick meals. In part three, we will look at ways to build your meals, and in part four, I will give you some easy weeknight ideas that can be mixed and matched to create lots of new recipes for your repertoire. Once you have your system down, mealtime will be stress free! These practices will become second nature! But first, let's get a few things straightened out!

WHY DO YOU NEED TO PLAN?

Creating a healthy home does not just happen. Hands down, one of the biggest barriers to eating healthfully is not having a plan. Most of us don't even know what we're having for dinner until late in the afternoon and early evening, let alone for the rest of the week! Once that late afternoon scramble sets in, we tend to head in the direction of convenience. It's easy to see why things usually go south from there! 

Unfortunately, these last-minute decisions usually include ready-made boxed and processed foods that are loaded with artificial preservatives, sodium, sugars and unhealthy fats - as well as additives, chemicals and all sorts of "nastys" that are less than ideal for anyone, especially growing children. Having a plan is essential and will give you the confidence and tools to meal plan with the best of them!

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WHERE SHOULD YOU BEGIN?

The best way to start is to pick some time - either at night or during the day, just once a week - that you will be able to devote to planning and organizing yourself. For me, Sunday nights after the kids go to sleep works best. This way, I start the week feeling organized and ready. I go through my entire kitchen, throw out perishables that have seen their better days, and write a flexible weekly meal plan. From here, I compile my big grocery list based on things I have run out of during the week and items I will need moving forward. I decide when I will shop and which markets I will go to depending on my needs. I often visit multiple markets to get everything I need (Shopping happens to be very pleasurable for me, but I know for some, it's not. If it's easier for you to buy everything from one supermarket, then by all means, do so!).

When planning out your week, consider the following...

• Which nights of the week that you will be home for dinner?
• Which nights of the week that you will be out later or won't have more than 20-30 minutes to prep?
• Who else will be home for dinner on those nights? Your partner? Children?
• Which day is realistic for you to get to the market for fresh produce?

Keeping these guidelines in mind...

• A balanced week will look something like this (unless you follow a specific diet) - fish (1-2 nights), poultry (1 night), possibly lean red meat (1 night), vegetarian (the rest of the week)
• Have one easy back-up for fussy eaters (I don't encourage giving too many options)
• Try to plan some meals that will freeze well, make good leftovers or involve some advanced prep to make it easier come dinner time!

Once I know what nights I won't be home and which days look super busy, I can then start to plan meals according to their preparation speed. In other words, the easiest meals are placed on the busiest days. I try to consider ahead of time which days I might have a chance to get home during the day to do some prep work or which days I will have to pull things together prior to dinner time. If I can do any prep work in the early morning before taking the kids to school, such as marinating or chopping veggies, it is so helpful! I also leave sticky notes for myself to remind me of things that need to be taken out of the freezer either the night before or the morning of so I am not stuck with rock solid chicken 1 hour before dinner time! When you think about these things ahead of time, dinner will be smooth sailing!

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When designing my weekly plan, I make sure to consider balance and variety! Friday nights are excluded from my weeknight plans as we observe the Sabbath (and that means a traditional meal that requires no planning). Weekends are more lax. Sunday night is "free night" - here my kids get to decide what's for dinner. This is a wonderful tool for empowering them to have input into what they eat. I am more flexible with them on free night. They usually choose something like pasta, pizza, enchiladas, eggs on toast, grilled cheese and avocado sandwiches, BUT even free night meals are freshly prepared with raw and cooked veggies always added in!

So you see, it's really quite simple. Sometimes just having a game plan and asking the right questions is all it takes to set yourself up for success. Yes, you do have to take some time to figure it out, but hey, that's a small price to pay for getting on top of the meals that you are bringing to the table. You will want to kiss yourself for taking the time to get organized ahead of time. It's a wonderful feeling, when dinner revolves around knowing you have everything you need to put a wholesome, tasty meal on the table...

...and your family will thank you too!

Stay tuned for my second post next week where I will cover how to set up your kitchen for success and how to navigate the supermarket so that you are able to bring home the good stuff! Once you get these tips down, the "5 pm Dinner Scramble" will be a distant memory!

Kirsti Pesso is a Holistic Health and Wellness Coach (CHHC) and a certified ACE personal trainer. Currently living in Westchester, New York with her husband and two little daughters, she grew up in Australia where she spent much of her childhood in her father's professional kitchens. This instilled in her a deep connection and love for food. Her own personal journey and education has allowed her to merge her love for food with health and wellness. For the last 11 years, nutrition, fitness and holistic living have been a priority for her and her family.  With a deep passion for cooking healthy and clean meals, Kirsti has made educating her family on nutrition and healthy living, a priority. Also, having a background in psychology and social work has allowed her to connect her  extensive knowledge and education in the health and wellness fields, and help others who seek to live a balanced and healthy lifestyle.

Kirsti has simultaneously been running a successful freelance hair colorist and styling business and has been in the industry for nearly 25 years in Australia and New York. She has a loyal following, due in part to her holistic perspective on hair. 'Healthy In Beauty Out' was born out of Kirsti's love, passion and deep understanding that beauty is an inside job. Her business reflects a culmination of many different pillars of wellness and beauty,  and combines her talent and education in the areas of nutrition, food, fitness and hair. In addition to her freelance services as a colorist and stylist, you can seek more of Kirsti's advice on healthy living, fitness and beauty, by visiting her Facebook page. To learn more about how you can live a clean, healthy and beautiful life, join Kirsti on her 11-day comprehensive Cleanse Program. To learn more, visit her at www.healthyinbeautyout.com. 

Summer Eats: Grilled Mahi-Mahi with Cherry Salsa

I recently joined my neighborhood CSA, meaning I bought a "share" of a local farm and in return, get fresh fruits and veggies! It makes me feel very earthy and very grown up. 

When I returned from Indiana last week, Walter's cat-sitter Katie left me a gift in the refrigerator - a carton of fresh bing cherries. Then, when I picked up my CSA share on Tuesday, I was faced with yet another carton of fresh cherries. With all these cherries on my hands, I was forced to get creative (and by "get creative", I mean "google" cherry recipes).

The blog Iowa Girl Eats turned up a winner. But instead of chicken, I decided to adapt the recipe a bit and use fish, as I was craving some of those good-for-you omega-3's!

But enough about fish, let's talk bing cherries. 

Rumor has it that this cherry variety was named after the Chinese foreman Ah Bing who lived and worked on the Lewelling family fruit orchards in Oregon for 35 years in the late 1800's. Besides being sinfully sweet, bing cherries have amazing health benefits...

SUPER SNOOZIN' - Cherries are one of the few foods to contain melatonin, which helps regulate your sleep cycle.

BRAIN FEEDIN' - Eating cherries helps prevent memory loss and aids in overall brain health.

INFLAMMATION REDUCIN' - The antioxidants in cherries are famous for reducing inflammation, especially the inflammation linked to arthritis and gout.

CANCER FIGHTIN' - Cherries are packed with the flavonoid queritrin, which is considered one of the most potent anticancer agents. Queritrin helps your body fight off cancerous cells.

MIGRAINE ELIMINATIN' - The bioflavonoid compounds in cherries are known to eliminate migraine headaches by working in a way similar to aspirin or ibuprofen (which is ironic because I had a migraine the night I made this dish and woke up completely cured!).

Now let's get to the good part, the fresh cherry salsa...

Just look at those juicy little buggers!

Score a handful of cherries into fourths. I used enough to top 2 fish filets...

...then remove the pits.

They should look like this when you're done.

The original recipe calls for a red onion, but I say use what you have. For 2 servings, dice half of a small onion and add to the cherries in a mixing bowl.

Add the juice of half a lemon.

Now add a handful of chopped fresh basil...

... along with 1 tsp. of honey and a dash of sea salt.

Pour in 1 tsp. of balsamic vinegar.

Mix well and chill in the fridge so the flavors can combine while you cook the fish!!

Now for the fish...

Drizzle a light coat of coconut oil (or oil of your choice) on the top side of the filets. Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper to taste.

Heat 2-3 Tbs. of coconut oil (or other oil) on a grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the mahi-mahi, skin side down. Cook on each side for 2-3 minutes until cooked through. When you flip, the skin should peel off fairly easily. Add the juice of half a lemon for extra flavor. Allow the fish to cool for 5 minutes before topping with the salsa.

Look at that colorful, nutrition-packed dinner!

I know we're done here, but what's one more picture? It was just so beautiful!!

This dish is perfect for a light summer dinner, and it's guaranteed to impress!

Summer Stir-fry with Coconut Quinoa: 15 Dollars... 15 Minutes... Done!

If you are what you eat, then I am one big rotisserie chicken. My childhood dinners revolved around lemon-pepper chicken from the local grocery store. Sharona (as we lovingly call my mom) has always been a practical woman - in fact, we tease that she is practical to a fault. While you'd think this character trait would manifest itself in a financial sense, it was most obvious on the dinner table... in the form of a rotisserie chicken.

If I asked her today why she subjected us to so much poultry, I'm sure she would say something to the effect of "Why would I spend hours prepping, seasoning and roasting a chicken myself when I could just grab one in the grocery store check-out line and heat that sucker up?"

Touché, Sharona. Touché.

See how big that bow is? I won't even start on the lace collar.

I see her point. I really do! Wasting an afternoon cooking a chicken is completely impractical. Not to mention, it's HOT down South (no need to linger in the kitchen longer than you have to). But man, I despise rotisserie chicken almost as much as the ginormous hair bows and matching dresses she dolled me up in for Sunday School! 

So... for me and my family (which currently consists of 1 fiancé and 1 cat-dog), a practical dinner means anything BUT chicken! Today, I thought I'd walk you through a quick 15-minute meal that will only set you back $15 (or less!).

...and just so we don't hurt her feelings too much, we're going to "Southern-ize" it by adding some okra and green beans (but definitely not some chicken)! 

Ready for Summer Stir-fry with Coconut Quinoa? Let's get started...

You'll need 2 (16 oz.) bags of frozen green veggies (or fresh! even better!) - we chose organic green beans and okra.

In a saucepan, combine 1 cup of quinoa...

...with 2 cups of coconut milk. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer, cover and cook for 15 minutes (no peeking).

Meanwhile, sauté 4 cloves of garlic in 2 Tbs. of sesame oil over medium-high heat.

Add both bags of frozen veggies and mix well.

As the veggies cook, pour in a bit more sesame oil (approx. 1-2 Tbs)...

...and 3 Tbs. soy sauce.

Add sea salt, black pepper and crushed red pepper flakes to taste.

Looking good!

Cover the pan and let the veggies steam for 2-3 minutes.

Remove the lid and add 1 heaping Tbs. of honey (raw and local if you have it!).

Let the veggies cook for a few more minutes until done. Right before serving, add a few more splashes of coconut milk and allow to warm through.

Serve over the coconut quinoa with a large slice of lime and a sprinkling of black sesame seeds. This recipe will make 2-3 servings.

And of course, no meal is practical unless it's also nutritious! 

OKRA - One of my favorite vegetables! The vitamin A in okra helps maintain healthy mucus membranes and gives your skin that healthy glow! Okra is also full of antioxidants, which control inflammation within the body, and it has even been shown to aid in blood sugar stabilization.

GREEN BEANS - Green beans are packed with fiber, which keeps your digestive system in proper order, as well as protein, which helps your body repair and build muscle tissue. The high antioxidant content in green beans also plays a major role in strengthening the immune system and keeping you healthy!

COCONUT MILK - Coconut is a great source of healthy, plant-based fats. It's been shown to regulate blood sugar, improve calcium and magnesium absorption in the body, boost the thyroid and help support the immune system.

QUINOA - Quinoa is a complete protein, meaning it contains all 9 essential amino acids (amino acids are essential for building and repairing muscles, tissues and organs). Plus, quinoa is packed with antioxidants which work to prevent damage to cells by cancer-causing free radicals.

With all these amazing health benefits, no need to feel shy about diving into your dinner!

Recipe Time: Curry in a Hurry!

Bad news, guys. I didn't win the Powerball. Well, I did get the Powerball, but the rest of the numbers didn't cooperate. Looks like my dream of coming home from work to my very own personal chef will have to wait until I win more than $4 in the lottery.

I'm just going to put it all out there... cooking dinner can be a drag after a long day at work. That's right... I said it... a drag. Sometimes you just want to kick back with a glass of wine and sink into the comfort of your couch. For me, the key to defeating my lazy side lies in a little weekend prep work. If I take just 30 minutes to an hour to prep on Sunday, my weeknight meals are that much easier. So today we're going to talk curry - a really simple dish to make when you're in a hurry. If you do all the cutting and chopping beforehand, this meal can be thrown together in about 15 minutes, leaving you ample time to catch up on all your favorite reality TV shows. No shame... I have my favorites too.

Let's dive right in with the weekend prep work...

Mince 2 cloves of garlic.

Wash and chop about 1/2 lb. green beans (you can really use as many as you like here).

Wash and chop a small red bell pepper.

Wash thoroughly and thinly slice an 8 oz. package of mushrooms -  we chose baby bella but any type will do.

Peel and cut 1 white onion into slivers.

If you don't have a zester or grater, wash and slice the rind off 1 small lemon.

Then finely dice the rind and save the lemon for another use.

Prep work done! Bing, bam, boom! Now, here's what you do when you're ready to eat...

In a measuring cup, add 1 1/4 cup coconut milk (disregard the picture... we added too much!). We chose to use unsweetened coconut milk, but the dish will be much more satisfying if you go sweet. It's just a matter of preference.

Now add 2 Tbs. of soy sauce to the coconut milk...

...along with 2 teaspoons of sugar (if you used unsweetened coconut milk).

Toss in about 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt and stir the contents of the cup to distribute the ingredients more evenly.

Grab your curry powder and crushed red pepper.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add 2 Tbs. of coconut oil (or any cooking oil that you prefer). Add the garlic, lemon zest, 1 1/2 Tbs. of curry powder and 1 tsp. of crushed red pepper flakes. Stir fry until fragrant (about 15 seconds).

Now add all the veggies (except for the mushrooms) and saute until everything is almost completely cooked.

Add the mushrooms last because they cook the fastest.

We chose to add pre-cooked frozen shrimp to the mix - they will only need to heat up since they're already cooked. See? I told you this was easy!

Now stir in the coconut mixture and bring to a boil. Cook until the sauce thickens slightly - about 2 minutes. 

While the sauce is cooking, slice a handful of basil into long, thin strips.

At the very last moment, add most of the basil (reserving some for a garnish) and turn off the heat.

Now doesn't that look delicious?

Plate it up over the grain of your choice - rice, quinoa, freekeh, etc. - and enjoy your curry in a hurry!

And of course, this wouldn't be a proper post without a few nutrition stats. The main ingredients in curry powder are usually turmeric, cumin and coriander. All three of these spices are beneficial for your health.

TURMERIC - This bright orange spice is a natural liver detoxifier, a potent anti-inflammatory and a natural antiseptic and antibacterial agent. It also aids in fat metabolism and weight management. But I consider it's most fascinating feature to be its ability to stop the growth of new blood vessels, which tumors need to grow. Turmeric is being studied more frequently for its ability to inhibit the growth of cancer.

CUMIN - This spice has many benefits of its own! Cumin improves blood flow and increases oxygen delivery to your cells. It also boosts your metabolism and helps your body absorb maximum nutrients from the food you eat.

CORIANDER - Did you know the spice coriander is just dried cilantro seeds? Coriander is great for keeping cholesterol in check, protecting against urinary tract infections and easing the symptoms of an unhappy digestive tract.

So... when you eat my Curry in a Hurry this week, remember all the wonderful things this dish is doing for your health!