Counts as a vegetable, tastes like a carb.

Let's talk food.

Superfood.

That's the buzz word these days, isn't it?

Well, earlier this week, I bought a whole butternut squash. I have been buying the ones already cubed in a bag but this week, I was feeling brave and bought the whole thing. I wasn't sure what to do with it. But nothing Youtube and Pinterest can't fix.
Youtube and Pinterest are my go-to problem-solvers these days. It started with "How to give a newborn a bath" three years ago. And it is has morphed into "How to take apart (car seat model) to wash" and today, "How to prepare butternut squash."

So I cut it apart, scoop the seeds out, quartered it and slice the skin off, then, I cut into cubes.
Toss it in a big pan, drizzle a little olive oil, and bake at 350 until tender (about 30 minutes).

Since I'll have enough to eat for days, I went ahead and had some for breakfast.
I got a serving, threw some peanut butter over it, drizzle some raw honey, and sprinkled some cinnamon. Hello Morning!!


Here is the nutritional comparison between butternut squash and sweet potato I found on Popsugar. I love sweet potato. But since it is considered a carb when I am following my meal plan, I like to find "substitute." Butternut squash tastes almost like sweet potato to me. So, this was a no brainer. Butternut squash counts as a vegetable but it tastes like a carb.

There you go. How do you like your butternut squash? Share any recipes with me. 

Plan For Success

Let's talk meal planning.  
I love Pinterest but a lot of their meal plans are quite elaborate. I am a simple girl. This has worked for me. 

I try to come up with a meal plan every week so I can prep and be successful in the nutrition department. I find that I drift when I don't plan. It doesn't have to be complicated. This took me about 5 minutes. 

First, I checked the weather to make sure that we have a rainy or cool evening because if so, I will have a soup night. 
Secondly, I also look at what engagements I have for the week (think dinners with family members, parties etc). 
Thirdly, I look at what I need to use from my pantry/freezer/fridge. 

Instead of assigning a meal to a day (example: Monday - Grilled salmon, Tuesday - Tacos), I just plan about 3 or 4 meals. I don't commit to a dish to a day, because I can't do commitment like that.  This way, I am free to decide if I am in the mood for salmon, or tacos or chicken on the day.  I make enough for leftovers and sometimes lunches.  

Back-up stash: I usually keep some lunch meat and bread as my emergency stash so I can throw together a sandwich. 

Vanilla Shakeology + spinach + banana
+ almond milk + ice

I plan two snacks a week, usually Greek yogurt or some kind of clean snacks. I also include 2 or 3 fruits (unless I am making a fruit salad ---  Click here for recipe). 

For breakfasts during the week, I usually have my Shakeology because it is quick and I can consume it on the road. My favorite is chocolate, and second favorite is cafe latte. I typically blend it with water, ice, and some natural extract with an immersion blender. 
I usually have it at 7:15 a.m. and it tides me until at least 11 a.m. 
On the weekends, sometimes I am lazy and continue to drink my Shakeology. Other days, I will whip up some eggs and spinach and eat it. I am easy. 

So far, this has helped me immensely in making sure I don't run out of my clean food. It has also helped with the grocery bills too. 
I find that I just go to the grocery store once a week and I am done. If i don't plan like this, I usually run to the grocery store to pick up last-minute thing and you know how it goes, you go in to buy a gallon of milk and you come out of Wal-Mart with a pressure cooker and shoes and that smoked salmon you want to have because you thought it would be so good for tomorrow. BUT wait, since I have a pressure cooker now, let me buy some stuff to cook in it. Yep. You get my drift. :) 

Do you meal plan? Share it with us here.