Last time I talked about dividing your plate into quarters for a healthy meal.  After explaining that to a friend, she asked – “so where does the chocolate go on my plate?”  I’m a fan of including everything in moderation in a meal plan including chocolate.  The key word there is MODERATION.  I enjoy chocolate and know there is nothing else that satisfies that craving.  When that craving hits, I MUST HAVE CHOCOLATE.  Here’s what I’ve found that works for getting rid it.

• Endangered Species Supreme Dark Chocolate (72% cocoa)
• Endangered Species Extreme Dark Chocolate (88% cocoa)
• Lindt Excellence 85% Cocoa

I’ve found the Endangered Species chocolates at Whole Foods and Lindt at Target.

1. Break off one or two squares.
2. Put them in your mouth.
3. Let them melt on your tongue.  Chew a little, but mostly let them melt in your mouth.
4. Enjoy the taste.
5. Don’t read, type on the computer, etc. while enjoying your chocolate.  It only takes a minute or two and is well worth the mental break to get rid of the chocolate craving monster.

If you really pay attention to the flavor of the chocolate, then one or two squares will get rid of that chocolate craving.

Now that the semester is over, things are calming down a bit (at least that is what I keep telling myself). This is allowing me a little more time to read non-school related books. I’ve been working on “The China Study” by T. Colin Campbell. Even though I’m not all the way through it, there are a lot of compelling arguments about eating a plant-based, whole foods, low fat diet. There appear (I use the word appear because it can be hard to draw correlations/causations between observational studies and outcomes) between a meat-based, high animal source fat diet and all sorts of diseases including cancer. I’ve considered going vegetarian many times before, but am allergic to both dairy (from cows) and soy which really limits my protein options and has kept me from trying it in the past. However, I’m tinkering with it again.

What does “vegetarian” mean? It depends who you ask. Some adhere to the strict vegan meaning which means no animal products at all (no meat, no fish, no eggs, no dairy, etc.). There’s also lacto-ovo vegetarian who does not eat meat or fish but does eat dairy and eggs. Honestly, I don’t care about the terminology. I care about eating the way that will keep me the healthiest possible for the longest time. This means lots of energy, lots of food and at a healthy weight.

So, I’m trying to eat plant-based, whole foods and low fat as much possible. This morning I tried quinoa for breakfast. Added a little vanilla unsweetened Almond Breeze, Smart Balance, brown sugar and Splenda. Quite tasty! I also had 1 – 2 cups watermelon. YUM! I’ll probably have a gemma (pea) or hemp protein shake mid-morning to up the protein.

The biggest challenge so far – eating out. John and I eat out a lot. Finding meatless options can be a huge challenge. So, I’ll probably include a couple of servings of chicken and fish a week.

My goal: minimize animal protein and fat while still being able to lead a normal life. We’ll see how all this goes. I’ll keep you posted!

Have a great, healthy day!

Want a quick and easy way to eat right?  Divide your plate in to 4 equal sections.  In one section put your protein, another section your starch, and in the third and forth sections put fruits and vegetables.  The more non-starchy vegetables the better in those last two sections. Also, your protein and starch servings should be the size of the palm of your hand and about an inch high (just an inch high now – I know some of you are looking at your palm wondering how much steak or mashed potatoes you can stack on your palm).  Looking at your plate this way helps you fill up on vegetables and fruits (high fiber, low calorie), while still having some starch and protein.

This “plate method” is easy to remember, portable and a healthy way to eat.  Not sure about it?  Try it for lunch and/or dinner for a week and see what you think.

Next time – “Where does the chocolate go on my plate?”