A new year brings new opportunities. Starting over, doing things better, letting go of old habits. I know that 99% of resolutions go unfounded and unrealized, but that doesn’t stop the little optimist living inside of me from hoping.
2016 was frankly a terrible year for me, marked by disappointment, sadness, and regret. I had to come to terms with the realization that life doesn’t always turn out the way you planned but that the journey is worth taking. It’s been a real struggle some days, and I’ve faltered more than triumphed. On the plus side, this has been a time for reflection, growth, and evaluation. Moving forward, I want to learn from my mistakes, embrace possibilities and be more forgiving of myself.
So January is all about reinvention, and that is what I’m attempting for myself. For the next 30 days, I’m not going on a diet or following any strict rules but will be trying to eat whole, unprocessed foods and cooking most of my meals at home. To keep myself on focused I’ve decided to post every day for the next 30 days about my progress, struggles, and successes.
I’ll be highlighting my favorite techniques and ingredients to create healthy, easy, delicious food that you will look forward to eating. Cooking with fresh, whole ingredients can be a bit more labor intensive, but you can batch prepare vegetables and grains ahead of time that allows you to mix and match and create delicious meals with minimal fuss. I feel better when I eat lighter, and it translates to everything in my life. I find I’m less frustrated, happier and move better when I take the time to eat well. Making even a few simple changes or replacing one meal a day with a healthier choice can make a difference.
I thought I’d start the month off with the easiest of dietary changes. A quick, easy breakfast that will boost your energy without leaving you feeling heavy or sluggish.
I tend to skip breakfast most mornings, and I know that isn’t the wisest of strategies. Prepping ingredients the night before can be a huge help, so I throw all the fruit into a freezer safe container so that all I have to do is pop it into the blender in the morning. This smoothie is light and full of antioxidant-rich pomegranates, strawberries, and pineapple. I added hemp seeds for protein and fiber, but you could also add a scoop of your favorite protein powder instead.
What resolutions or challenges are you choosing to tackle in the new year? I’d love to have you follow along and share in this little adventure with me. Having support when you are making lifestyle changes can be a huge help in sticking with them. I’m here to talk about anything you want. Recipes you want to see? Techniques you’d like to learn? Someone to keep you accountable?
If you make any recipes from Scaling Back, be sure to tag #scalingback on Instagram – I love seeing what you create in your kitchen! You can also find me on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Snapchat (username: scalingback)
- 1 cup fresh or frozen pineapple
- 1 cup fresh or frozen strawberries
- 1 cup pomegranate arils (seeds)
- 1 tablespoon hemp seeds
- ½ teaspoon freshly grated ginger
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1 teaspoon honey
- ½ cup almond milk
- Place all the ingredients in a high-speed blender and process until smooth.
- Garnish with additional pomegranate and hemp seeds if desired.
- Notes: To easily remove pomegranate seeds cut the pomegranate in half, make a few slits in the white membrane. Hold the pomegranate upside down over a large bowl and using a wooden spoon firmly tap the fruit all over. The seeds should easily fall out into the bowl.
