Healthy recipes for the week

This weekly recipe is a general version that I have saved for 3 years as a family nutrition guide. It completely matches the nutrient requirements of the "Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents (2022)". It is suitable for ordinary adults aged 18-50 who work lightly by default. The total calories are controlled in the 1800±200 kcal range. I think If you want to lose fat, cut off 1/3 of the staple food in each meal. If you want to gain muscle, add 1 more hard-boiled egg + 100g of boiled chicken breast/shrimp. There is no need to buy hard-to-store niche ingredients such as chia seeds and kale. They are all home-made items that can be found in the vegetable market. I have been eating them at home for almost half a year, and my blood lipids and blood pressure have been very stable.

I just went to work on Monday, and I had probably just eaten too much with friends on the weekend before, so I arranged to eat something light to clear my stomach. In the morning, cook a small bowl of multigrain porridge (just a small handful each of rice, millet and oatmeal), with 1 hard-boiled egg and half a plate of cold spinach. If you have abnormal sugar tolerance, just replace the porridge with 250ml of pure milk and add 1 slice of whole wheat bread. You don’t have to follow people on the Internet to argue that "porridge raises sugar". Healthy people have sufficient metabolism, so drinking a bowl is fine. For lunch, I pack a fistful of brown rice, 100g of pan-fried chicken breast, and 200g of stir-fried baby cabbage. If the chicken breast is too raw, use starch for 10 minutes in advance. It’s so tender that even my picky cat wants to grab it. It’s even easier in the evening, with half a corn, 100g of boiled shrimp, and a small plate of cold purple cabbage. After eating, you can go for a half-hour walk to relieve yourself from the fatigue of work.

I usually arrange something exciting on Tuesday. After all, I just calmed down on Monday, and I am a bit irritable on Tuesday. Having something delicious can calm me down. Make a cup of sugar-free soy milk in the morning, add two steamed buns stuffed with vegetables, and add a small plate of cold kelp shreds. If you like sweet drinks, you can add a spoonful of white sugar. It’s better than holding back until the afternoon and ordering full-sugar milk tea. It would be more convenient if the company has a canteen at noon. I can pack a fistful of rice, 3 pieces of lean braised pork ribs, and a portion of stir-fried lettuce. If you bring rice, just stew the ribs the night before and heat them up the next day. Oh, by the way, you will most likely have to work overtime on Tuesday, right? I usually marinate the chicken legs in Orleans marinade in advance and put them in the refrigerator. When I get home, I put them in the air fryer at 180 degrees for 20 minutes, turning them over in the middle, and cook some broccoli and half a sweet potato. I can eat them in 25 minutes, which is faster than ordering takeout.

Speaking of this, some people must be arguing: There are also braised ones with Orleans marinade, is this considered healthy? Harm, these are the two schools that are quarreling now. One school thinks that it is healthy to be completely oil-free, salt-free, and sugar-free. The other school believes that as long as you eat enough nutrients, you can eat anything. I am neutral and fair. If you can insist on eating boiled vegetables for a lifetime, then I respect you as a man. Most ordinary people still have to take care of their mouths. Put less two spoons of oil and two spoons of sugar. It is much better than not eating at all for a week and breaking the defense. There is really no need to worry about health.

Wednesday is commonly known as the small weekend, and people are tired. I usually arrange some fish and supplement with some DHA. My brain works quickly, and I will not easily be caught by my boss if I fish at work. In the morning, I made an egg-filled pancake at home. I brushed a little less oil on a non-stick pan and made an egg roll with a piece of lettuce and a piece of ham. It is much less oily than the one at the roadside stall. It is paired with a cup of hot milk. It is especially comfortable to drink in winter. At noon, cook a fistful of buckwheat noodles, add 100g of beef braised in advance and 200g of blanched lettuce. The braised beef is braised in advance on Sunday, cut into portions, and frozen. Just defrost it when you eat, which saves time. Steam about 200g of seabass in the evening. Steam for 8 minutes. Pour some light soy sauce and some hot oil. It is very fragrant. Served with 200g of stir-fried water spinach and half a piece of pumpkin. It will not make you feel tired after eating.

Thursday is basically the peak of the burnout period at work. Don’t arrange too complicated dishes for yourself, and do whatever you can to save trouble. In the morning, add 3 slices of whole wheat bread, 1 fried egg, and 1 small apple. You can eat it on the go if you are in a hurry without any delay. Eat normally at noon, a fistful of rice plus 100g of fried lean pork and 200g of fried green vegetables. If you don’t like kale, switch to kale. If you don’t like kale, switch to baby cabbage. As long as it’s green leafy vegetables, you don’t have to stick to the varieties on the menu. Oh, by the way, you can have an extra meal on Thursday afternoon. Don’t carry it until you get hungry and feel dizzy after get off work. Grab 10 almonds, or eat an orange, or drink a small box of sugar-free yogurt. It’s all fine. If you really want to drink milk tea, order a 30% sugar milk tea. It’s okay. Once a week will have no impact. In the evening, cook tomato, enoki, mushroom, and egg soup, throw in a lot of green vegetables, and half a piece of corn. After drinking it, it will be warm and not bloated, so you can sleep comfortably.

It's Friday, and I'm going to have a holiday soon. I'm in a bad mood, so I plan to order something delicious to celebrate the end of the week. You can eat whatever you want in the morning. I like to drink salty tofu with more coriander and a fried dough stick to satisfy my cravings. Just one fried dough stick is enough. Don’t eat too much. After all, the fried dough stick is still very oily, so you don’t have to irritate yourself. Eat a fistful of rice for lunch, add 100g of boiled shrimp, and 200g of fried broccoli. It’s simple and hassle-free. You don’t have to clean up a pile of kitchen garbage after get off work. In the evening, I stewed a tomato beef brisket, 200g of beef brisket with 100g of potatoes and 100g of carrots. It was stewed to a pulp and served with half a bowl of rice. After eating, I slumped on the sofa and watched a TV show. It was so satisfying. If I couldn't finish it, I put it in the refrigerator. I could also cook noodles as toppings on Saturday.

I won’t stick to recipes on weekends. If you want to go out for a dinner with friends, just go. For hot pot, cook more lean beef and vegetables, and for barbecue, eat less fat. You don’t have to feel guilty. Healthy eating is a long-term habit, and it doesn’t mean that all your efforts will be wasted if you eat wrong in one meal. If you stay at home, it would be nice to sleep in on Saturday, get up and cook quick-frozen dumplings stuffed with shepherd’s purse and serve with cucumber salad. If you want to move on Sunday, just make a stewed rice. Rice, mushrooms, carrots, and sausages are stewed in a rice cooker. You have everything. Pair it with seaweed and egg drop soup. It is simple and delicious.

In the past few years I have been working as a nutrition coach, I have seen too many people trying to perfect the recipe. They wish they could weigh every gram of rice, but they give up after not being able to persist for three days. Really, healthy eating is not that complicated. Just remember three major principles: one fist of staple food, one fist of protein, two fists of vegetables, less oil and less sugar. It’s okay to satisfy your cravings occasionally. You can modify this recipe as you like, as long as the general framework does not deviate. After all, when it comes to eating, the best is the one that lasts a lifetime.