And just like that, summer is coming to an end. The easy, breezy pace of summer is often replaced with hurried mornings, long workdays, and evenings packed with sports practice, homework, and fast food. As I see it, we have two choices:
1) Embrace the harvest! The end of summer is also the peak of harvest, so rather than stressing out about complicated recipes, allow Mother-Nature to create flavor for you! OR
2) Run home to (unhealthy) familiar. If you are new to Healthy Lifestyle Transformation and you have not yet made it through a complete calendar year, the change of seasons can often derail your new habits.
Here is my advice to survive the end of summer without running home to the unhealthy familiar!
1) Keep meals simple, fresh, flavorful and easy.
2) Plan your meals.
3) Make frequent quick shopping trips.
4) Enjoy seasonal foods that are at their peak of flavor.
This Paula’s Perfect Plate is packed full of harvest freshness beginning with a heart-healthy breakfast of fresh-sliced vine-ripened tomatoes (lightly salt & peppered), blanched almonds blended into freshly wilted spinach and 2 scrambled eggs topped with Parmesan cheese. Your morning snack is equally as delicious and full of crazy-delicious flavor: a whole-wheat muffin with pear, gorgonzola and walnuts drizzled lightly with honey. Lunch is one of my favorite recipes from Paula Deen Cuts the Fat, Arugula and Peach Salad with Poached Chicken. Your afternoon snack is sure to satisfy with another one of my favorite Paula Deen recipes, Beet and Vidalia Onion Salad with Creamy Horseradish Dressing. Finally, to wrap up this flavor-packed day, we have two recipes from my Pareto Stone Recipe Collection, Salmon Corn Chowder served with a Broccoli Sunshine Salad.
For more information on how you can build your own perfect plate, click here.
If you would like more information on Robin Shea’s Pareto Stone Cookware, click here.
Until Next Time… LIVE INSPIRED!!!
Robin xoxo
