Eat healthy for under $50 a week

You can eat a healthy plant-based diet for less than $50 per week!

Two weeks ago, I wrote a post like this after a new Whole Foods 365 opened in my neighbourhood. I meant to write another post like this last week, but I didn’t finish it on time. It was my birthday and I had a lot of other stuff going on. Sorry.

This week, I met with Abe Nabors, second-generation owner of the Mustard Seed Market & Cafe, also in my neighbourhood! I wanted to show that you can eat healthy at your locally-owned health food store for the same low price as Amazon-owned chain retailers. Coincidentally, helping people eat well on a budget is part of Nabors’ mission in life.

Nabors volunteers to teach classes on how to eat healthy food without spending too much money. I could write a separate post on what I learned speaking with him for an hour.

We also agree on the basic approach that I have been using to create these shopping lists and menus. Begin in the produce section, then look at what you can buy in bulk. Everything else is convenience food. Though Nabors also shops in the meat department. As Michael Pollan says: “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.”

Nabors told me that the bulk food section of his store is under-utilized by customers. Customers feel intimidated when they see that granola costs $3.99 per pound. This week, however, you’re going to eat 1/2 cup of Organic Classic Granola and that only costs about $1.37 bought in bulk. Bulk food is cheaper because you don't have to pay for marketing and packaging. If you're nervous buying it, most bulk food sections have a scale so that you can weigh your food before heading to the checkout.

The last meal planning post I wrote left me worried that I was requiring you to spend too much time cooking. To remedy that, this week you will be cooking more food at once and eating leftovers. If you don’t like leftovers, you will spend more time cooking. There’s no way around that, unless you can afford to eat out!

The shopping list below comes to about $49.27. The amount is approximate because we are buying a lot of things that are priced by weight — not all apples are the same size/weight. Approximately $49.27 worth of food will give you enough to cook all the meals on my meal plan, except oils, salt, pepper, and spices. Being a grown-up and all, you should have oils, salt, pepper, and spices at home.

The optional ingredients are not included in the $49.27 total. Buy the tofu, if you want tofu scrambles with your breakfast hash. Buy the jackfruit and the wine, if you want to add it to your soup. I don’t think the soup needs it.

The Benevolent Bacon is included in the $49.27 total, though it is secretly optional as well. I just really like it in this breakfast hash.

Finally, I’d like to mention the Field Day Organic brand. Field Day Organic products are available in most locally owned health food stores because small businesses usually can’t afford to produce an affordable store brand, like Whole Foods 365. Nabors showed me that most store brands aren’t organic, and use BPA lined cans. Though Whole Foods is working on changing that, some of their 365 brand canned goods come in BPA-lined cans. Shopping locally is not only good for your community, it is good for you too!

Shopping List

1 box blueberries $1.99
3 medium Fuji apples $3.69
1 lime 1 lime is 0.75 (can substitute for lemon)

2 oranges $1.50

1 1/4 cup green beans $2.00

1 avocado $1.99
1 small cauliflower $1.99
I bag organic frozen whole kernel sweet corn $2.79
1 bunch of orange carrots $1.99
1 whole butternut squash $1.79
1 box cherry tomatoes $2.99
1 bunch kale $2.99
1 small bunch (1/2 pound) broccoli $1
1 bell pepper 0.80
1 small jalapeño for 0.25
1 cup green onion $1.49
3 shallots $1.50
2 large white or yellow onion $1.49
1 small red onion 0.80
1 fresh garlic bulb 0.30
2/3 cup uncooked barley 0.75
1 pkg linguini $2.50
2 14.5 ounce cans Muir Glen Organic diced tomatoes  $2.50

1 can (8 ounces) Field Day Organic tomato sauce $1.79
1/2 can Field Day Organic white beans $1.25
1/4 can Field Day Organic Chickpeas (Garbanzo) $1.25
1/2 cup Organic Brown Basmati Rice 0.67
1/2 cup Organic Classic Granola $1.37
1 bottle Field Day Organic Lemon Tahini Dressing $3.99
1 tetra pack Blue Diamond Almond Breeze unsweetened vanilla almond-coconut milk $2.00
1 pkg veggie bacon Sweet Earth Benevolent Bacon $4.99
1 pkg extra firm tofu (optional) $2.50
1 pkg jackfruit (optional) $5.99
1 bottle Tillsdale white wine (optional $4.59)

Total: $49.27

Day One:

Breakfast: Roasted Butternut Squash Hash with Apples & Bacon
Substitute the package of Benevolent bacon for real bacon, or go without.
You can make this recipe the night before and divide it into four portions, to be eaten over the course of the week (freeze three of the portions).
Because it is pictured with eggs, I might be tempted to serve it with a tofu scramble, which is why the package of tofu is optional in our grocery list.

Lunch to-go: big salad
Wash and chop a bowl of kale, a little red onion, a little broccoli, a few cherry tomatoes, and some simple homemade vinaigrette.

Snack to-go: handful of blueberries

Dinner: Thyme White Bean Pot Pies and mini apple pies
For this recipe, make your own vegetable broth from kitchen scraps.
I had trouble finding fresh thyme, so we have to substitute dried.
You are going to half this recipe, but make the full amount of pie crust, so that you can make sweet pies as well.
Once you have the crust done, mini apple pies are easy to make.
Just peel and thinly slice two apples. Sprinkle them with cinnamon and sugar. Put them in three muffin cups and place the crust on top.
Bake at 400 for 20-30 minutes and PRESTO!
Since you are making plenty of food, you might as well invite a friend over. Even halved, this recipe makes three servings: you can feed a friend AND have leftovers tomorrow!

Day Two:

Breakfast: mini apple pie
Because who doesn’t want pie for breakfast?

Lunch to-go: leftover pot pie
Though these taste delicious, warmed up, they are just as good to eat at room temperature. Because they are meat and dairy free, we don’t have to worry about them spoiling as quickly.
Also, if you didn't share your food last night, you still have a mini apple pie and an extra pot pie. You could share your lunch or eat like a pig!

Snack to-go: 1 orange (save the peel)

Dinner: Spicy Sesame Noodle, Green Bean, and Carrot Salad 
Again, you will be halving this recipe. Yet, you will still get three servings out of it. So, you can feed a friend and take some for lunch tomorrow. OR be a piggy!

Day Three:

Breakfast: Breakfast: Roasted Butternut Squash Hash with Apples & Bacon (from your freezer) with optional tofu scramble
Saving money and time! Isn't life amazing?

Lunch to-go: leftover Sesame Noodle Salad

Snack to-go: handful of blueberries

Dinner: Turmeric Roasted Cauliflower with Cherry Tomatoes and Beans 
Half this recipe and use the leftover white beans from day one.
Substitute lime for lemon because that is what we have on hand.

Day Four:

Breakfast: granola with blueberries and almond milk
Freeze the remaining blueberries.

Lunch to-go: leftover roasted cauliflower.

Snack to-go: orange

Dinner: Butternut Squash, Chickpea Buddha Bowl with tahini dressing
This recipe makes enough to share, or you can take the leftovers for your lunch tomorrow.
You will need to have on hand: water or your favourite cooking oil, salt & pepper, spices (like cumin, child powder, garlic — which you bought fresh, oregano, and turmeric).
You will use from the shopping list: red onion slices, remaining butternut squash, a little broccoli, a little kale, a can of chickpeas, avocado, rice, tahini dressing and roasted chickpeas.
Preheat your oven to 400. Wash the chickpeas and season with oil and spices. Spread on a baking sheet and roast for 45 minutes, turning occasionally. Cube the remaining butternut squash, then season with oil and spices. Roast for 20-30 minutes, turning once. Prepare the rice. Thinly slice a little red onion and a quarter avocado for each bowl. Freeze the remaining avocado. Cut the broccoli into bite size pieces. Wash and chop a handful of kale.
To serve, put the cooked rice in the bottom of your bowl and arrange the kale, half the butternut squash, broccoli, red onion, and a quarter of the chickpeas on top of the rice. Drizzle with tahini dressing.
Enjoy!
Don’t forget to save the leftover roasted chickpeas.

Day Five:

Breakfast: Breakfast: Roasted Butternut Squash Hash with Apples & Bacon (from your freezer) with optional tofu scramble
Make dinner in the morning!

Lunch to-go: leftover Butternut Squash, Chickpea Buddha Bowl with tahini dressing

Snack to-go: roasted chickpeas

Dinner: Slow Cooker Vegetable Barley Soup
This soup is so delicious you will enjoy eating it all weekend.

Ingredients
3/4 cup frozen cut green beans
2/3 cup frozen whole kernel corn
1 pkg optional jackfruit (I would do it without, but if you want something meaty...)
1/2 cup chopped bell pepper
1 large onion, chopped
2/3 cup uncooked barley
1 1/2 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chopped fresh or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 carton (32 ounces) vegetable broth or beef-flavoured vegan broth
2 cans (14.5 ounces each) diced tomatoes with roasted garlic
1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
You can also add an optional glass of white wine, but what would you do with the rest of the bottle?

Instructions
Put everything in the slow cooker. Cook at low temperature for 8-9 hours.
Makes 10 servings! Why not share with a friend?

Day Six:

Breakfast: Breakfast: Roasted Butternut Squash Hash with Apples & Bacon (from your freezer) with optional tofu scramble

Lunch: leftover Vegetable Barley Soup

Snack: roasted chickpeas

Dinner: leftover Vegetable Barley Soup and a big salad
Use the remaining 1/2 carton of cherry tomatoes. Chop the remaining red onion. Grate your leftover carrots and green onions. If you have some leftover green pepper throw that in too. Wash and tear up your remaining kale.
Half of this salad will make for good eating tomorrow too. Don't forget to put half in the fridge!

Day Seven:

Breakfast: avocado berry smoothie
Put frozen avocado and blueberries in the blender with 1 cup of almond milk. Blend and enjoy!

Lunch: leftover Vegetable Barley Soup

Snack: roasted chickpeas

Dinner: leftover Vegetable Barley Soup and a big salad

Follow my blog and like the Facebook page to see next week's shopping list and meal plan.

Eat healthy for under $50 a week!

What if I told you that you could eat a plant-based whole food diet for $50 a week?

I browsed the Whole Foods 365 website, for my area, and assembled this shopping list. I assume you have salt, baking powder, vinegar, olive oil, sesame oil, soy sauce, sriracha, brown sugar, spices... If you don't have those things, you should. Also, your initial shop might cost a little more. The ingredients in my list filled a seven-day meal plan, outlined below. The grand total of my shopping list was $42.01, plus an optional bottle of wine for the weekend and a $3 slice of pizza when you go back to the store at dinner time on the last day.

Also, there are days that you can entertain... sometimes, you have too much food for one.

There are a couple days when the cooking seems a bit labour intensive, but I made sure at least five of the lunches could be taken to go.

Here's how you do it:

Shopping List

2 green peppers 0.50
1 cob bi-colour corn 0.33
2 lbs or 7 individual bananas $1.00
1 lime 0.25
4 lemons $2.00
1 cucumber 0.50
1 bunch fresh cilantro 0.50
1 bunch scallions 0.50
1 bunch fresh Italian parsley 0.50 ea
4 sweet potato yams $2.00
1 Yukon gold potato 0.45
3-4 Roma tomatoes $2.00
1 bunch spinach $1.00
1 bunch green leaf lettuce $1.00
1 hass avocado $1.45
1 red onion 0.45
Handful green beans 0.50
1 big bok choy $1.50
5 organic Bosc pears $3.50
1 package penne rigate 0.99
1 can black beans 0.69
Califia Farms unsweetened almond milk $3.99
3-4 cups long grain brown rice $2.00
4 1/4 cups unbleached white flour $1.00
1 tbsp organic chia seeds 0.50
1 package organic extra-firm tofu $1.79
2 cups French vanilla granola $1.00
Organic Earl Grey tea $4.39
Handful organic dry roasted peanuts 0.50
I bulb garlic 0.25
Organic chocolate syrup $3.49
1 package Forbidden Rice Ramen with Miso soup 0.99
Three Wishes wine $3.49 bottle (optional)

Day One:

Breakfast is simple: 1/2 cup granola, 1 chopped banana,  1 cup almond milk in a bowl, with a cup of tea on the side.

Lunch-to-go: pack a salad made of 1 cup green leaf lettuce, 2 slices of red onion, 1/4 cucumber, 1/2 cup spinach, and make a little lemon parsley vinaigrette.
For the vinaigrette combine freshly squeezed lemon juice with chopped parsley, garlic powder, a vinegar of your choice, and a little olive oil.

Dinner: Spicy Peanut Tofu and Bok Choy Rice Bowl!
Only make half the recipe (2 servings). Use 1 clove garlic, 1/2 pkg tofu, 1/2 bok choy, 2 cups brown rice, 1/8 cup chopped scallions, and 1/8 cup peanuts (crush them yourself). (Put half in a sealed container to take with you for lunch tomorrow.)

Dessert: make a pear crumble using 4 pears, 1/2 cup granola, 1/4 cup flour. I hope here that you have the cinnamon, nutmeg, and brown sugar in your pantry. Makes 9 servings.

Day Two:

Breakfast: 1 serving pear crumble. I cup of Earl Grey tea.

Lunch-to-go: leftover rice bowl.

Dinner: sweet potato and avocado tacos!
Make your own flour tortillas.
Chop up a sweet potato, cover it in olive oil, chilli powder, salt and pepper.
Roast the potatoes for 20 minutes, while draining and rinsing the black beans. Then, stir the potatoes with the black beans and roast for another 10 minutes.
Dice up half an avocado and make yourself three delicious tacos for dinner. Top with fresh chopped cilantro. Store the leftover tortillas and sweet potato bean mixture separately for future use.

Dessert: 1 serving pear crumble.
Freeze the remaining six servings of pear crumble in individual portions that can be microwaved later.

Day Three:

Breakfast:  1/2 cup granola, 1 chopped banana,  1 cup almond milk in a bowl, with a cup of tea on the side.

Lunch-to-go: guacamole and tortilla chips.
Make your own guacamole with the other half of last night's avocado, the juice of 1 lemon, minced garlic, and 1/2 tsp olive oil.
Make your own tortilla chips using the leftover tortillas from last night; simply cut each one into 6 triangles, brush with olive oil and salt, then bake at 350 for 7 minutes.
You can make your lunch the night before, or in the morning.

Snack-to-go: 1 serving frozen pear crumble, it can thaw over the course of the day and still be cold when you eat it, or you can microwave it.

Dinner: Mexican rice bowl.
Invite someone over, if you feel like you have enough for two to eat.
The sweet potatoes are better the next day.
Boil and de-kernel 1 cob of corn, reheat 1/2-1 cup leftover sweet potato bean mixture from yesterday's tacos. Mix with 1 cup cooked rice, a handful of fresh spinach, and a sliced tomato. Top with a chopped scallion and lemon wedges to squeeze over it as you eat.

Pro-tip: put leftover lemon wedges in a jug of water in the fridge to drink later.

Dessert: chocolate banana shake. Put 1 cup almond milk, 1 banana, and some chocolate syrup in the blender.

Day Four:

Breakfast: 1/2 cup granola, 1 chopped banana,  1 cup almond milk in a bowl, with a cup of tea on the side.

Lunch-to-go: 1 serving pasta salad.
Make in the morning or the night before.
Prepare 1 cup penne. Chop parsley, garlic, a tomato, a scallion, 1/2 red onion, and 1/2 cucumber. Put it all in a bowl, add a handful of spinach, a little vinegar, and olive oil. Mix.
Makes 2 servings, so set half aside for tomorrow.

Dinner: hearty miso soup.
Prepare Forbidden Rice Ramen, prepare as directed, but add 1/2 cup extra water. As the water boils, add 1/4 bok choy, 1/4 of pkg tofu, a chopped clove garlic, powdered ginger, and three chopped mushrooms.

Dessert: 1 serving pear crumble OR make banana bread out of leftover bananas. Uses 3 bananas, 2 cups of flour, 1/2 cup almond milk, as well as other ingredients from your pantry.

Day Five:

Breakfast: 1 serving banana bread (hopefully, you made it last night). Top with peanut butter. Make a cup of tea.

Lunch-to-go: 1 serving pasta salad (from yesterday).

Snack-to-go: banana bread. It's Friday, bring a few extra individually wrapped slices of banana bread to share friends.

Dinner: Thai Stuffed Sweet Potato Skins.
It's Friday, invite a few of the friends you made sharing banana bread over. This recipe makes enough to share. Use green pepper because it was on sale. Substitute powdered ginger for fresh and use your favourite brand of siracha. This would be a great night to open that optional bottle of wine!

Day Six:

Make brunch for your friends, or reduce this recipe and only use one, or two slices of your banana bread for French toast! That's right... you can eat French toast!

Lunch: salad. After a heavy breakfast, it is better to eat a light lunch.
This is the same salad you made on Monday so you can pack it up to go if you want. It is good for using up leftover produce.
1 cup green leaf lettuce, 2 slices of red onion, 1/4 cucumber, 1/2 cup spinach, and make a little lemon parsley vinaigrette.
For the vinaigrette combine freshly squeezed lemon juice with chopped parsley, garlic powder, a vinegar of your choice, and a little olive oil.

Dinner: green stir fry with rice.
Prepare 1/2 cup rice. Saute remaining bok choy, a handful of green beans, 1/2 green pepper in a little olive oil, with garlic and powdered ginger. Season with soy sauce.

Dessert: 1 serving pear crumble.

Day Seven:

Breakfast: pear, peanut butter and tea. Simple, yet satisfying.

Lunch: tofu scramble with roasted potato.
Cube potato and mix with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast for 30 minutes, turning once.
Heat teaspoon olive oil in a small frying pan. Crumble your remaining tofu into the pan. Sprinkle turmeric over the tofu and saute, watching the potatoes turn yellow. Add diced tomato and a handful of spinach.
To serve, put the tofu scramble right on top of the potatoes, and sprinkle some chopped parsley, or cilantro on top.

Dinner: you have to go shopping for next week. Buy a slice of vegan pizza for $3, while you are there!

Follow my blog and like the Facebook page to see next week's shopping list and meal plan.

Food Journal

I've been asked to keep a food journal for the next three weeks, so I am going to keep it here. I will try to update it every day. It's probably the worst week for me to begin because we are celebrating my husband's birthday this week. I predict it will look like I've really shaped up next week.

Monday 2nd of May

Breakfast:

Multi-grain oatmeal with fresh strawberries and vanilla almond milk.

I also had a cup of coffee.

Lunch:

I like to try to use up leftovers at lunch and had some salad left from the night before, but needed soy and protein.

Tossed spinach salad and a turmeric tofu scramble.

Yes, that is grated cheese on top, but it looks like more than there is.

I also had a glass of water and a glass of vegetable juice. Mid afternoon, I made some spicy chai tea too - no milk or sugar.

Dinner:

I was too busy serving dinner to take a picture, but we had a veggie and humus plate with a bowl of my homemade pita chips. I know pita chips aren't on my diet, but my husband really wanted them and its his birthday (soon). We also had a curried cashew and carrot soup, which you wouldn't think goes well with Greek food, but it does. We crumbled a few of the remaining pita chips into our soup and it was delicious.

Also, I had a glass of red wine.

Dessert:

I don't usually eat dessert, but like I said this is a special time. Picked up this strawberry shortbread interpretation  of an empire cookie. It was so sweet that we shared the one.

I had another glass of red wine.

Snack:

Maybe it was the wine, but I caved and had a couple handfuls of potato chips and a cup of green tea before bed.

Tuesday 3rd of May

Breakfast:

An orange and some strawberries.

Also had a cup of coffee.

Lunch:

I almost forgot to take a picture of my lunch, so here it is... almost gone.

Cheddar, carrots, mushrooms, celery, cucumber,
red pepper humus, and a glass of water.

Snack:

I had a cup of chai green tea and some Ona maple pecan cookies. Ona maple cookies are healthy little cookies that come in a pack of two. They are gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free, and soy-free -- not that I'm trying to avoid ALL of those things. I just got them for free!

They do contain: almond flour, honey, maple syrup, pecans, coconut oil, vanilla extract, sea salt, cinnamon, and are mostly organic.

Dinner:

On the eve of my husband's birthday, I told him he could have anything he wanted for dinner. He chose KFC. I will behave better next week. I promise!

Wednesday 4th of May

Breakfast:

Today was my husband's birthday. He woke me up excitedly and asked me to go out for breakfast with him. Here's what I ordered:

Raspberries, kiwi, blackberries, blueberries, granola, banana, pineapple,
and a big dollop of yogurt in the middle.

Also, had two cups of coffee.

Lunch:

I made my lunch at the salad bar and brought it home.

Roast chicken on top of "summer pasta salad" (tomatoes, mozzarella, farfalle,
olive oil, garlic, oregano) on top of the "calcium boost salad"  (spinach, five
kinds of beans, red onion, balsamic vinaigrette).

Also had chai green tea.

Dinner:

I didn't have time to make my lunch at home because I was getting ready for company and made a big roast beef dinner (one of the birthday boy's favourites). This included roast beef, onion, garlic, salt, pepper, potatoes, carrots, steamed asparagus, and Yorkshire pudding (made from scratch). Also had a couple glasses of red wine.

Dessert:

Cake, of course! Chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream frosting, a chocolate buttercream filling, and half a scoop of Häagen-Dazs vanilla ice cream.

Birthday cake! I was playing the Beatles' Birthday Song on my iPad, which
also served as a tray for the cake. lol

Thursday 5th of May

Breakfast:

Cup of coffee and...

Avocado toast with a basted egg.

Lunch:

For lunch I had chicken tortilla soup. There were no tortillas and very little chicken in my soup. I got it on my way to the museum at the market by my house. It was vegetable broth, tomatoes, corn, peppers, black beans, kidney beans, white beans, and Mexican spices. Two cups of pressed apple-pomegranite juice.

Dinner:

Left-over pot roast from the night before, with a couple glasses of wine. No dessert for me.

Friday 6th of May

Breakfast:

I was bad today and didn't eat breakfast. I had a glass of probiotic blueberry pomegranate juice before I left the house, then got a small frappuccino and Starbucks. I've been reducing the sugar in my diet so much that this tasted like pure syrup!

Lunch:

I made my self a delicious salad at the salad bar on campus today and ate it in the sunshine!

Romaine, spinach, beets, mushrooms, half a hard-boiled
egg, black beans, kidney beans, feta, flax seeds, cherry
red peppers, tomatoes, and sunflower seeds.

Snack:

Not eating breakfast left me hungry all day (I think).

Tandoor Chef cilantro pesto naan pizza.

And sparkling water with fruit juice.

Dinner:

For dinner, I made this platter to share with hubby and enjoyed some red wine.

Homemade pita chips, popcorn shrimp, carrots, cucumber, mushrooms,
celery, red pepper hummus, guacamole.

Saturday 7th of May

Brunch:

We had a pretty jentacular weekend, wrapping up my husband's birthday week. Saturday we went to First Watch, where I ordered:

See the menu here.

I didn't like the ciabatta (doesn't suit my diet anyway), so I mostly had the eggs, cheese, and veg. I also had two and half cups of coffee.

Dinner:

My husband made a yummy stir fry for dinner.

Beef & mushroom rice noodles, fried vegetables: broccoli, cauliflower,
carrots, peas, onions, soy sauce, and spices.

I also had some red wine.

Sunday 8th of May

Breakfast:

Back on my diet, I went out for breakfast, ordered the granola bowl and a cup of coffee.

Kiwi, blackberries, blue berries, pineapple, granola, banana, and a
scoop of yogurt.

Lunch:

Whole grain crackers and cheddar, a glass of water.

Dinner:

Tofu burger (mostly soy flour) - no bun - bacon, sautéed
mushrooms, avocado, and a salad of mixed greens, red &
yellow peppers, cucumber, kidney beans, and black beans.

Of course, I had some red wine.

Monday 9th of May

Breakfast:

Basted egg, whole grain toast with olive oil, garlic, lemon, avocado, and
two slices of bacon.

I barely ate half of that and my puppy looked like he really needed some of that bacon. I also had two cups of coffee and fresh-squeezed orange juice.

After breakfast, things didn't go so well. I had health issues for over an hour, then I began feeling very nauseous.

Lunch:

I thought this and a cup of chai would be easy enough to eat.

Curried carrot and cashew soup.

A few hours later, I nearly threw up.

Snack:

To calm my stomach, I had some whole grain crackers and water.

Dinner:

Chicken noodle soup and green tea.

Dessert:

Coconut cream ice cream.

Tuesday 10th of May

Breakfast:

Coffee and...

Banana and peanut butter yogurt.

Lunch:

For lunch today, I made myself a strength enducing sandwich because my husband is sick and I felt I really needed something substantial that fitted my diet to be able to continue taking care of him. I had green tea, as well ad fruit juice with sparkling water and:

One piece of multi-grain toast with half an avocado, half a chicken breast,
some cheddar, and some mixed greens.

Dinner:

By dinnertime, I felt my husband was beginning to recover himself somewhat, but lacked appetite. So I whipped myself up something that would quickly satisfy, which was wise because he was craving chips and chocolate; and I avoided those. 

I had fusilli with tofu, zucchini, green pepper, mushrooms, and garlic sautéed in olive oil, cayenne, and an Italian spice mix. I also had red wine... it was a long day...

To find out more about my journey in exploring food as medicine, like my Facebook page.

What is the anti-inflammatory diet?

Shrimp bur blanc on linguini with a side salad.

Dr Andrew Weil says:

It is becoming increasingly clear that chronic inflammation is the root cause of many serious illnesses — including heart disease, many cancers, and Alzheimer's disease. […] Learning how specific foods influence the inflammatory process is the best strategy for containing it and reducing long-term disease risks.

The anti-inflammatory diet is not intended to cause weight loss, which is fine. Other than the constant pain, I am pretty comfortable in my body (I think I look hot). The anti-inflammatory diet isn’t so much a diet as it is a lifestyle change, in which you eat foods that reduce chronic inflammation in your body. Dr Weil calls understanding which foods to eat ‘scientific,’ though I still think parts of his approach are hookum, for example vitamins are a racket (Sheldon Cooper once referred to supplements as “very expensive urine”). If this means that the placebo aspect of this diet doesn’t work as well on me, so be it. I’m really sick and I want to feel better, but I prefer evidence-based medicine.

Supplements appear third from the top of Dr Weil's anti-inflammatory diet food pyramid, which illustrates the recommendations of the anti-inflammatory diet in a visually pleasing way -- not according to recommended quantities. Red wine and dark chocolate are the two recommendations that top supplements in the pyramid. Supplements were the first thing that made me skeptical of Dr Weil's approach, but he is not the only advocate of the health benefits of anti-inflammatory foods.

The Arthritis Foundation promotes the idea that certain foods help combat inflammation, implying that a diet of these foods may benefit people with rheumatoid arthritis (that's me). The Arthritis foundation recommends eating 3-4 ounces of omega-3 rich fish twice a week; "at least 1½ to 2 cups of fruit and 2 to 3 cups of veggies per meal"; a handful of nuts every day; lots of beans; 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil every day; onions (I'm not a big fan of those); lots of fibre; less processed food and salt; and moderate alcohol (they have a picture of red wine and that is good enough for me). The Arthritis Foundation encouraged me to calculate a diet plan that is right for me through the USDA.

The USDA recommended I eat 2600 calories a day to maintain my current weight, or 2400 calories a day to lose weight. I chose the 2400 calories a day option, because I can't imagine I ate more than that before I started really thinking about food, and this is what was recommended:

For breakfast I had enough fruit and grains for the day with a glass of pro-biotic blueberry pomegranate juice, half a cup of 7-grain oatmeal, topped with blueberries and strawberries. I put almond milk on my oatmeal and soy milk in my coffee, so (according to this) I can have two more cups of dairy, three cups of vegetables, and 6.5 ounces of protein before the day is over.

This is similar to, but not the same as Dr Weil's food pyramid. His food pyramid would have me eating more (I like him for that). Dr Weil says I can have all the mushrooms, garlic, ginger, turmeric, and cinnamon I can eat. After the wonderful breakfast I had, he would also let me have 2-4 more servings of whole grains; two more servings of protein than the USDA recommends (if one is beans and the other is tofu); another serving of fruit; and one more helping of vegetables than the USDA recommends. According to Dr Weil's food pyramid, I can also have 2-4 cups of tea and a couple glasses of red wine before bed. Either way, I am not going to starve.