With nourish being my word for 2024 I’ve been striving to find sustainable ways to hone in on that. For me, the key to be sustainable when it comes to nutrition is balance.
Let me preface first by saying, I don’t have it all figured out. Believe me, if I did, you’d be the first to know, but I’m taking what I’ve learned and seeking a way of eating that fuels me to live the life I want to live.
A little background, when it comes to nutrition, I’ve been on both extremes. I’ve lived a life where my whole life revolved around “healthy” eating (low-carb, limited calories, etc.) and I’ve lived another (more recent life) where I was focused more on indulgence (if I want it, I eat it.) In those extremes I learned a lot of what I didn’t want. In my “healthy” extreme I learned that I didn’t want to feel like I was starving all the time. In my indulgent extreme I learned that my body aches when I don’t prioritize protein and reach for ice cream consistently. Both of those are really valuable lessons! With what I’ve learned, I’ve begun to move forward and try to strive for balance. I’ve moved towards a way of eating that makes me feel really, really good and doesn’t leave me starving.
This yogurt plate feels like the perfect example of balance to me. Here are a few things I considered when building this yogurt a plate that I hope you find helpful.
How I approach Building a Balanced Plate
When I’m building my plate there are four things I’m always looking for.
Protein - I strive for 20g-30g per meal, but if that sounds too advanced to calculate/track just focus on making sure that you have protein present (chicken, yogurt, tuna, steak, legumes, tofu, etc.). This should be about 25% of your plate.
Fat - Fat helps increase satiety and leave you walking away feeling more satisfied with your meal than if you didn’t have any fat. The most common way that I add a little fat to a plate is to drizzle olive oil on the vegetables and then sprinkle with a little salt. Another way is using olive oil or coconut oil to roast veggies. Although fat is important, you don’t need a lot of it to feel the satiety benefits. Aim for about 1 Tablespoon with your meal. Also, ensure that you’re not using canola oil, vegetable oil, or other processed oils that are actually more harmful than beneficial. Olive oil, avocado oil, and coconut oil are all good options. I also enjoy using nuts or seeds to add some fat — pumpkin seeds have been a recent favorite.
Carb - Carbs get a bad reputation. I could probably write an entire blog post about this, but for now just know that it’s okay to have carbs — especially if they’re complex carbs and paired with a protein and fat. When they’re paired with that protein and fat then the body won’t process them as quickly which means that they are more likely to keep you fuller longer. The carbs I strive to add to my plate are whole grains (oats, brown rice, farro, quinoa, whole wheat bread, etc.) as they are more nutrition dense than things such as (white rice, white bread, etc.) and they are metabolized more slowly in your body so you won’t get that blood sugar crash that the less nutrient dense options will give you. Although carbs are valuable, you don’t want to mainly consume carbs. You’ve got to leave room for the protein, fat, and veggies. Carbs should be about 25% or less of your plate.
Veggies - Last, but certainly not least is veggies. I generally try to make about 50% of my plate consist of veggies. They have lots of nutrients that are important, but also lots of fiber that will help keep you fuller longer. I get it though, veggies can get boring. One of my favorite ways to get out of a rut with veggies is to go to a new grocery store and see if I can find some fun options that inspire me. Some of my top current vegetables are purple sweet potatoes and watermelon radishes.
BONUS: (But also super important!) The last thing I look for when building a plate is flavor opportunities. I am always seeking ways to make a balanced and nourshing meal taste really great. For this particular plate pictured above i knew I wanted to use some yogurt so I started adding herbs and garlic to bring the yogurt to life. Other things i like to add to increase the nutrition and also flavor or a plate like this is to add kimchi, hot sauce, saurkraut, pickles, a drizzle of kefir, etc. These additions will keep your meals more interesting and make you more excited to keep eating healthy.
Your Turn
I hope you now feel empowered to build a plate that feels balanced and nourishing! Below I’ll share the recipe for the herby yogurt I used to build the plate pictured. Again, I don’t have all the answers, but this is how I’m seeking to find balance as I strive to nourish my body and live a vibrant life. This formula has been helpful to give me a little struture while still maintaining freedom to get creative and enjoy food.
What’s on the plate pictured?
Herby yogurt (Recipe below)
Chicken meatballs
Watermelon radishes
Cucumbers
Tomatoes
Farro
A drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt
Herby Yogurt
Makes 4 servings
1 cup whole milk greek yogurt — I really like this brand
2 green onions, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped finely
1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped finely (or use 2 teaspoons dried instead)
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Spread onto a plate using a spatula or spoon and top with your favorite protein, carb, veggies, and fat. Enjoy!
