I tried Eat Purely for the first time, here's what happened.

Y'all know I find lots of joy in cooking. But cooking every day is exhausting. Meal prepping in advance is great in theory, but does not play out as often as I would like. Make enough for leftovers? Yes, great idea until your husband eats it all in one sitting (love you, boo). Then what? You don't necessarily want to blow your healthy eating on some indulgent carryout. You still want to keep "living the lifestyle" but you don't want to cook right now, dammit. Where can I get healthy delivery for dinner?

Does anyone remember Sprig? It was in Chicago a couple years ago and I was OBSESSED. It was super healthy, organic meals delivered. But they closed down in Chicago, and I cried. I don't know how it is possible they closed because I was probably single-handedly keeping them in business. I'm still so sad I still haven't deleted the app off my phone. Pathetic. I have been looking for a replacement since they closed down. Cue: Eat Purely. 

I had heard about the service a bit and I had been meaning to try it for awhile. Last week, the perfect opportunity arose. It had been a busy productive day, but no time to grocery shop. I was tired. I didn't want to go anywhere. But it was a weeknight- aka "you need to keep it clean, Alexandra". Then boom! Epiphany- I could try Eat Purely. 

Okay so what exactly is Eat Purely? From their website: "artisan chefs use fresh, seasonal ingredients to create a diverse range of restaurant-quality meals and sides. Select from a daily rotating menu of locally-sourced meals. Order on demand or schedule up to a week in advance. Meals arrived chilled so everything stays fresh. A few minutes in your oven or microwave and dinner is piping hot when you're ready to eat." 

Okay so that sounds great but is it healthy? 

"Our chefs create food that never relies on excess salt, fat, or refined sugars to taste great. We’d rather let our locally-sourced ingredients do the talking... Our vegetables are fresh and seasonal. Our animal proteins are raised, not grown. Our meals are made without chemicals, preservatives, or GMOs."

Hmmm... well this sound good theoretically. Seasonal and locally-sourced is important for produce. Interesting that they don't use the term "organic" if everything is made without chemicals or GMOs. It's great that animal proteins are "raised" but what are they really committing to? It's hard to say because I couldn't find any further information on the website. :/

At the end of the day, this information was good enough for me. Why? Because this sounds about equal to the standard I hold myself to. I try to make sure that my animal proteins are grass-fed, no hormones added, and raised humanely- but even at Whole Foods this is hard to accomplish sometimes. You do the best you can for where you are at. And its helluva lot better than most carryout. 

I went on the app and instantly found a #shedapproved* meal - an incredible looking Coconut Glazed Salmon- but alas- sold out. 

I was looking through for another option that would be comparable. I landed on the Cuban Steak. It looked great- gluten free, dairy free, grass-fed meat! And if you follow me at all- you probably know I'm obsessed with sweet potatoes. So this meal is looking pretty fantastic. Unfortunately, when I looked at the nutrition facts, it has more sugar than I would've liked. 15 grams- but sweet potatoes add sugar. The key distinction was the addition of brown sugar. Brown sugar is not #shedapproved and is in the middle of the ingredients list. Bummer. The was rice was tricky too- it seemed by the look of the photo to be brown rice- but the ingredient list said it was "long grain"- which could be both white or brown! What a conundrum. 

I order it anyway because I was very hangry (no time- for debating) and it comes incredibly fast. I think it was 15 minutes. I set the oven for 350 degrees per the "heat and eat" directions. I put foil on the top of the container and put it in the oven. I followed the directed amount of time (8-12 mins) but it wasn't hot enough. So I put it in the microwave (no aluminum foil! lol) for a minute and that did the trick.

It came in this pretty container. 

Straight out of the box, still has pretty presentation! #impressed

It was realllllly tasty and was super satisfying. I loved that there was a variety of veggies. I really was "eating the rainbow": from the sweet potatoes, salsa verde, black beans, to the parsley and pickled onion salad- we got quite a few colors/nutrients in there. By flavor alone I would definitely order again. It is definitely healthier than 95% of most takeout (please don't take that stat seriously). 

Conclusion? While I love the service and the quality of the ingredients- it is not the easiest to eat #shedapproved meals. You still have to be vigilant checking the ingredient list to see if you are eating within the elimination guidelines. It IS possible to find great healthy options, but don't just order anything off the menu. I also support this for Shed maintenance meals 100%! 

In the end, it tasted like brown rice to me, so I'm going to stick with that for now. :) 

If you do decide to give Eat Purely a try-  use my promo code for a $20 credit for you and for me! :) Promo code: ALEXANDRAS21

Hmmm looks like white rice in this photo! 

*(It was month 1 approved- soy has gluten- which makes it a month 2 nono)

**LEGIT - No one paid me to write this. I wish they did, though.**

What to eat at Chipotle

So you think you have the guidelines down, but then you go out to eat and have no idea what to order. This is one of the biggest hurdles I see clients try to overcome.  What can be simple at home, becomes overwhelming when you are out. I am your guide to help you make better decisions when you aren't able to cook (or just don't want to!). 

One of the more common restaurant options all over the good ole USA is Chipotle. I thought this is a great place to begin demystifying eating out. Chipotle has higher quality ingredients and has lots of available combinations that are #shedapproved. 

I am going to walk you through, section by section, as if we were in line together. Let's start:

1. Salad, bowl, or burrito?

• Salad: It's just a base of lettuce. So that is a resounding "yes" there. I would skip the vinaigrette- ingredients are okay but just adds more calories (and sugar) that you do not need for the substantial amount of food you get. 
• Bowl- always a "yes".
• Burrito - that's a "no". The tortilla adds a significant amount of calories, and it is not an unrefined whole grain. 

2. Choose brown rice or no rice. Brown rice is digested slower in the body than white rice - keeping your blood sugar stable. It is also a whole grain where as white rice is not. A-ok if you would like to abstain from rice altogether. 

3. Beans! I will admit here, I will stand corrected to what I said in the Instagram story. I always thought that the pinto beans were refried beans- prepared in bacon fat. According to Chipotle's ingredient list they actually are vegan! So feel free to have pinto or black beans. Protein packed and so satiating, you can't go wrong. Also, in this section are the fajitas. Mo' veggies, NO problems! 

4. Ahh the animal protein/ tofu options. This part is interesting. I always go for the chicken. Why? Because it is lean, and I don't like to overdo pork products. Steak is also approved on the program, but you should be keeping your red meat consumption at 1-2x a month (better for your arteries and for the environment!). Barbacoa tends to be on the fattier side - so I would choose steak if you are opting for red meat. Lastly, what's wrong with the sofritas? Tofu is a great option if you are trying to cut back on meat consumption (me, all of the time!) but it is a processed food, so I try to not eat too much of it either. Bottom line: eat what you like, but be mindful of what you choose in the bigger scheme of what else you are eating in your life.

5. Salsas? Any and all! Enjoy! 

6. Sour cream and cheese? Although both these are technically approved in month one- I would advise against it. Month 1 treats dairy as a garnish- Chipotle employees very rarely listen when you say "just a little". I wouldn't waste your dairy intake here. 

7. Guacamole? Always a yes- get those healthy fats!! Lettuce? Obvs- get in those greens!

Lastly, eat until you are full. Listen to your body! You may need to finish the bowl, you may not. Every day and every meal is different. It is all about mindful eating and eating slow enough for your body recognize the cues from your stomach to brain! 

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More thoughts on Chipotle

The best part of Chipotle? Their dedication to raising their animal products humanely and healthfully. The following are excerpts from their website. 

"We buy meat from farmers and ranchers who raise their animals without antibiotics and added hormones. If an animal falls sick, our protocols require that farmers bring them back to health in the most responsible manner possible."

"We set minimum space requirements for the animals producing the meat and dairy products that end up in our restaurants. We work with our suppliers to ensure the highest possible animal welfare standards, and are always setting the bar higher.

If, due to supply shortages, we have to serve conventionally raised meat, we clearly post signs in the affected restaurants."

I know this is still far from where we should be in terms of the treatment of livestock- but Chipotle is very advanced compared to most other fast casual restaurants. I respect the progress they have made in the industry. 

On the other side of the spectrum - I would be remiss if I didn't call attention to one of Chipotle's bigger problems.  The oils they use in almost all of their cooked foods (and even the dressing!) are problematic. They recently eliminated GMO soy oil (cheers and applause!) and replaced it with Rice Bran Oil. It is not a terrible choice, but it is an "industrialized" oil - which wasn't seen in generations past. It may also contain trace amounts of arsenic. For more information on Rice Bran Oil check this out.

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At the end of the day, no food is perfect and no restaurant is perfect. You make the best decisions you can depending on what is going on in your life. Overall, Chipotle is actually a really great option if you are shedding and you are on the go!  I hope these tips help you make soulful healthy eating decisions when you aren't at home.

What do you think about Chipotle? Will you eat it while you are shedding? Leave a note in the comments below! Have a great day, babes!

Cooking Apathy

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Recipe not shown. Just proof that you too can overcome cooking apathy! 

I love cooking. I really do. I love the creative process of blending spices and improvising to create a meal that is delicious and healthy. I like finding substitutions for common “bad guy” ingredients (I’m looking at you cream!). It truly gives me great pleasure making food with love for my husband and friends.

But to be honest, my energy peaks in the hours of 11-4. When it is time to cook dinner, I very often do not want anything to do with the kitchen. I get the worst cravings for Korean-Mexican fusion (yes it is a thing, and it is delicious!). The laziness and cravings are the worst if I work late, or do an evening exercise class. Next thing you know I’m sitting in front of the TV with a plate of Kalbi tacos.  Bad health coach, bad!

I’m sure I am not alone in this struggle. That is why I have compiled my 5 best tips for overcoming what I like to call, “cooking apathy.”

1. Be prepared

Being prepared enables good behavior. At the beginning of the week go to the grocery store and buy some key ingredients. The guilt of having food in the fridge that will go bad if its not used should be enough to get you into the kitchen. If you have ingredients on hand you can whip something together before you finished typing “grubhub.”

2. Make meals in advance (duh)

This may seem obvious, but this is the best way to avoid cooking apathy- if you do the work in advance, then you don’t need to worry later! Always make more than you plan to eat and you can save time and energy for later meals in the week. Another variation of this: invite your bestie over and make freezer meals. Prepare all of the ingredients for several slow cooker meals, and then you will have meals on hand for days when that your couch + SVU marathon win the struggle.

3. Find a recipe that sounds so delicious, you can’t wait to try it

Pinterest, a new cookbook, that thing your friend made last week you couldn’t get enough of- all of these are pure gold for cooking motivation. ‘Nuf said.

4. Enlist help

Many hands make light work. If you are living with your best GF, try splitting tasks. You make the entrée if she makes a side. Or bring your fi into the mix as sous chef or cleaning duty.  I am not blessed with a husband who enjoys cooking. If you have a man that has skillz in the kitchen, put him to work! You could switch off days making meals for each other. So sweet. Now I’m jealous.

5. Make it a ritual

I am trying to instill good habits for my marriage. In my ideal world, every night would be the two of us eating at the table enjoying a delicious homemade meal and a glass of wine. That is not always possible, but it is something to strive for.  Eating at the table helps us to reconnect at the end of the day and it inspires me to get cooking! Extra credit: turn the phones off while you eat! No interruptions = more time with your boo.

Bonus tip!

If all else fails, have a healthy eating out plan so that you aren’t shoving kimchi fries in your face. One of my favorite nearby restaurants has a Buddha bowl on the menu. You can’t go wrong with brown rice, green veggies, and tofu! It is so yummy and a nice splurge if you just can’t muster up the strength to get it together in the kitchen!

What's your favorite way to overcome cooking apathy?