50-25-25 (The Plate Method)

If your plate is visually divided somewhat like this (80% of the time)…

🥦 50% veggies

🍳 25% protein

🌾 25% higher fiber carb

Healthy fats for flavour, garnish, and cooking.

ISH

…then, you’re very likely nourishing your body with the essential nutrients you need to feel AWESOME.

We tend to overcomplicate nutrition.

Of course - if you have a medical condition, nutrition DOES get more complex (or, if you’re a high performance athlete that needs 6k+ calories per day…)

But - for most of us - healthy eating can be quite simple.

✅ Lots of veggies for vitamin/mineral diversity & fiber

✅ High quality protein for muscle/tissue growth & repair and satiety

✅ High quality (whole food) carbohydrates for important vitamins and FIBER

✅ And, healthy (whole food) fats for vitamin absorption, organ protection, hormone production

PLUS, the combination of fiber, proteins and healthy fats (and reduced overall consumption of refined carbs) is often associated with regulated blood sugar levels. Which means - satiety, stable energy levels, and reduced risk of various metabolic health conditions.

So - what does this look like?

I’ll keep this short-and-sweet for you with 10 balanced plate ideas that I LOVE to include in my weekly rotation.

1) Scrambled eggs made with cottage cheese with assorted veggies (mushrooms, bell peppers, and onions)… Served with side of fresh fruit.

• Protein: eggs & cottage cheese

• Fats: olive oil (for cooking eggs) & eggs

• Carbs: fresh fruit

• Veg: mushrooms, bell peppers, and onions

2) Greek yogurt parfait with assorted nuts/seeds, a lil’ bit of nut butter, and fresh fruit.

• Protein: greek yogurt

• Fats: nuts/seeds

• Carbs: fresh fruit

• Veg: NA (sometimes at breakfast, we may not get a vegetable in - that’s okay, we can get those at snacks, lunch, and dinner!)

3) Black bean and egg hash with assorted veggies, cheddar cheese and avocado.

• Protein: eggs (a bit of protein in cheese & black beans too)

• Fats: cheese, avocado

• Carbs: black beans

• Veg: assorted veggies

4) Loaded salad (leafy greens, shredded carrots, cucumber) with grilled chicken, pecans, apple, goat cheese, chickpeas, and olive oil dressing.

• Protein: grilled chicken

• Fats: olive oil dressing, goat cheese, pecans

• Carbs: apple, chickpeas

• Veg: leafy greens, cucumber, shredded carrots

5) Air fryer lemon olive oil salmon with quinoa, tomato and cucumber salad (side steamed broccoli).

• Protein: salmon

• Fats: lemon olive oil dressing, salmon

• Carbs: quinoa

• Veg: cucumber, tomatoes, and steamed broccoli

6) Steak with roasted vegetables (including sweet potato).

• Protein: steak

• Fats: olive oil for roasted veg, some in the steak

• Carbs: sweet potato

• Veg: roasted veg

7) Lentil & tofu scramble with mushrooms, bell peppers, and onions —> topped with avocado and toasted pecans.

• Protein: tofu (and some in the lentils)

• Fats: olive oil for cooking, avocado, toasted pecans

• Carbs: lentils

• Veg: mushrooms, bell peppers, and onions

8) Ground turkey & brown rice stuffed pepper with feta cheese, olives, and mediterranean spices. Served with sautéed or roasted herbed zucchini.

• Protein: ground turkey

• Fats: feta cheese, olives, some in the ground turkey, some for cooking zucchini

• Carbs: brown rice

• Veg: bell pepper (stuffed pepper) and zucchini

9) Whole grain pasta OR quinoa with lentil bolognese (includes tomato sauce, mushrooms, lentils, garlic, onions, and hemp seed) - served with side garden salad with olive oil vinaigrette

• Protein: lentil & whole grain pasta (or quinoa), some in the hemp seeds

• Fats: olive oil vinaigrette, hemp seeds

• Carbs: lentil & whole grain pasta (or quinoa)

• Veg: garden salad

10) Edamame salad with cucumber, leafy greens, dried cranberries, olive oil, and feta cheese (OR toasted & salted cashews)

• Protein: edamame & feta (a bit in the cashews if using)

• Fats: olive oil & feta (or cashews)

• Carbs: edamame & dried cranberries

• Veg: leafy greens & cucumber

Which of these ideas would you try first?

What are your favourite balanced meals?

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