Thanksgiving Leftovers
Hi Byte Wellness Fam!
How are you feeling post-Turkey Day? Good, I hope.
I’m grateful, truly.
I’m grateful to have made it this far in 2023; grateful for my family and friends; so grateful for the wellness community we’re forming here.
Dr. Bridgette and I are working to bring you even more support in the coming months. More on that later.
Meanwhile, are you (like me) at that place in your thanksgiving leftovers journey where you’re searching for leftover turkey recipes and turkey dinner ideas?
If so, then just keep reading. We’ve got a new plant-based cooking course and lots of ideas below on how to mix and match your leftovers while elevating plants.
Also, if you’re ready to jump on next week’s #PhyteWellWednesday Workshop, just send TEXT to 1(866)717-1919 to get Daily Wellness Texts and an invite to the weekly Workshop, happening Wednesdays at 7pm CT.
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Discussion Question: Imagine yourself without the identity of Black woman. What would it take for you to be your healthiest and happiest self as a human?
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Grateful to Grow With You
One of the ways we’re trying to support this wellness community is by EXPANDING your Healing Library to include a suite on-demand courses in addition to our workshop recordings.
Why? You’ve had lots of questions that come up in your everyday lives (like, “which oat milk brands have no added sugars?”.
We never seem to have enough time during our #PhyteWellWednesday Workshops to cover all the answers. Ideally, you can browse through this larger collection of courses on your own to answer any lingering questions.
The first of these courses is a collaboration with Chef Araba, the incredible plant-based Chef/Educator from Nashville, TN. Share & Savor is a plant-based cooking course. In the past, we’ve shared an earlier version of this course. But, we’ve updated this newer version to answer your most pressing questions about health and strategy around vegetarian, vegan or just plant-heavy eating.
Fruits & Non-starchy Veggies = 1/2 plate
Make sure fruits and non-starchy veggies take up at least 1 half of your plate (or bowl) at every meal.
Non-starchy veggies include celery, broccoli, bell peppers, leafy greens, green beans etc.
If you use Chef Araba's Tropics Blend Smoothie to build your energizing breakfast on Thanksgiving morning, you've already got more than half a plate of fruit and veggies (spinach and mangoes). Keep that ratio in mind when you add starches and protein to convert it into a smoothie bowl.
Starches (Whole Grains or Starchy Veggies) = 1/4 plate
Starting with Chef Araba's Tomato and Avocado Salad or her Seasoned Veggies, add her Fluffy Quinoa recipe or her Sweet Potato Wedges. Notice the use of “or” here. Both quinoa (a whole grain) and potatoes (starchy veggies) are considered starches. That means you can follow the Balanced Plate plan by eating one serving (about 1 cup) of quinoa or one serving of sweet potatoes (about 1 medium potato or 1/2 cup), but not 1 serving of each!
If you have a hankering for both the nutty quinoa flavor and the comforting gooeyness of a sweet potato, you can satisfy both by combining half a serving of each: 1/2 cup of quinoa and 1/4 cup of sweet potatoes. These serving sizes might not sound like enough to satiate your hunger, but you’d be surprised how filling 1 cup of starch can be when you take your time and savor each bite.
We’ve been talking about absolute serving sizes, but remember that the proportions matter, too. According to the Balanced Plate plan, the total amount of the starch on your plate should fill only 1/4 of the plate. Basically, make sure your salad is at least twice as big as your starch.
Lean Protein = 1/4 plate
Just because you're eating a plant-based meal doesn't mean you have to miss out on the 1/4 of your plate that's protein. You can choose a variety of plant-based proteins like black-eyed peas or lentils. You can even round out your essential amino acids with whole grains that contain protein. Kill two birds by choosing protein-heavy whole grains like quinoa or teff.
Your well-balanced Thanksgiving leftovers might include some meat, (there’s a reason it’s known as “Turkey Day”). If so, count your meat as your protein. According to the MyPlate guidelines, all your proteins (from meat and plant-sources) should fill about 1 quarter of your plate. Remember that “lean” meat (turkey, chicken) has less saturated fat than fattier “red” meat (i.e beef), which makes lean meat healthier for your heart.
How did you approach Thanksgiving eating with your wellness goals in mind? Or did you forget the wellness goals for a day or two? No wrong answers here. We all learn from each other’s experiences.
Happy Healthy Living,
Dr. Wuse