seed mixture, 1 Tbsp: 50 calories
beans, 1/2 cup: 110 calories
starchy veg (e.g., sweet potato, corn): 200 calories
fruit: 2 lbs: 350 calories
soy yogurt, 5 oz: 50 calories
carrots 1 lb: 185
sugar snap peas, 1/2 lb: 100
1 head lettuce, 2/3-1 lb: 80
kale, cabbage, 1/4-1/2 lb: 50
vinegar, 1-2 Tbsp: 25
cooked veggies (whatever is in season and on special!), + onions, mushrooms, 2 lb: 200
approximate calories: 1400
" protein: 73 g (15%)
" carbs: 278 g (73%)
" fat: 18 g (11%)
some comments:
- this is a summer plan. in the summer, I'm not into grains and seeds and nuts as much. I'm into fresh fruit and veggies.
- 2 lbs of fruit is more than enough. but it is delicious this time of year and I enjoy it. in other seasons I might eat closer to 1/2-1 lb.
- the carrots aren't even in season, at least not in wisconsin, but I love them and they are cheap and always in abundance (from California). and they still taste good usually.
- Interestingly, my protein content goes up when I eat fewer seeds, because I eat so many green vegetables. They are high in protein without being high in calories. Jeff Novick has commented on this in his writings and DVDs. He says that nuts and seeds aren't as nutrient dense--that is, the amount of nutrients per calorie is not as high--as most vegetables. Of course, they are good for you for other reasons, but not necessarily for the protein.
- I eat an embarrassing amount of veggies. do you think it's too much???? should I eat more grains and starchy veggies instead? I used to eat more beans but I prefer 1/2 cup at lunch and none at dinner. If I eat it at dinner, I get bloaty and gassy and it interferes with my sleep. I'm not feeling like eating a lot of nuts and seeds right now, and I think 1 Tbsp is sufficient for my health needs. Especially with all those veggies, I get enough omega-3 fats. in fact, cronometer tells me that this menu gives me an omega-6 to omega-3 ratio of 2.3 which is ideal. It is suggested that the ratio be under 4. when sweet corn season starts, my starchy veg portion will go up and the other veggies down accordingly. so maybe that will be more balanced? though eating a few ears of corn per day may not be so balanced, but too bad, as that is a sacred annual 2 month event for me.