January Update to my Healthy Eating Plan

The beginning of November I started my Back on Track to healthy eating. I started changing my eating habits in July 2018 when I was diagnosed with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and gallstones. At that time I cut way back on sugar and sweets, white bread, rice and potatoes. I would have a large McDonald’s sweet tea every morning on the way to work and I quit cold turkey when I realized it was basically just a huge cup full of sugar! I did good on my healthy eating plan and by October when I had lab work, everything was normal! I continued on my plan and posted an update in January 2020. Some where between January and October of 2020 I got off track and when I felt the pain in my stomach returning I knew it was time to regroup. In November I started my Back on Track to Healthy Eating plan and shared my weekly updates until the end of the year. It was nine weeks of getting back on track and his is the last weekly update I posted. http://themarthareview.com/back-on-track-week-9-healthy-eating-plan/ I am now posting monthly updates and some of my healthy meals. This is my January update to my healthy eating plan and lifestyle. One of my favorite meals is this delicious chicken. I add left over chicken breast cut in pieces with cooked bacon, broccoli and cheese in a frying pan with avocado oil or butter. Heat until warm, top with more cheddar cheese. Add a side of brown rice or cauliflower rice for a delicious meal.

If you know me, you know I love to find the best bargains even in groceries. I also love to make quick, easy, delicious and healthy meals. While I do watch what I eat, it’s not a strict diet plan, it’s more like sensible eating even with a few sweets stuck in it. But I can’t help that because my Great granddaughter loves to bake! Lia loves to bake cakes and cookies but she also added healthy banana and zucchini bread to her baking. So even Lia is helping keep me on track.

I’m now sharing monthly updates on some of the meals I’ve made during the month of January.

I like seafood so on New Year’s Day I prepared fresh shrimp and scallops. This meal is delicious but simple to prepare. I sautéed them in butter and added lemon/butter sauce to the mix for the last few minutes. This was a filling meal with a side of crab meat salad.

If you like cabbage, you have to try fried cabbage with bacon. I cut 3 slices of bacon in pieces with scissors and brown them. While that’s cooking, I thinly slice half a head of cabbage and add to the bacon when it’s done. I don’t drain the bacon grease because there isn’t much in the pan. It only takes about ten minutes for the cabbage to cook so this is not only an inexpensive meal but it’s quick and easy. Lia doesn’t eat it be she loves to help me cook. Since I’m the only one eating this, there is enough for two meals!

When I changed my eating habits, I started eating brown rice instead of white rice. This is another quick meal. I cook up half a cup of rice then add some avocado oil to a frying pan and toss the cooked rice in. Add a pouch of salmon and some peas and stir together while cooking. The last few minutes I added cheddar and mozzarella shredded cheese, covered the pan until it melted. There are so many options to this, you can substitute tuna, chicken or even beef to the rice and peas. If you don’t like cheese you can omit that. This is another very inexpensive meal where I get two meals out of it.

I love vegetables and this is one I make quite often. I use frozen green beans, add to a pan with a small amount of butter and cook until tender. Add some slivered almonds for a mouth watering vegetable dish.

Of course I need some sweetness sometimes and having a fruit smoothie is healthy sweetness. Yes there is natural sugars in fruits but I don’t go overboard. This smoothie has one banana and a handful of frozen strawberries. I blend until crushed up, add a teaspoon of protein powder, some crushed ice and blend until all that is mixed and smooth. So good!

These are some of my quick and easy January meals. I have been staying on track with my meals and I’m exercising on my cardio bike but not as steady as I’d like. I’ll get better on that next month!

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Martha DeMeo

I started my blog on Christmas Day 2014 mainly to review products I received. Since then it has evolved into many other categories of lifestyles, family, money saving ideas, low cost, delicious and healthy meals plus other surprise posts. My granddaughter has her own category, Alex's Articles and the latest addition to my blog is my great granddaughter now has her category, Lia's Likings The Baby Blogger! Lia started blogger at 8 months old and she now has a Friday Story Time blog you won't want to miss! I welcome you to join the conversation, ask a question, give a suggestion or leave a comment on any blog post. I hope you enjoy Lia's Likings, she has some great posts that will make you smile!

21 Discussion to this post

  1. Glenda Cates says:

    No, offense but I think I will eat the meals you fix for Rich except Lia’s Banana Nut Bread I would have to have a slice or two of it for Breakfast or a Mid Day Snack. Unless she makes Peanut Butter Cookies then I would take them.

    • Martha says:

      But Glenda, my meals are healthy and delicious! I do eat some of the same as Rich but these are meals that he won’t touch. LOL Lia’s breads are delicious.

  2. Francine says:

    Everything here looks so good! I love simple, tasty, and healthy meals. You’ve reminded me that I planned to get back to eating better after the Holidays. I did Keto a couple years ago, and I don;t plan to be that strict, but like you I want to reduce sugar and carbs.

    • Martha says:

      I found that by just cutting back on the extra sugars and reducing some carbs, I’m doing great. I’ve lost about 24 pounds since starting my healthy eating plan and it hasn’t come back. I do still indulge in chocolate cake or ice cream at times but I’ve found all it takes in portion control. I’ll be posting more of my meals throughout the challenge Francine!

  3. Your meals sound delicious!! Congratulations on sticking to your plan! I think I want to try your chicken, bacon, broccoli and cheese. I have everything but the broccoli. 🙂 i used to love chicken, rice and peas, but I think I am developing a sensitivity to them, because sometimes they make my tummy feel weird. But I do get good meal ideals from you, Martha!

    • Martha says:

      Having small amounts of leftovers can make an entire new meal Jeanine. I’ll have to work on a few more inexpensive but delicious meals for you!

  4. I use brown Basmati rice all the time. When I cooked too much (typically when a guest doesn’t show- or there were too many alternatives for the dinner), I save the rice. The next day, I fry some (purple) onions, add a dash of garlic, a mess (very scientific measurements here!) of cut red/yellow/green peppers, mushrooms, celery, and parsnips. Then I add the rice – and a protein (tuna, salmon, chicken, lamb) which provides a wonderful feast for me. Leftovers- without really being leftover.

  5. Dr.Amrita Basu says:

    Its interesting that you shifted to brown rice.I try to lower the balance the fat and sugar in my diet .That helps.Some delicious meals there.One thing though.Why canned beans?What about fresh vegetables?

    • Martha says:

      I was told brown rice is better than white, is that correct Amrita? As for the beans, they are fresh/frozen. I love fresh vegetables much better than canned! I freeze a lot from our garden and it lasts until spring. I love having peppers, eggplant and summer squash year round! I’m trying but every no and then Lia messes up my healthy eating with her cakes or cookies. LOL

  6. Will Burley says:

    Oh my…I’m so hungry now!!! Can I stand outside your door with some take home containers??? Awesome post…

  7. Alice Gerard says:

    Oooh, your food sounds delicious! And how lucky are you to have Lia as your baker!

    • Martha says:

      Thanks Alice. I should write a blog on meals under $2.00! Now that our kitchen is back together Lia will be able to bake again on the new countertops!

  8. Martha, yum yum! I feel best when I eat much like you describe. I eat a lot of avocados, which make my skin very smooth. Also I use mainly olive oil for cooking and even baking, which is heart-healthy and also defeats yeast/candida. I need to try some of your combinations! Congratulations on your healthy meals program!

    • Martha says:

      Oh Kebba, avocados for smooth skin? I’ll have to start eating them. I’m trying to find ways to reduce the sagging, old skin. LOL I always used vegetable oil until I received a bottle of olive oil to review, I was hooked on it. Then I received a bottle of Avocado oil and I love, love, love that! It doesn’t smoke or burn like olive oil and it doesn’t have any off taste. Thanks for visiting, I’ll post more goodie meals!

  9. Dre says:

    This is a nice set of diverse meals and doesn’t seem to take long to prepare and cook. Thanks for sharing.

  10. Amanda Gene says:

    Great way to start the year.

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