A Full Day of Meals for 1500-1600 Calories

There’s a lot that comes packaged with the holiday season besides gifts, food, and good company. In between the holidays, there’s shopping to do, dinners to organize, errands to run and other end-of-year responsibilities to meet! With everything going on, it can become difficult to plan and enjoy balanced meals, as well as healthy alternatives to the alluring treats that come with the season! While it’s okay to treat yourself with a pumpkin scone once in a while, baked goods aren’t the only seasonal treats you have to look forward to. Nature has much to offer! Adding seasonal fruit into your diet is one way to decrease sweet cravings. So here’s one off your checklist: a whole day’s worth of delicious meals and snack, designed for the average woman with Type 2 Diabetes. Consider it an early holiday gift!

Calories: 1540-1600

24-25% cals PRO, 39.5-42% cals CHO, 37-40% cals FAT

Breakfast: 20g PRO, 30g CHO, 22g FAT

Omelet (2 eggs, 1 cup spinach and ½ an avocado, cooked in nonstick spray)
½ grapefruit or 1 cup cantaloupe or choose one serving of seasonal fruit* from the list
1 piece of whole wheat toast

Snack: Raw almonds: 3g PRO, 18g CHO, 6g FAT, roasted, salted cashews: 2g PRO, 19g CHO, 7g FAT, Dry roasted, unsalted peanut: 4g PRO, 19g CHO, 8g FAT, Mix: 4g PRO, 20g CHO, 10g FAT

Small apple (4oz) or ¾ cup blueberries or small orange (6.5oz) or choose from seasonal fruit*
10 raw almonds or 9 roasted, salted cashews or 16 dry roasted, unsalted peanuts
Or a mixture of 5 almonds, 4 cashews and 8 peanuts

Lunch: 33g PRO, 33g CHO, 22g FAT

2 cup mixed green salad
Dressing: 1Tbs olive oil, juice from 1 lemon

Wrap:
Whole-wheat tortilla
3oz chicken breast, skinless, boneless, baked¼ avocado
¼ c bell pepper
1 tbsp. olive oil
Mustard
½ cup alfalfa sprouts

Snack: 11g PRO, 26g CHO, 0g FAT

1 cup carrots or 1 cup jicama or 1 cup celery or 1 cup cucumber
1 cup cantaloupe or choose an item from seasonal fruits*
1 non-fat string cheese

Dinner: Quinoa: 26g PRO, 25g CHO, 5g FAT or Brown Rice: 25g PRO, 27g CHO, 5g FAT

3oz baked salmon topped with ¼ cup mango salsa
1/3 cup cooked quinoa or 1/3 cup brown rice cooked
½ cup cooked asparagus or ½ cup steamed broccoli or ½ cup steamed cauliflower
1 tbsp. olive oil

Don’t think we’re skipping out on dessert! This one’s so easy that you’re bound to make it again!

Dessert: Almond milk: 3g PRO, 27g CHO, 11g FAT. Coconut milk beverage: 3g PRO, 26g CHO, 11g FAT.

Cocoa Avocado Pudding

Ingredients:

• 1 avocado
• 1⁄4 C. vanilla unsweetened almond milk or coconut milk or skim milk (will slightly change the nutrition content using coconut or skim milk)
• 1-2 tsp. vanilla extract (watch for added sugar)
• 2 Tbsp. of cocoa powder- make sure there’s no added sugar in the cocoa powder. I love the Trader Joe's brand.
• 3 pitted dates
• 1 Tbsp. honey

Directions:

1. Toss everything in a food processor or blender.
2. Try adding in the liquid in batches since the dates tend to be sticky.

Nutrition information, Makes 2 servings

196 Calories; 11g Total Fat; 2g Saturated Fat; 7g Monounsaturated Fat; 1g Polyunsaturated Fat; 0mg Cholesterol; 23mg Sodium; 27g Carbohydrates; 7g Fiber; 3g Protein

 Here are your seasonal fruit substitutions for the menu above. Switch it up for breakfast, lunch, and dinner to maximize your winter nutrition!

• Grapefruit: half of a medium grapefruit, or ¾ cup of segments
• Dates: 2 ½ medium dates
• Kiwi: 1 large
• Nectarine: 1 medium (2 ½ in. across)
• Orange: 1 medium (2 ½ in. across)
• Persimmon: 2 medium
• Pear: 1 small or ½ large (or ½ cup canned)
• Pomegranate: 1/2 cup (great source of fiber!)