Spend Another Day Bettering Yourself

I love the quote on the side because for the longest time I was at war with myself. I would look in the mirror and hate what I saw or I would compare myself to other people. I know this wasn't healthy and that I still do this from time to time but not as often as before. Taking steps to better your body and your mind is extremely important for a long happy life.

I've been reading a lot about the Paleo lifestyle and it is something I'm will slowly try. Meat is usually not my first choice but I do see its benefits. By no means can I give up cheese (my obsession) or any other things on the "no no list" all at once. So there will be slow slow transition into eating more Paleo. 

Last night I made a dish that is healthy (in my opinion) and almost Paleo. I found this recipe on Pinterest a few weeks ago but I made changes to meet more of my preferences. 

* Chicken can be used for extra protein

The original recipe called for rice but I substituted whole wheat couscous for a healthier alternative. The recipe also called for bell peppers but didn't specify what color or anything. To give it vibrant colors, I added red, orange and yellow bell peppers and a green zucchini. Realistically you could add any vegetable you want

Begin with cutting your veggies into bite size pieces. I used one medium green zucchini, half of a red bell pepper, half of a yellow bell pepper and half of a orange bell pepper. I also used mushrooms and half of a medium onion. You can use as much or as little vegetables. Then you want to add the veggies to a skillet with one tablespoon of olive oil. Make sure to stir them often so all of the veggies cook evenly. While your veggies are cooking, make a cup of couscous as directed on the label.

After the veggies begin to soften, drain a can of black beans and add them to the pot with the veggies. Make sure to continually stir all of the veggies and beans together. After the couscous cooks, add the couscous to the veggies. Once the veggies and the couscous have cooked together for 2-3 minutes, add the can of undrained fire roasted tomatoes. Add salt and pepper to taste. 

Once you transfer the finished product to a serving dish, sprinkle your favorite shredded cheese on top. This is perfect to make the night before and take to lunch the next day for a filling and healthy lunch.

Breakdown according to the Paleo lifestyle:

Good: Mushrooms, Tomatoes, chicken, onion, zucchini, bell peppers & olive oil

Bad: Couscous, beans & cheese

* I think I did pretty good for my first time trying.