Trader Joes Healthy 8


Life isn't slowing down anytime soon. But I hear murmurings that my metabolism will someday.
I've never been one to shy away from a great workout, a nutritous meal or a good nights sleep. But with the pace of life with three kids, the discovery of after school sports (yowza), business endeavors, etc...~ sometimes I just want to sink my teeth into a Snickers bar and a cup o' joe and call it breakfast.

I'll be real. I'm not sure I necessarily feel better eating well. But I sure as heck feel worse when I eat poorly. At the beginning of 2012 I did some radical cleaning house of my diet habits. After reoccurring sinus infections and overall sluggishness I kicked most carbs, sugars and fats to the curb. The lifestyle changes have stuck and a year later, I know without a doubt, what I put in my mouth each day (or don't) has contributed a lot to not only how I function throughout the day but my productivity level.



There are certain things I keep in the fridge that make eating great throughout the week a cinch. One of them? This amazing container of Healthy 8 Chopped Veggie Mix from Trader Joes ($2.99). We only recently got our own Lexington Trader Joes. If you don't have one nearby~ mix up a big ol' batch of your own and keep it in the fridge for the week ahead.



The Healthy 8 are:

Broccoli
Carrots
Green Cabbage
Red Cabbage
Jicama
Green Bell Pepper
Radish
Celery

The great thing about this mix (and I'm no dietitian...but I know this much) these cruciferous veggies are not only chock full of amazing goodness but they are really filling and keep you fueled through car line and 2 hour tennis practices.

So here's the deal. I love this stuff. I really do. Its SO versatile. I typically never eat it plain but I use it as a launching pad for some amazing creations. I've even heated it on the stove top and made a great stir fry or taco bowl. Here are some fridge goodies that make it shine:

Chicken
Tuna
Leftover Grilled Salmon (yum)
Blue Cheese
Balsamic Vinegar
Fruits
Sesame Seeds
Almonds
Ground Turkey 
A drizzle of Olive Oil and Honey
Avocado


This afternoon, it was a mixture of:

Papaya
Roasted Beets
Grapefruit segments (the juice drizzled over the whole thing last minute)
Pear
Yellow Pepper
Sea Salt




Really, its like this bowl of culinary genius waiting to happen.