We are rapidly approaching February!  I cannot believe how fast January has flown by.  Personally, I was afraid it would lag on forever.  Thanks to mild weather, including lots of sunshine, it has not been the typical “post holiday” test of endurance it usually is, here in the PNW.

Weather aside, I was also afraid the month would drag on and on due to a drastic change in my eating habits. I signed up for a “30 Day Challenge” as I am sure many of you did as well.  I’ve never really made poor food choices and I have a pretty solid understanding of nutrition.  But, I have always been a meal “skipper”.    Fully engrossed in a project, I frequently looked at the clock for the first time at 5pm or even 6pm, before realizing I had not eaten all day.  Those habits, along with a nightly glass of wine, or two, really packed on the pounds.

So, after seeing a couple pics of myself from Christmas, I made changes.  I’m not advocating for anything other then clean, healthy eating habits and a daily walk in the fresh air.  Oh and drinking water….lots of water.  Thankfully, this was not something I had to learn as I have rarely been without a bottle of water, my entire life!

My eating plan includes lots of fruits, vegetables, lean protein and eating about every two hours throughout the day;  typically snacks, meals and smoothies.  I’ve been going through pounds of avacados, bananas, mango, pineapple, kale, kale, kale, chicken etc….  I’ve managed to find most things I need frozen, with the exception of bananas and avocados.  When the nearest co-op listed large, organic avocados for $.59 each and bananas for $.39 a pound, I knew I had one choice….to freeze them.  It works beautifully.

For the avocados:  Cut them in half, remove the pit, take them out of the skin and place in single layer on a sheet pan.  Freeze them until solid and place in an airtight container or bag until ready to use.  They are just like a fresh avocado, although they do turn brown a little bit quicker.

For the bananas:  Peel, cut in half, place in single layer on a sheet pan. Freeze them until solid and place in an airtight container or bag until ready to use.  These are best used frozen as they do get a little mushy after freezing.

I hope you find these tips useful and I hope your 2019 is off to a great start.  I appreciate you stopping by.  Have a wonderful evening!

Laura