During a Shake Day, two meals are already taken care of. What can be difficult is trying to create a healthy, nutritious third meal that won’t derail your health goals and that is delicious for the whole family! One way to ensure your third meal is enjoyable, simplified and at the peak of freshness, is by choosing seasonal produce.
When you’re planning a balanced 1400-2500 kilojoule (400-600 calorie) meal, about half of your plate should be filled with different coloured fruits and vegetables, a quarter of your plate with lean sources of protein and a quarter with whole grains rich in complex carbohydrates and fibre.
To help get you inspired, we’ve put together some third meal ideas below that will fill your plate with seasonal produce, so you can make the most of summer’s delicious produce and get the most out of your Shake Days.
Chicken lettuce wraps
Lighten up your meal by using romaine lettuce in place of a traditional wrap. The lettuce will freshen up the meal for warm, summer evenings.
- 500 g chicken breast cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1-2 heads romaine lettuce
- ½ cup beans or ½ cup cooked rice
- 1 onion (diced)
- 1 garlic clove (minced)
- 1 red capsicum (diced)
- 5-6 white mushrooms (diced)
- 3 carrots (sliced)
- 2 tsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp coconut aminos
- Ground ginger to taste
- 1 pinch of sea salt and black pepper
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
Directions:
- Heat coconut oil in large pan over medium heat and sauté onion, pepper and garlic for 2-3 minutes
- Add chicken. Sauté for 4 to 5 minutes until brown, stirring frequently.
- Add capsicum, mushrooms and carrots. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add rice vinegar, coconut aminos, ground ginger and crushed red pepper flakes. Stir to coat.
- Season with sea salt and black pepper.
- Sauté another 2 to 3 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
- Transfer to a serving platter with lettuce.
- Spoon 2 tablespoons of chicken mixture into a lettuce leaf, fold over and enjoy! Serve with beans or cooked rice.
Zoodles and Prawns
Swap out pasta and heavy sauces for fresh and light zucchini noodles and home made avocado sauce.
Ingredients:
- Prawns
- 2 zucchini
- 2 avocados
- Cherry tomatoes
- 2 garlic cloves
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 2 tbsp basil or ½ cup fresh basil leaves
- 1 pinch of pepper
Directions:
- Using a spiraliser, cut uncooked zucchini to form noodles
- In a separate bowl, mix avocados, garlic cloves, olive oil, basil and pepper in a small food processor to create the avocado sauce
- Add avocado sauce to zucchini noodles
- Top with cooked prawns and cherry tomatoes
Veggie Burgers
If your focus is plant-based nutrition, why not try this light veggie burger for a tasty summer dinner.
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cups chickpeas (cooked and drained)
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 cup onion (chopped)
- 1 tsp curry powder
- ½ tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp crushed fennel seeds
- 1 ½ cups white button mushrooms (chopped)
- 1 cup carrots (grated)
- ¼ cup walnuts (chopped)
- 3 tbsp coriander (chopped)
- 1 pinch of sea salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- Almond or coconut flour
Directions:
- Warm 1 tablespoon of coconut oil in a medium nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add onion, curry powder, coriander and fennel. Cook, stirring frequently, until onion starts to soften (about 2 minutes). Add mushrooms and stir.
- Cover and cook mixture for 4 minutes or until liquid pools in the pan. Uncover and cook until the liquid is evaporated (about 3 minutes).
- Transfer the mixture into a food processor, add chickpeas and pulse until well chopped. Transfer the mixture into a bowl. Add carrots, walnuts, coriander, sea salt and black pepper and mix well.
- Lightly dust hands with flour. Shape the mixture into patties.
- Warm the remaining oil in a large pan over medium heat. Place the patties in the pan and cook for about 4 minutes or until browned on the bottom. Flip and cook until heated through.
Creating a meal that fits into an Isagenix Shake Day can be easier than you think if you focus on lean protein sources, complex carbohydrates, colourful fruits and vegetables, healthy fats and portion control. So if you’re stuck for ideas, why not try out one (or all) of these fresh, seasonal meals for your third meal!
