Formula for a nutritious meal

It can be overwhelming deciding what to eat. We receive countless messages from all different directions on a daily basis- messages telling us which foods are “super,” what diet you should follow if you want to live forever, and exactly how many grams of protein you should eat for a trim physique, among other things. I tend to listen to these messages with a grain of salt, because everyone is different so there is no one-size-fits-all approach to nutrition. Instead, I recommend putting a meal together using components from different categories, almost like a salad bar. Choose from the following categories to create your next breakfast, lunch, or dinner:

Powerful Protein (choose 1 serving):

• Meat (beef, chicken, pork, turkey, bison, boar, venison)
• Fish* and shellfish
• Organic Greek yogurt and Skyr
• Beans and lentils
• Tofu and tempeh
• Hemp seeds

Fundamental Fat (choose 1-2 servings):

• Oils (extra virgin olive oil, avocado, sesame, flaxseed)
• Coconut oil, milk, and flesh
• Avocados
• Nuts (cashews, walnuts, pecans, macadamia nuts, almonds, pistachios) and nut butters 
• Seeds (pumpkin, sunflower, chia, hemp, flax)
• Olives
• Fish* and shellfish

Verdant Veggies and Fresh Fruits (aim to include at least 2 different colors):

• Red: cabbage, bell peppers, radishes, onions, strawberries, raspberries, apples, cherries, tomatoes, pomegranates
• Orange: bell peppers, butternut squash, carrots, sweet potatoes, oranges, apricots, cantaloupe, mango, nectarines
• Yellow: bell peppers, spaghetti squash, yellow squash, lemons
• Green: kale, spinach, lettuce, broccoli, chard, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, celery, cucumbers, sprouts, green beans and peas, avocado
• Blue and Purple: cabbage, eggplant, purple potatoes, blueberries, blackberries, grapes, plums

Complex Carb (choose 1 serving):

• Sweet potatoes and yams
• Whole grains (brown rice, oats, farro, barley, buckwheat) and whole grain or sourdough bread
• Quinoa

Fabulous Flavor (choose a variety to suit your taste):

• Salt (sea or Himalayan pink)
• Garlic
• Fresh and dried herbs (parsley, oregano, basil, rosemary, cilantro, dill, thyme, sage, etc.)
• Spices (turmeric, black/white pepper, cumin, cayenne, chili powder, red pepper flakes, paprika, curry powders, etc.)
• Tamari or coconut aminos
• Coconut sugar, maple syrup, honey (just a dash!)

*Avoid high-mercury fish like swordfish, marlin, shark, orange roughy, king mackerel, ahi and bigeye tuna, and tilefish