HealthNut Nutrition is one of my favourite blogs and YouTube channels. Nicole Goncalves is a vibrant personality and beyond talented in the kitchen. I love following her recipes and meal preps, watching her grocery hauls, and reading her blog posts. It’s even better that she’s Canadian! Nicole’s “What I Eat in a Day” videos are some of my favourites to watch because I get so many good meal ideas from them. That’s why I decided to follow one for an entire day– from the first glass of water to suppertime.
I decided to do this mostly for the fun of it. But also to try some new meals, learn about simple ways to eat healthier, and to see how I’d feel at the end of the day. I have a healthy diet, but I find myself making the same recipes all the time and finding it hard to resist temptation. I wanted to see if HealthNut Nutrition could teach me any new tips and tricks. Click here to see the video I chose to follow for the day. Keep reading to see how it went!
The day started with chugging a tall glass of water. Which was great, as I was feeling a touch hungover. Then I drank another glass of water, this time with lemon and ginger. I never knew there was such an easy way to juice fresh ginger, just grate the ginger and then squeeze the juice out of the pulp with your fingers. It was so easy! I expected it to be gross, but it tasted so good and really woke me up (hangover=gone). I’ll be drinking this most mornings from now on!
For breakfast, Nicole had chia seed pudding with mango-lime puree, topped with banana and granola. I’ve made chia seed pudding many times, but never with coconut milk. The coconut milk made the pudding set much faster than almond milk, which is what I normally use, so breakfast was ready in 30 minutes rather than having to prepare it the night before. The mango-lime puree was simple and delicious. Overall this was a tasty, filling, and healthy breakfast that energized me for the whole day.
Over the course of the morning, I got some work done, sipped herbal tea (Nicole drinks herbal coffee, but that wasn’t available in our local grocery store), and made the HealthNut Nutrition One Bowl Hemp Banana Bread Muffins.
I was pretty excited about lunch. The Mashed Avocado Salmon Tartine looked mouthwatering in the YouTube video and I couldn’t wait to give it a try. Although in the video Nicole had it with tuna, the original recipe called for salmon so I went with that as I prefer salmon over tuna. This was also the first time I tried veganaise and I was pleasantly surprised– it’s just as good as classic mayo. Lunch tasted as good as it looked, and I was getting jealous stares from my sister and boyfriend who claimed they “weren’t hungry” when I offered to make them some. They won’t turn down my offer next time! Nicole and I share a love for Bubbly water, so this went perfectly with my lunch too.
Throughout the afternoon, I got lots more work done and sipped more herbal tea. I’m a big green tea drinker anyway, so having this much tea wasn’t anything new for me. I finally dug into the aromatic muffins I made in the morning and they were scrumptious. You’d never guess they are healthy! I was even told, “they’re the best muffins you’ve ever made.” Thanks, Nicole– I’ll be saving this recipe to use again and again! Like her, I may or may not have eaten three.
I’m someone who enjoys cooking but has trouble coming up with creative meal ideas, so learning a new recipe for supper was awesome. This twist on a Nicoise salad with chicken and a soft boiled egg was really tasty and made for a balanced meal. I’ve always had trouble getting soft boiled eggs right (who likes runny egg whites? Yuck!) and Nicole’s directions helped me nail it– a soft centre with perfectly cooked whites. The chicken, potatoes, and green beans were tasty too.
Overall, this was a great day with great food. I felt full all day but not bloated or sick. What did I learn? How to juice ginger pulp, how to make chia seed pudding with coconut milk for a better consistency, the best muffin recipe ever, and how to cook the perfect soft-boiled eggs. I really recommend all of these recipes for you to try. I know you will enjoy them!
Let us know if you try any of these recipes by commenting below or on social media, @twowildtides. Be sure to check out @urhealthnut on Instagram, HealthNut Nutrition on YouTube, and the HealthNut Nutrition blog!
We find ourselves on the go a lot. From the day job to the side hustle to the side side hustle to the volunteering, we don’t get much of a break. We’re always testing new recipes for fast, easy, healthy, and nourishing meals to power our busy bodies.
First, steam your veggies. You can use any vegetables you please, but we love a good bean-mix. Try edamame, green, and yellow beans. Throw in some baby carrots for extra flavor. Frozen veggies are a great option for people who are always on the go because they won’t go bad and they are just as healthy as fresh if you buy from the right brands.
If you try this recipe leave us a comment or tag us in your #foodlove pictures on social media (@twowildtides).
Here’s what you’ll need:
Mix the wet and dry ingredients in separate mixing bowls.
Combine the wet and dry ingredients, mix thoroughly, then fold in the apples.
Spoon the mixture into a muffin tin with cupcake liners and sprinkle sunflower seeds on the tops of each muffin.
I got my first box free from a friend– Hello Fresh has some great reward and referral offers. I ordered the Pronto Box for two people with three meals, they also have vegetarian and family plans. The box I ordered is $79.99 regularly, but they often have great deals on. You get to choose your meals for the week from five potential options and if none appeal to you, skip the week for no charge. The pronto box has the option of three or four meals; I chose three, opting for beef, pork, and vegetarian dishes.
The insulated box is dropped off at your door on your selected delivery day, and mine arrived right on time. They boast sustainable packaging, using recyclable and biodegradable materials wherever possible. Unfortunately, I noticed that a lot of plastic was used, and although they promise that it is food safe, in some provinces, such as Newfoundland and Labrador, ordinary plastics cannot be recycled. I ended up with more packaging waste than I’d like, but on the bright side, I was able to reuse the ice packs and insulated box! They run a fantastic ice pack return program, but I prefer to keep them for my own use.
The first meal I tried was the Spicy Beef Ragout. It was so easy, so filling, and so tasty! I was super impressed and so was my family. Although the box is portioned for two, I fed four people heaping servings– you’ll have leftovers for sure! Three meals can actually become six (three suppers and three lunches). Bang for your buck, am I right?
The next meal was Pork Schnitzel and a mixed greens salad. I’m not a huge pork person, but I did really enjoy this meal. It was fresh and light. Hello Fresh only assumes you have pantry basics such as salt, pepper, and cooking oil. Everything else they include in your box so you won’t have to deal with annoying grocery runs.
Finally, I made the Peanut Satay Noodle Stir-Fry. I won’t lie, I felt like Master Chef that night. I seriously didn’t know I was capable of cooking such unique, delicious meals! Hello Fresh boosted my cooking confidence, saved me so much time during my busy week, and kept me on track with healthy eating. Since that first box, I’ve been devoted to Hello Fresh.
