What A Nutritionist Eats in a Day | Wendy O’Brien, RD, LD

If you’re anything like us, your grocery list doesn’t vary too much from week to week, leading to less than inspired meals. For some fresh ideas, we reached out to Nutritional Weight & Wellness dietician Wendy O’Brien to see what meals she whips up on a typical day. You’ll find realistic ideas, nothing too complicated, and better yet, they are fast and delicious!

Breakfast

Fried eggs, bacon and leftover Brussels sprouts and peas.  

Breakfast was two pasture-raised eggs fried in butter with three pieces of nitrate-free bacon, along with Brussels sprouts that were roasted in olive oil the night before. I’m a big fan of leftovers for breakfast, along with some freshly fried eggs and, of course, bacon. I make a pan of bacon at the beginning of the week that I can use for subsequent breakfasts. 

Morning Snack

Almonds, grapes and a beef stick

This is a pretty typical snack for me. I tend to always have nitrate-free maple beef sticks and dry roasted almonds on hand. The carb, in this case organic grapes, often changes depending on what’s easy to grab and go. A small detail, but I pick the grapes apart immediately after washing them when I get home from the grocery store. I find this makes it more likely that I’ll actually grab them and go. I often suggest this tip to clients, especially those trying to eat real food; make the snack as easy as possible to grab and you’re more likely to eat it!

Lunch

Roasted chicken breast with sweet potato with butter and salad topped with homemade Green Goddess dressing and pine nuts.

This salad is tossed together with kale and cabbage I had on hand in the fridge and topped with pine nuts and my homemade Green Goddess dressing. This dressing is delicious and makes the most random leftovers taste fantastic. Along with the salad, I had 4 ounces of rotisserie chicken and a half cup sweet potato with butter.

Afternoon snack

Broccolini and red peppers to dip in hummus with roasted chicken.

For my snack at work, I had organic broccolini and red peppers to dip in hummus, then more of the roasted chicken I  brought for lunch. I often pack extra protein for lunch knowing that I’ll be able to use it for my snack.

Dinner

Spaghetti squash, leftover chili, avocado and chopped salad.

I tried to make this look more attractive, but let’s call it what it is, leftovers! I love seeing what combinations I can come up with depending on what leftovers are available. This was definitely a mix, but I covered my protein, fat and carb bases. Protein came in the form of leftover chili, carbs came from spaghetti squash and the remains of a “Powerhouse Salad” (chopped broccoli, cauliflower and carrots with sunflower seeds and raisins) from a local grocer, and the fat came from avocado slices and butter on the spaghetti squash.

Salad mixes are one of my go-to items I always seem to buy. I love the different varieties available and rely on them often...especially those including kale, cabbage, Brussel’s sprouts, etc. They are a huge time saver, especially when I'm stopping at the store after work to pick up the evening's dinner. When I get home, I add things like nuts, seeds or avocado with a homemade dressing. I often use these mixes to add to soups, stir fry or even just sauté them in olive oil.

All in all, it was pretty delicious meal and cleaned out the fridge!

Bedtime snack

Strawberries with whipped heavy cream, topped with roasted cocoa nibs.

What’s not to love about this bedtime snack? Sliced organic strawberries with a dollop of whipped heavy cream and a sprinkle of roasted cocoa nibs.

It only take a few minutes to whip up the heavy cream. I make sure to use a chilled glass bowl (this shortens the time I need to run the hand mixer) and generally whip up enough to last a few days. But honestly, I don't think it's ever lasted more than three days in my fridge because it is so good. My teen daughters and I love it, especially during berry season. I don't add anything to the cream, as the berries make it sweet enough.

And that’s a wrap! Hopefully you’re more motivated in the kitchen and ready to take a creative look at the leftovers at your house. For more ideas, check out the other entries in the series or our catalog of real food recipes.