Issue #4: Amazing Dinner Recipe
Good morning. It’s Thursday, Aug 18th. Mt. Whitney (highest peak in the lower 48 states at 14,494 ft) was first summited (1873) and the world welcomed some guys we admire - Roberto Clemente (1934) RIP, Patrick Swayze (1954) RIP, and Robert Redford (1936).
Every Thursday we share a "Thursday Night In" healthy and delicious dinner recipe - we're biased, but you're going to love this one!
“Progress is not achieved by luck or accident, but by working on yourself daily.”
Ok, I know what to eat - but why is eating healthy still so damn hard??
The number of Americans that don’t eat healthy because meal prep and cooking is too difficult.
Put Food On the Calendar
We spend an incredible amount of time fixating on how to become more productive in our jobs or our morning routine.
Food directly impacts our health and energy, yet hacks like planning your meals on Sunday night don't seem to get the same number of likes on Twitter or LinkedIn posts.
But, how we eat impacts how efficiently we work, the amount of time we can spend doing what we want/love, and our long-term financial success.
So why don’t we spend the same amount of time planning out healthy meals for the week as we do managing our work calendars?
Meal prep and creating a food plan is confusing. So we just throw our hands up and do the same thing as last week.
How to Make it Happen
50+ customer interviews show that meal prep = healthy eating.
The how varies - some people use shopping apps with recipes (such as Whole Foods), others use their Notes app or even a dry erase board in the kitchen.
But there are 5 common features that are key for a sustainable and affordable* healthy eating plan:
*This is key with grocery prices up over 13% in July.
In practice...
Take the goal of having 3 veggies a day.
Daily smoothie = mix in a veggie like spinach, chard or even beets
Daily snack = whether at home or on the go - cucumbers, broccoli, cauliflower, bell peppers, jicama, carrots or celery are great to cut up and have on hand with hummus
Dinner side dish = veggies like asparagus or even cauliflower rice (this one is actually worth a "Quick Tip")
We’re already at 21 veggies for the week!
Here are a few more practical suggestions to get more veggies:
Veggies for Breakfast - side of greens with eggs isn’t weird (remember...it's when the eggs are green Sam I Am), it’s actually a great way to start your day
Blend ‘em - put some veggies in the blender and add to any sauce (tomato sauce) or tahini dip
Roast them - bake veggies at the beginning of the week and then toss into soups/salads or use as a side dish throughout the week
Buy Frozen - we get soups and bowls from Daily Harvest (no affiliation) to prevent too many fresh veggies from going bad
By the way, there’s like 10 veggies in the dinner recipe below. Don't let that scare you - my wife requests it at least 2x per month because it's so damn good!
Keep It Fresh
There are few things worse then the Thursday night fridge clean out. I absolutely hate the weeks when we have fresh food that we didn't get to before it's gone bad.
How much food do we waste?
57 million metric tons a year - can we even put that into perspective?
45% of all food waste happens after we bring it home from the grocery store.
Buying only what you need for meals is the biggest way to avoid waste, but here are 2 more ways to eliminate wasted food (and money)...
Store it Right
Here's a great summary of how to store produce (**Save this to your Phone**) - based on temperature, oxygen exposure, or positioning next to other fruits (like apples that give off a ethylene gas reducing shelf life of other foods around them):
Kill the Mold
Got this trick from my wife and it's honestly amazing.
Wash fruit that typically only lasts a few days (like berries) with 3 cups water; 1 cup white vinegar for 2-3 min - this kills all the mold and bacteria
Rinse in cool water to remove any vinegar smell/taste
Pat dry and store in an air-tight container with a dry paper towel
Those berries will be good to go for 2x as long!
When Organic Matters
When it comes to produce, one of the biggest considerations is organic.
We'll spend a ton more time on what this means and when it makes sense to buy organic food. But for now, here are the Cliff's Notes:
Unlike some certifications and marketing terms, the USDA Organic seal actually means something - it has strict criteria and some accountability. Not to say it's perfect by any means and like all gov't programs, it's underfunded for staff and oversight, but you can have a bit more confidence about what you're eating.
According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), more than 70% of non-organic fresh produce sold in the U.S. contains residues of potentially harmful pesticides.
The EWG "Dirty Dozen" are the items you should ALWAYS try to buy organic:
Thrive25 Recommendation: If we eat the skin, then we go organic. If we don't (e.g., banana, avocado, etc.), then we consider conventional.
Speed Read
Health & Longevity in the News
Lebron's Sleep Schedule: The King from Akron talks about the importance of REM sleep and how this is essential for his success. Compare this to MJ ruling the court after pulling all-nighters at the Casino.
The Power of Clams? If these marine mollusks can live to be 500 yrs old, then scientists are asking - why can't humans?
The 4-Day Work Week: More companies than ever are giving it a go (or at least a try). This will no doubt become a continued topic for the foreseeable future for both employers and employees as we fight against burnout and mental health concerns.
Regrow Your Hair?: Hair loss remains one of the most visible signs of aging and is a multi-billion dollar industry. Scientists have now successfully regrown the hair of mice using rapamycin and EGCG (active ingredient in green tea) microneedles.
Thursday Night In
Each Thursday we'll promote a Thrive25-certified date night or dinner recipe. Ok, we've played it up enough for today so here it is!
Dr. Mark Hyman’s Feel-Good Pesto Steak Salad
This has become a go-to in our house! It takes a bit of prep, but it’s a way to get massive veggies in a single meal (plus leftovers) and is absolutely delicious.
The recipe comes from Food - What the Heck Should I COOK?
Here’s the online version of the recipe. <-- USE THIS
A few notes:
If you are strapped for time, you can buy the pesto instead of making it from scratch, which requires a food processor, expensive pine nuts, and patience. If you go with an off-the-shelf pesto just make sure basil is the first ingredient and it has olive oil, grated cheese, and pine nuts.
For the steak, try to buy grass-fed from a reputable store, if possible. If you’re not eating steak, the meal is sufficient without it - just up the veggies you like the most or you can add roasted chicken as a substitute.
Thrive25 Q&A
We obviously can't get to everything in a week.
Every Thursday, we’ll take 1-2 questions from all of you and share answers next week. If your question doesn’t make it into a newsletter, we promise to do our best to send you a personalized response.
So - what’s on your mind this week? Can be anything we covered this week or really anything related to health & longevity or even roller coasters.
Send your question to team@thrive25.com.
Thanks for sticking with us this week! It's been a blast sharing our first week with you all. Just one more day until the weekend - see you tomorrow!
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Why Thrive25
We’re 40-something dads that felt our bodies and minds start to slow down and we’re not ready for that. We found too much information on every subject. So we started Thrive25 to transform what we’ve learned into something useful for the rest of us to spend just 3-5 min a day to optimize our health & longevity.
This newsletter is for you and we truly value your feedback. Never hesitate to reach out to us at team@thrive25.com.
To health!
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The information in this newsletter is for informational purposes only and may not be appropriate or applicable based on your individual circumstances. Thrive25, Inc. does not provide medical, professional, or licensed advice. Please connect with your healthcare professional for medical advice specific to your health needs.