I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. This healthy key set shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias and their client, Pick ‘n Save.

 

As part of my New Year’s Goals I’m going to focus on eating right. For more than two years now I’ve been reading and researching about the negative effects of certain foods, especially when it comes to migraines (which I suffer from dreadfully.) So, I decided this would be the year when I took back my head, and instead of wanting to tear it off several times a month, I’m going to start eating in a way that will lessen the pain and the possibility of a headache.

For me, this new dietary guide will allow me to focus on consuming things that are fresh and healthy. It also means eliminating a lot of dairy and gluten products. (although not all, how can I survive without the occasional Mac & Cheese or beer?) This also means a lot of trial and error, making new recipes, trying out different combinations, sticking to a lot of plant-based foods (my current reading obsession is Forks over Knives), and shopping more frequently in order for my fruits and vegetables to be at their finest!

Unfortunately, this also means a lot of research. Generally speaking I know what is good and bad. I’ve read a lot over the years and took a nutrition class at some point, but the real nitty-gritty of foods and what they do is something I need to study up on. For instance, did you know corn is actually considered a starch?! I’ve always thought it was a veggie!

The bonus is that Pick ‘n Save, which is the grocery store I usually shop at on a weekly basis, now has a new handy dandy in-store HealthyKeySystem to help me easily spot the things that are gluten free, low in sodium, heart healthy, full of potassium, and a dozen other healthy indications. These little color-coordinated tags are super easy to spot in the store and make recipe planning so much easier. Plus, with the stores New Everyday tagline, I know I’ll find fresh delicious things every time I shop.

Instead of waiting for the New Year, I figured Christmas would be a good chance to start in on eating better. I opted to stay away from the heavy-carb foods that are traditional in my family (three kinds of potatoes, what?!) and went instead with several dishes made from fresh and healthy ingredients I picked up at Pick ‘n Save.

For Breakfast:

Yogurt and granola parfait - a breakfast sensation! Ingredients: plain yogurt, granola, dried cranberries, a little brown sugar. Mix the dry ingredients together. Drop yogurt into a parfait glass, top with liberal amounts of the granola mix.

Winter fruit salad - Yum! I made this for breakfast and then took the leftovers and transformed them into a salad for dinner by adding red-leafed lettuce, cucumbers and red onions. Both were really good! Ingredients: grapefruit, orange, kiwi, cranberries, pineapple.

For Dinner:

Pecan Brussel Sprouts - a huge hit! People actually went back for seconds of this! Ingredients: brussel sprouts, yellow onion, garlic, a little olive oil, a cup of water, a tsp of sugar, a handful of pecans. Using the olive oil, brown onion and garlic in a large sauce pan. Cut brussel sprouts into halves or quarters. Add to the pan. Cook a couple minutes before adding sugar and water. Mix and allow the combination to cook until the water is gone. Sprinkle pecans over the top and serve.

 

Cranberry and veggie-infused wild rice - delicious seasonal combination. Ingredients: wild rice, carrots, celery, fresh cranberries, dried cranberries, a little olive oil. Cook wild rice, allowing it to simmer until nearly all the water is gone. Slice the carrots and celery into thin strips. Saute the carrots and celery in a little olive oil. Soak fresh cranberries in hot water to soften. Add softened cranberries to the veggies and continue to cook. Add handful of dried cranberries to the rice mixture. Add vegetables and fresh cranberries to the rice and continue to cook on low heat until the water is gone. Enjoy!

Needless to say I am a little excited about this New Year’s Goal! Healthy Living and headache free lifestyle - Here I Come!

Not only do they have fresh items daily, but getting a deal at Pick ‘n Save is also easy. You no longer have to worry about carrying a bunch of loose coupons in your purse or pocket. Now you can find coupons online and automatically load them onto your Fresh Perks card, so they are there are waiting when you get to the store and swipe your card! This load-to-card coupon idea is pretty sweet – right?! AND every Wednesday and Saturday you can use a print manufacturers’ coupon, which Pick ‘n Save will match (with some limitations) – so you save double those days.

For more tips, tricks and recipes follow Pick ‘n Save on its social media channels! Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest.