January is the month resolutions. Most people want to save money, go to the gym more often, quit smoking, or live a healthier lifestyle. Whatever the resolution, becoming a new and improved version of the self is usually the end goal. The sad truth is that most of these resolutions are hard to stick with because they are such drastic changes to one’s life. Let’s break that mold and make resolutions that’ll have long-lasting success.
When it comes to eating healthier, overhauling the entire house is not the right move. By thinking that you have to change every aspect of your life, you set yourself up for failure. It is better to focus on one thing and then slowly implement other changes into your life. This is the best way you can sustain a resolution. Rather than saying, “I’m going to get rid of all the food in my house,” try saying, “ I’m going to work on buying more fruits and vegetables and less processed foods.”
It’s all about building on your momentum. One of the best things you can do is to stop eating out for lunch. Sometimes the stress of work, or even deciding where to eat lunch, can make you decide on unhealthy lunch options. This is why it is best to meal prep your lunches for the week. You can guarantee that your lunch will be healthy, and you have one less thing to worry about.
What will you bring for your healthy packed lunch? We have a delicious recipe for southwest salads that you can prep on Sunday, and then store them in the fridge in 5 mason jars so they are ready to go for the each workday.
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 2 heads Romaine lettuce, washed & sliced
- 2 cans of organic black beans
- 6 ears of corn, husked
- 2 large tomatoes, diced
For the Dressing
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- 3 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Directions
- Open the cans of black beans and pour them into a saucepan over medium heat. Slice all of the kernels off the ears of corn and add it to the saucepan with the beans. Cook for about 5-7 minutes, remove from the heat, and let it cool.
- While the beans and corn are cooking, prep the rest of the salad ingredients.
- After prepping the salad ingredients, add all of the dressing ingredients to a blender and pulse until thoroughly combined.
- Now it’s time to layer the salads in the mason jars. Pour about 2 tablespoons of dressing into the bottom of each jar. Then add 1/3 cup of the black bean & corn mixture. Add ¼ cup of tomatoes and then fill the rest of the jars with lettuce. Cover the jars and your lunches are set for the week. All you have to do is shake it up and dig in when you want to eat them! Remember to store them in the fridge.
