Recipes
4 min read
Here's a simple experiment: for the next few weeks, build every plate around one formula — a generous protein at the center + a vegetable in a strong supporting role + herbs and citrus doing the flavor work instead of garlic or onion. No fuss, no specialty store. Just this, on repeat, until it's second nature.
Why strip out garlic + onion for now?
They're common gut irritants — and for anyone dealing with slow motility, bloat, IBS or recovering from a gastric sleeve, they can work against you before you even notice. Pull them out for a stretch and your gut gets a real break, which means more of what you eat actually gets used to hold onto muscle instead of getting stuck in digestion.
Try this formula
Protein first, always generous — grilled chicken, steak, turkey or a soft-set egg. Then a vegetable you actually like, roasted or fresh. Finish with fresh herbs, a squeeze of citrus and good olive oil. That's it. Breakfast, lunch, late-night Girl Dinner — it holds up everywhere.
A few ways to start
- Herb-roasted chicken thighs with zucchini + blistered cherry tomatoes
- Seared steak strips over arugula with lemon + shaved parmesan
- Turkey and green bean skillet finished with fresh dill
- Soft scrambled eggs with cottage cheese + chives
Make it yours
Swap the vegetable for whatever's in season. Keep the protein generous, keep it garlic + onion free for now, and pay attention to how your body responds. Once you've built the muscle and settled the gut noise, you can loosen the rules again. Right now, this is about giving your body one simple, unmistakable signal: protein + minimal irritation + real ingredients. Write down what works so future-you isn't guessing through it twice.