Living well means eating well, and no one knows this better than our March guest editor, Dr. Mark Hyman. As a leading functional medicine doctor, it’s essential for Dr. Hyman to nourish his body by the same principles he preaches to clients. And it’s not just to live up to his title (or many titles for that matter), but to keep up with his own crazy-busy life. Wondering how an NYC doctor with so much on his plate fills his actual plate? We’re tracking Dr. Hyman as he takes us through a typical day of eating…
People always want to know what I’m eating. I talk a lot about cutting sugar and processed carbs and eating real, whole, fresh foods, but everyone wants to know if I walk the walk! The truth is that I have to. I have about ten jobs, two kids, a dog, a team, weeks of travel at a time… the list goes on and on. In order to keep up with this lifestyle, maintaining optimal health becomes a top priority. Here’s a typical day of eating for me…
Breakfast: Bulletproof Coffee
Ingredients:
1 cup of high-quality coffee
1 Tbsp of grass-fed butter or ghee
1 Tbsp of coconut or MCT oil
(I like to add cinnamon)
Directions:
Blend the ingredients together.
When I can, I’ll also make some time for movement in the morning. I love to go on long bike rides with my son or start up a game of basketball before a long day, and after I work out, I usually enjoy my whole-food protein shake.
Breakfast: Dr. Hyman’s Fat, Whole-Food Protein Shake
Ingredients:
1 cup frozen blueberries
2 Tbsp almond butter
2 Tbsp pumpkin seeds
2 Tbsp chia seeds
2 Tbsp hemp seeds
4 walnuts
3 Brazil nuts
1 tbsp extra-virgin coconut oil
1⁄2 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 cup water
Directions:
Blend all ingredients together.
Lunch has to be really easy for me to prepare. In the afternoon, I am usually seeing patients or in meetings, so I love to prepare big, easy-to-eat salads.
Lunch: Dr. Hyman’s Big, Fat Lunch Salad
Ingredients:
1 bunch curly kale, torn into pieces (or any other green leafy veggie)
1-2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
cucumber, tomato, or any other fresh foods I have available
wild fatty fish like salmon or sardines – I like these
a little bit of sea salt
1 avocado, cut in half, pitted, cut into large chunks
macadamia nuts, almonds, walnuts or any other nuts and seeds
Directions:
Toss it into a bowl and mix! Sprinkle some nuts and seeds on top.
If I’m at home in Massachusetts with my family, dinner is a very special occasion. I love getting everyone together in the kitchen to make a meal together. Community and cooking with others is one of the most important parts of a journey toward vibrant well being. We love to make a lot of different types of vegetables paired with protein.
Dinner: Grilled Beef with Baba Ganoush
Serves 2
Ingredients:
For the beef:
8-12 oz beef rib eye (preferably grass-fed)
2 Tbsp coriander seed
1 tsp paprika
zest of 1 lemon
2 tsp sea salt
For the carrots:
1 bunch of evenly sized carrots (about 6 each)
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp of sea salt
For the eggplant:
3 medium sized eggplants
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp sea salt
juice of 1 lemon
2 garlic cloves
¼ cup tahini
¼ cup chopped parsley
2 tsp chopped thyme
Garnish:
mixed olives
sauerkraut
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Arrange the carrots on a baking dish, drizzle with sea salt and olive oil, mix to coat evenly. Place in the oven and roast until they can be pierced with a knife, about 30-40 minutes, depending on the size.
Place the eggplants on a separate baking dish. Coat with oil and sea salt, mix evenly. Use a knife to pierce the eggplants all over which will keep the skin from expanding once it is in the oven. Bake for 30-45 minutes, or until they’re soft and deflated. Remove from the oven and let cool completely. Once cool enough to handle, scrape away the skin and remove any clumps of seeds from the interior. Set aside the remaining pulp.
To make the baba ganoush, place the garlic in a food processor and pulse to mince. Add the eggplant and process until well incorporated. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides then add in the salt, herbs, lemon and tahini. Process again to incorporate fully. Transfer the contents into a glass container and set in the fridge until ready to serve.
To cook the beef, first toast the coriander seeds in a dry pan over medium heat. Shake the pan often to prevent burning. Once the aromas fill the space, transfer to a mortar and pestle or blender to grind fully. Transfer to a bowl and mix in the paprika, salt and lemon zest.
Coat the beef on both sides with the spice mixture while preparing a grill. Cook without flipping on one side for 3-4 minutes then flip and cook an additional 2-3 minutes. Allow the steak to rest for a few minutes before slicing.
Divide the steak between two plates and serve with a few carrots, a big scoop of the eggplant puree, olives and a side of fermented vegetables.
If you’re looking for more recipes like these, check out my new book Eat Fat, Get Thin. It’s filled with tons of delicious and deeply satisfying recipes for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
