Create the Perfect Plate With These 23 Nutrient-Dense, Whole-Food Meal Templates

In his new book, How to Be Well, functional-medicine pioneer Frank Lipman, MD, explains how to compose the perfect plate for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

By Frank Lipman, MD | Experience LifeJune 21, 2018

Breakfast

1. Fried or poached eggs + sautéed spinach + sautéed mushrooms + ghee + avocado
2. Smoothie in a bowl + seeds + berries + cacao nibs + shredded coconut
3. Full-fat grassfed yogurt + blueberries + seeds
4. Scrambled eggs + buckwheat + guacamole + salsa
5. Egg muffins + diced tomatoes + mixed greens + EVOO (extra-virgin olive oil)

Lunch or Dinner

1. Paleo bread + avocado + canned wild salmon salad + sprouts
2. Simple Bone Broth or Vegetable Broth Soup: broth + greens + diced veggies + diced sweet potato + coconut oil
3. Chicken thigh + roasted sweet potato + sautéed broccoli rabe + ghee
4. Smoked salmon + arugula + sliced avocado + sesame seeds + tahini and coconut amino dressing
5. Broiled wild fish + lemon juice + extra-virgin olive oil + roasted broccoli + cauliflower rice
6. Lentil daal + sautéed chard + ghee + full-fat yogurt
7. Lamb burger + steamed dandelion greens with lemon and EVOO + chopped tomatoes + sauerkraut
8. Turkey or beef meatballs + zucchini noodles + pesto or tomato sauce + EVOO
9. Chicken salad (using avocado, not jarred mayo) + chopped romaine lettuce + cherry tomatoes + celery + red onion + hemp seeds + balsamic vinegar + EVOO
10. Roasted beets + roasted sweet potato + roasted Brussels sprouts + arugula + goat cheese
11. Collard Green Wrap: grassfed beef burger + kimchi + tomato + avocado wrapped in steamed collard greens
12. Broiled or canned sardines + watercress or arugula + EVOO + lemon + olives + capers + fresh herbs
13. Veggie Quinoa Bowl (more veggies, less quinoa): roasted veggies + avocado + pickled veggies
14. Slow-cooked bean or beef stew made with bone broth + steamed greens
15. Sliced grassfed steak + bed of leafy greens + avocado + portobello mushroom + pumpkin seeds
16. Roasted turkey + cauliflower mash + sautéed kale + EVOO
17. Canned sardines, mixed with lemon and EVOO + olives + capers + diced cucumber + bed of arugula
18. Sushi Roll: smoked or canned salmon + avocado + cucumber + scallion + watercress + cauliflower rice + coconut aminos + sesame seeds wrapped in nori sheet

Tip: Liberally use herbs, lemon, sea salt, and garlic to season any plates as you like.

Illustration by: Giacomo Bagnara

Frank Lipman, MD

Frank Lipman, MD, is the founder and director of the Eleven Eleven Wellness Center in NYC and the author of seven books, including The New Rules Of Aging Well.

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