Hey… I know how it is… you have been busy, it has been hectic, you can barely keep up with the COVID craziness!
You have been laser-focused and now you are starving. So you reach for… well... what do you reach for? Let me know below.
I have a couple of "less than healthy go-to's" that I will reach for if I am starving and have not prepared... like coffee... or a handful of cashews... or wheat thins... or half a bagel...
But here is the thing, coffee will curb appetite sure, but it will dehydrate me. Nuts and wheat thins aren't terrible, but they don't make for balanced nutrition on their own. And bagels... though delish, will give me the sense of being full, but face it... half a bagel alone doesn't make for great nutrition. Amiright?
Ok, so let's talk about some hacks that will save time and money while delivering on nutrition.
Hack One - Get those Foods Delivered!
Save time and money on your grocery shopping. I am loving my Imperfect Foods deliveries. Seriously, it is like getting a box of joy delivered to my door. (Don’t tell Amazon) These boxes are fully customizable, there are so many amazing organic options, and you can skip a box whenever needed. This is a total win-win for us. If you want to check it out and get $10 off, go here.
Hack Two - Food Prep!
You knew this was coming right? I choose a food prep day and I have to tell you, that day sets me up for the week. It saves so much time. I have a few things I make every food prep day, and they are:
Oven grilled vegetables - a lot of them! My weekly grill list includes squash, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, fresh garlic, mushrooms, sweet potatoes, zucchini, onion. These are great, they reheat easily for dinner, they are great in quiche or scrambles, awesome for fried rice, or even just cold and on top of some quinoa with some coconut aminos. Heck I even like these on top of my salad.
Rice - I have to admit that I don't eat as much rice as the guy... but he loves it. So I always make a nice batch of brown or jasmine rice. Makes for quick and easy fried rice, is great to add into soups, burritos, or if I whip up a curry - rice is ready to go. One less thing!
Quinoa - my personal rice replacement. I will put quinoa in just about anything... I add it to scrambled eggs, my salads, any wraps I make, eat it alone with grilled veggies... love having it handy.
Big Salad - think beyond the lettuce! When I make a salad it has all kinds of sweet and savory vegetables. This thing is huge and packed with tomatoes, sweet pepper, carrots, red onion, cucumber, almost no veggie is off-limits... hey... Elaine was right... there is something about a "BIG SALAD."
Boiled Eggs - a quick and easy go-to protein with good fats. I love having boiled eggs on hand. They go on salad, I can make them into their own salad, I will even eat them with Kimchi (don't judge - it's delish).
Peasant Bread - I don't eat a lot of bread, but Griff does. So a couple of no-knead peasant bread loaves help fill him up and he has hollow legs... recipe here - and yes, it really is no-knead, or as I call it, set it and forget it.
Hummus - I make it in my instant pot and it is perfect! This is a recipe you absolutely have to try if you are a hummus fan!
Peanut Butter Flax Raw Bars - this recipe will be coming soon too. I love having these on hand, special bonus they help with hack three below!
Hack Three - Plan for Sugar Cravings!
They are gonna happen, planning for them sets you up for success. Now, most people will tell you to drink a glass of water to see if you are really craving something... I can tell you, I drink a lot of water and sometimes I still get those cravings. The quick solution for me is to eat a couple of dates, I love them. Dates with an apple taste like a caramel apple to me. But I also love dates with coastal cheese, or even just alone. Having nice dark chocolate on hand is a great solution. I also love making nice golden milk or chai tea latte with a touch of honey or maple and frothed unsweetened full-fat coconut milk. Speaking of coconut milk, I also keep a couple of cans of organic unsweetened coconut milk in the fridge so I can whip up some maple-sweetened ice cream in 30-minutes or less. So much yum! Of course, fruit is fantastic too, do your body a favor and add a few raw almonds to the mix, or a little bit of protein from somewhere to help avoid those sugar spikes.
Hack Four - Hydrate
We tend to have more cravings when dehydrated. I personally drink 60-90oz of alkaline water a day, and I can tell when I don't. There is some science here. A lack of fluid intake can actually make it more difficult for your body to metabolize your stored glucose (glycogen) for energy. This results in our bodies craving a quick source of energy - aka sugar. Side note, dehydration also contributes to those afternoon energy doldrums. If plain water isn't your thing, infuse it with fruit, or mint. No one said you couldn't spice it up a little.
Hack Five - Plan One-Pot Meals
Drag out that Instant-Pot or Crock-Pot! Seriously. Though I have to admit, I haven't seen my crockpot since getting an instant-pot... I mean, I can turn dry beans into chili goodness in 45 minutes... say what? It's true. I will be posting that recipe in the future!
One-pot meals make for easy prep, easy clean-up and honestly, it doesn't even have to take a lot of planning ahead. I am a fan of one-pot cooking! Plus there are usually leftovers... I did mention Griff's hollow legs right?
Bonus Hack - Don't Eat While Distracted
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported that multitasking—like eating while watching television or working—and distracted or hurried eating can prompt you to eat more. Slowing down and savoring your food can help you control your intake. Study here. An additional fun fact is that digestion begins in the mouth, both mechanically and chemically. Your body will thank you for the macronutrients when you practice mindfulness in eating.
In love and good health,
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