Transitioning from the Standard American Diet, (SAD) to a Whole-Food Plant-Based diet, (WFPB) may seem a little daunting...but it's not....it really is very easy. By eating a variety of vegetables, fruits, beans, and whole-grains, you do not need to worry about getting the "proper nutrition". There is nothing healthier than eating a WFPB diet...and this has been scientifically proven over and over again. For anyone with NetFlix, I strongly recommend watching the documentaries, Hungry for Change, Beautiful Truth, and The Engine 2 Diet....the information in these documentaries are eye-opening to say the least.
A little bit of planning can make all the difference in the world! I know how busy we all are during the week...most of the time eating on the run. But, you can grab really 'good for you food' instead of high-calorie, zero nutrition, fast food garbage....and I mean that, your body will get no nutritional value out of fast food. So, it's 5:00, everyone is hungry and now what?
With a little time spent planning out quick, easy recipes, this can be a breeze. You can do this!! Here are some tips to make your life easier:
FIND RECIPES: Websites are full of whole-food plant based recipes. A few of my favorites are straightupfood.com, VegKitchen,com, ChefAJsKitchen.com...or just type in vegan recipes...a load of choices will pop up. Go through the choices and pick 3-4 or more recipes you and your family would like to try. Try and pick out a new recipe each week....make it new and exciting. If you aren't very good in the kitchen, don't worry, these recipes are really easy! You can do it!
PLAN YOUR WEEK: Make your life simple for breakfast....I make green smoothies and oatmeal everyday for the people in my office after feeding my family. It's really easy to whip up a green smoothie with fruits and greens....there is probably more vitamins, minerals and antioxidants in that smoothie than you will get all day. Oatmeal....I make steel cut oats which does require cooking...but that means pour water in a pan and pour in the oatmeal....let it cook for the time stated...stir a couple of times while your getting ready for work. I make a big batch and bring what's left to my co-workers to have with their green smoothie. Cut up some fruit and we put raw honey in the oatmeal...yummy! Lunch is usually leftovers from dinner or a huge salad with a cup of soup. Dinner is where you need to make magic happen...after choosing your recipes, make more than you will need for that one particular meal. Make big batches of soups, stews, sauces and freeze. Again, there's a billion recipes out there to choose from. Leftovers can be used for lunch the next day or for dinner another night.
Or, just make a simple vegetable sandwich with hummus, (either store bought or homemade....homemade is easy and cheap, you can make it without oil...lots of recipes out there), and pile on the vegetables. If you have rice or beans left over from a dinner, roll them up in a whole-wheat tortilla, add veggies and presto....dinner on the run! You don't have to cook every night....cook maybe every other night with extras for the nights you don't cook.
MAKE A GROCERY LIST: Based on the recipes you will be making, plan your list. Many times I already have most of the ingredients needed. When you plan your meals and cook regularly, you end up with a well stocked kitchen and your grocery bill will shrink! Not to mention, when you are not purchasing meats your grocery bill will shrink.....meat is the most expensive purchase in the grocery store.
PREPARE AHEAD OF TIME: I try to get ahead with prepping and cooking over the weekend. When I get home from shopping, I wash and cut up veggies, put them in ziplock bags so I can just grab what I need during the week....the prep work is done. I also make big batches of beans, soups, sauces, etc.....whatever I will be using during the week....this way most of the prep work is done and all that's left is throwing it together. I make soups which I freeze in single serving containers...everyone loves them.....when there is no time to cook, just pull one out of the freezer, let it thaw, when you get home zap it in the microwave and your fast food is full of vitamins, minerals, protein (lots of beans), and deliciousness! Or, check out some crock pot recipes....throw everything in the slow cooker in the morning and when you get home at dinner time with a lot of other hungry people, dinner is waiting!
Honestly, this is not rocket science...anyone can do this with a little bit of planning. The time you spend planning for the week is well worth it!
Let me know if I can help.....
A little bit of planning can make all the difference in the world! I know how busy we all are during the week...most of the time eating on the run. But, you can grab really 'good for you food' instead of high-calorie, zero nutrition, fast food garbage....and I mean that, your body will get no nutritional value out of fast food. So, it's 5:00, everyone is hungry and now what?
With a little time spent planning out quick, easy recipes, this can be a breeze. You can do this!! Here are some tips to make your life easier:
FIND RECIPES: Websites are full of whole-food plant based recipes. A few of my favorites are straightupfood.com, VegKitchen,com, ChefAJsKitchen.com...or just type in vegan recipes...a load of choices will pop up. Go through the choices and pick 3-4 or more recipes you and your family would like to try. Try and pick out a new recipe each week....make it new and exciting. If you aren't very good in the kitchen, don't worry, these recipes are really easy! You can do it!
PLAN YOUR WEEK: Make your life simple for breakfast....I make green smoothies and oatmeal everyday for the people in my office after feeding my family. It's really easy to whip up a green smoothie with fruits and greens....there is probably more vitamins, minerals and antioxidants in that smoothie than you will get all day. Oatmeal....I make steel cut oats which does require cooking...but that means pour water in a pan and pour in the oatmeal....let it cook for the time stated...stir a couple of times while your getting ready for work. I make a big batch and bring what's left to my co-workers to have with their green smoothie. Cut up some fruit and we put raw honey in the oatmeal...yummy! Lunch is usually leftovers from dinner or a huge salad with a cup of soup. Dinner is where you need to make magic happen...after choosing your recipes, make more than you will need for that one particular meal. Make big batches of soups, stews, sauces and freeze. Again, there's a billion recipes out there to choose from. Leftovers can be used for lunch the next day or for dinner another night.
Or, just make a simple vegetable sandwich with hummus, (either store bought or homemade....homemade is easy and cheap, you can make it without oil...lots of recipes out there), and pile on the vegetables. If you have rice or beans left over from a dinner, roll them up in a whole-wheat tortilla, add veggies and presto....dinner on the run! You don't have to cook every night....cook maybe every other night with extras for the nights you don't cook.
MAKE A GROCERY LIST: Based on the recipes you will be making, plan your list. Many times I already have most of the ingredients needed. When you plan your meals and cook regularly, you end up with a well stocked kitchen and your grocery bill will shrink! Not to mention, when you are not purchasing meats your grocery bill will shrink.....meat is the most expensive purchase in the grocery store.
PREPARE AHEAD OF TIME: I try to get ahead with prepping and cooking over the weekend. When I get home from shopping, I wash and cut up veggies, put them in ziplock bags so I can just grab what I need during the week....the prep work is done. I also make big batches of beans, soups, sauces, etc.....whatever I will be using during the week....this way most of the prep work is done and all that's left is throwing it together. I make soups which I freeze in single serving containers...everyone loves them.....when there is no time to cook, just pull one out of the freezer, let it thaw, when you get home zap it in the microwave and your fast food is full of vitamins, minerals, protein (lots of beans), and deliciousness! Or, check out some crock pot recipes....throw everything in the slow cooker in the morning and when you get home at dinner time with a lot of other hungry people, dinner is waiting!
Honestly, this is not rocket science...anyone can do this with a little bit of planning. The time you spend planning for the week is well worth it!
Let me know if I can help.....
RSS Feed
