Do you often times get discouraged with eating healthy because it may seem to take too much time planning and preparing? Does going food shopping every week seem like a difficult chore, especially with your busy schedule?
I can totally relate. There are times I can't always get to the farmer's market, and sometimes I don't have time during the week to go food shopping. So, here's how I stay easily prepared for those times when eating healthy is a little more difficult than usual.
I keep these 10 simple staples always stocked to ensure I always have healthy options.
Frozen Berries
Ezekiel Bread
Dark Chocolate
Go for the Fair Trade dark organic chocolate with a cacao content of 70% or more (I like this Trader Joe brand); not Hershey’s, Reese’s or any of those other highly processed, artificial, trans-fat laden brands. This is all about UPGRADE. You can still indulge in what you love, but make it the best quality. When consumed in moderation, dark chocolate is a perfect little treat for a sweet tooth craving. I make sure I always have a back up bar in the fridge just in case I run out. Health benefits? Release in feel good hormones, such as serotonin; a nice little energy boost without the post crash; high in anti-oxidants, iron and magnesium; and healthy fats.
Almond Butter
I love to add almond butter to smoothies, it tastes delicious, gives the smoothie a nice dense consistency, and it packs in extra protein, fiber, and omega 3 fatty acids (key in weight loss). Almond butter is so versatile and can be used in so many snack ideas. I love almond butter on Brown Rice Cakes or toasted Ezekiel bread, with sliced banana, a sprinkle of cinnamon, and hemp seeds. You can spread almond butter on sliced organic apples, carrots, or celery. For ants on a log, top the celery with raisins, goji berries, or cranberries. (Great way to get kids to eat healthy)
Hemp Seeds
Hemp seeds are my number one favorite super food! Not only are they a great vegetarian source of complete protein with all 10 essential amino acids (3 tbsps have 11 grams of protein), but the omega 3 and 6 fatty acids make them highly anti-inflammatory, which aids in super quick weight loss. It's so easy to UPGRADE your meals and snacks with hemp seeds. I love to add them to anything and everything. They have a great, light nutty flavor and smooth consistency. I top my eggs and veggies with them in the morning, add a couple tablespoons to my smoothies, and sprinkle them on my almond butter or avocado toast.
Avocado
Ahh- Nature’s Butter. If there's one food I absolutely couldn't live without, this is it. I probably go through about 4 a week. Avocado with eggs, warm soup topped with chunks of avocado, avocado in my smoothies, avocado toast, veggies topped with sliced avocado. Its versatility allows it to take on the flavor of whatever you’re adding it to. Plus its loaded with fiber, healthy fats, B vitamins and E, folic acid, protein. Avocado is a perfect alternative to dairy when trying to cut back to lose weight, increase your energy, and reduce cholesterol. Here's a quick and easy breakfast/snack idea Avocado Hemp Seed Toast
Coconut Oil
I live, breathe, eat, sleep, dream coconut oil. I use coconut oil not only medicinally, but also as a full body moisturizer, leave in hair treatment, sun block, and in the kitchen- for all of my cooking, smoothies, salad dressings, oatmeal, anything and everything. To name all of the health benefits of coconut oil would require another post all on its own. In short, this delicious natural food not only fights viruses and bacteria in our bodies, but also regulates our hormones and blood sugar levels resulting in greater weight loss, more energy, fewer sugar and carb cravings, it increases digestion, boosts metabolism, and reduces cholesterol. I sautee my veggies and cook my eggs in coconut oil, as a wonderful alternative to butter- it does really well in high heat (actually better than olive oil!). I add it to my oatmeal to give it a creamier consistency and add 1-2 tsps to my morning smoothies.
Oatmeal
Whole rolled oats, either gluten free or not, depending on your individual body, is a great staple to keep on hand. Organic oats are great building blocks for the body. Excellent complex carbohydrates gives the muscles energy, fuels the mind and body, and keeps you satiated longer without crashes in blood sugar levels. I love to enjoy oatmeal for a hearty breakfast or
sometimes I take it with me on the go for a mid afternoon or evening snack. Get creative with oatmeal, you can experiment with adding different ingredients. Click here for my recipe Creamy Coconut Oatmeal with Bananas, Cinnamon, and Hemp Seeds.
Organic Apples
Apples are a perfect healthy whole food snack, as opposed to processed, boxed snacks. A great way to add extra daily fiber, a perfect sweet tooth quick fix, and a nice energy boost. I love to eat a sliced apple in the morning dipped in almond butter or peanut butter. Adding the nut butter upgrades it with tons of protein. This combination of protein and fiber will fight off mid afternoon energy crashes, cravings for unhealthy junk food and empty white flour carbs, and help to regulate and jump start weight loss. Try adding one to your morning smoothie for natural added sweetness; into the juicer for a quick, natural detox (with added ginger, lemon, celery, and carrot), or cut up with other fruit for a Yummy Fruit Salad Breakfast.
Here’s a handy little tip, slice an apple, squeeze the juice of half a lemon onto it, toss it into a baggy, shake it up to coat evenly, and bring with you to work. The lemon keeps the apple from turning brown (oxidizing), and it tastes delicious and refreshing. Having it sliced up makes it easier to snack on, and you'll eat it slower which will allow you to get fuller faster.
Pastured Farmer’s Market Eggs
Protein is the building blocks of our body, hair, skin, nails, and cells. Although I mainly get my protein from vegetarian sources (such as hemp, chia, flax seeds, vegetables, beans, legumes, nuts, seeds, and occasional fish), I always like to have eggs a couple times a week. But there’s a huge difference between industrial eggs sold in supermarkets from factory farms, and pastured eggs from sustainably raised hens. Definitely a price difference, but when it comes to quality ingredients we put into our body, it's worth the extra few bucks. Eggs that we get from the supermarket come from hens raised in unsustainable factory farms where they are sickly confined, diseased, depressed, and unhealthy, loaded with hormones and antibiotics, fed GMO grain, and they never see sunlight nor do their feet ever get to touch grass in their entire short lived lives. Pastured eggs, on the other hand, come from hens who are healthier, happier, get to graze freely in sunlight, and are fed organic pasture. Eggs produced from these guys have 20 times more omega 3 fatty acids and 35% less cholesterol than industrial eggs. Search localharvest.org to find a farmer’s market in your area to begin supporting sustainable agriculture. There's an importance of quality when it comes to eggs, but there's also a major difference in taste.
Eating healthy doesn't have to be hard- it's actually pretty easy. Get creative. How can you begin to incorporate these healthy food choices into your daily lifestyle? Are you going to experiment with coconut oil next time you’re chef’in up your delicious morning omelette, or perhaps add a sprinkle of hemp seeds to your sauteed veggies?
I'd love to hear from you. Share in the comments section below.
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