Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Healthy & Fast Go Together!

Don't forget it!  Probably the most common reason I hear for not eating healthy or using whole foods, or eating vegan, is time.  I also believe every single healthy living blogger/professional has started a post similarly.  Cheers!

So, what IS the deal then?  I'll give you two happy examples here of my recent quick, no hassle, but tasty and healthy dishes.  First up is what I do when my veggies are going to go bad soon and I have lots of randoms.  I make SOUP!  Easy, simple.  This one was a Butternut Squash Ginger Soup.  I've been on a ginger kick recently, I tend to load up when the weather is changing, and felt like squash.  I DID buy the cutest butternut squash for the soup, but could have easily not added it in if I didn't want to get anything from the store since I had everything else hanging out in my fridge getting tired of small talk.

SOUP - This guy is not as photogenic as I had wanted it to be, but there are worse things to worry about like biking home in a big city and the taste. And this was tasty.


Ingredients:
1 lb peeled and cubed butternut squash
2 rough chopped large carrots (or one of those mammoth ones!)
1/2 rough chopped yellow onion
2 medium Red Bliss Potatoes, chopped
1/4 lb chopped cabbage
1 inch knob of peeled ginger, chopped

  1. Heat oven to 350F
  2. Toss the Butternut Squash with some oil, salt, pepper, and I used some Mesquite BBQ seasoning that my roomy has laying around
  3. Spread squash cubes evenly on baking sheet and roast until tender (8-10minutes)
  4. Get a pot of water, about 2 cups, boiling in the mean time. (Broth is better, but I didn't have any)
  5. Throw in the carrots, onion, and potatoes
  6. Allow to boil for about 5 minutes before adding the cabbage and ginger
  7. Cook for another 2-3 minutes
  8. Put in blender and blend until smooth!
  9. Add seasonings to taste
I served mine with some roasted almonds, coconut oil, and Nutritional Yeast flakes

STIR-FRY - The 2nd dish I made recently is related to that random bike comment.  Roomy got into a bike car accident the day before yesterday.  The car was stronger than the biker unfortunately, but Roomy is OK just a bruised bone and stitches on her forehead.  So, that was no fun.  I stayed with her in the ER that night and took off of work yesterday to help her out.  I was in more of a state than she was (think crazy waves of emotions).

Dinner, therefore, was a low-energy affair with a forgotten picture.  Thus the Stir Fry.  Again, easy thing to throw together with whatever is lying around or on its last leg.

Source
  1. Make Brown Rice or Rice Noodles (or other grain/zucchini noodles) 
  2. Chop up a bunch of different veggies (LOTS)
  3. Toss in a large HOT pan with some oil
  4. Saute until done (cooked but not mushy)
  5. Put veggies on rice/noodles/grain 
  6. Pour sauce of choice on top (Soy sauce, honey, ginger, rice vinegar, lime juice, mango puree = just an idea)
  7. Top with chopped nuts/seeds
  8. Optional add-in of marinated tofu, Tempeh or even chickpeas or nuts

This can take just 10 minutes if you already had the grain/noodles made, maximum 20 minutes depending on your speed in the kitchen and the grain you choose.
 
My point with the vagueness of the Stir Fry is that it can be whatever you want it to be.  3 Components: Base (Grain or noodle), Veggies, & Sauce.  I usually recommend a topping like nuts or a protein source in the Stir Fry itself for satiety's sake.
 
Please, eat your veggies and stop telling me it is a time issue (said with a smile in my voice).  Much love and many, many hugs!  Stay grateful for being alive and well.  Keep yourselves healthy because you never know what will happen. Having a strong healthy body will protect you in more ways than you may initially think.
 

2 comments:

MIz said...

wait.
do you know my husband? he is the TIME ISSUE EXCUSE KING :)

Sabah said...

Youare absolutely right.