You’d eat healthier, if only you had the time. A quick glance at your calendar tells you that will happen sometime between today and—exactly never. If you’re like most people these days, you’re probably feeling overbooked, overloaded, and overwhelmed, so it’s no surprise that eating well is often a challenge. Here are some tips from my book, Eat Right When Time is Tight, to help you pump up your eating even on the busiest of days!
Breakfast Blends: Let your blender help you pack in a few servings of fruit and vegetables to start your day off right. Plan ahead by peeling and freezing bananas to make your smoothie extra creamy. Throw in one frozen banana, broken in half, and a cup of your favorite berries (fresh or frozen). It takes a bit of liquid to get the blender going, so start off with a quarter cup of almond milk or even water to get things moving. Add a little bit of liquid at a time until you get to the right consistency. For an alternative with some veggies, try a green energy drink.
Noontime Noshes: Frozen meals and fast food are loaded with sodium and you pay a fair amount of cash for their convenience. The easiest way to shave time off your harried day is to shop and cook ahead of time. Sauté or grill lean protein (e.g., chicken, salmon, tofu) on Sunday when you have more time, then incorporate it into different dishes throughout the week. Have lots of veggies on hand to mix with the protein for quick and healthy sandwiches, wraps, salads or even a cold pasta dish. Throw in a piece of fruit and you’ll have a quick and balanced budget-friendly meal in no time at all.
Fridge Finds: Sometimes it takes longer to shop for ingredients than it does to actually cook them. If you’re pressed for time, improvise with what you already have on hand. Even the most novice cook can do a stir-fry. And since stir-fry technique is more important than ingredients, get creative with what’s already in your fridge. For a vegetable stir-fry, wash and chop your veggies into uniform pieces so they cook at the same speed. Then heat up two tablespoons of Kelapo Coconut Oil in a frying pan and toss in your veggies. Use whatever you have on hand for seasoning: low-sodium soy sauce and honey, marinara sauce or even peanut butter. Cook over high heat for 7-10 minutes and you’ll have a quick and healthy dish, no shopping required.
Patricia Bannan’s Quick Ideas for a Healthier You
Veggie Hummus Wraps
You’d eat healthier, if only you had the time. A quick glance at your calendar tells you that will happen sometime between today and—exactly never. If you’re like most people these days, you’re probably feeling overbooked, overloaded, and overwhelmed, so it’s no surprise that eating well is often a challenge. Here are some tips from my book, Eat Right When Time is Tight, to help you pump up your eating even on the busiest of days!
Breakfast Blends: Let your blender help you pack in a few servings of fruit and vegetables to start your day off right. Plan ahead by peeling and freezing bananas to make your smoothie extra creamy. Throw in one frozen banana, broken in half, and a cup of your favorite berries (fresh or frozen). It takes a bit of liquid to get the blender going, so start off with a quarter cup of almond milk or even water to get things moving. Add a little bit of liquid at a time until you get to the right consistency. For an alternative with some veggies, try a green energy drink.
Noontime Noshes: Frozen meals and fast food are loaded with sodium and you pay a fair amount of cash for their convenience. The easiest way to shave time off your harried day is to shop and cook ahead of time. Sauté or grill lean protein (e.g., chicken, salmon, tofu) on Sunday when you have more time, then incorporate it into different dishes throughout the week. Have lots of veggies on hand to mix with the protein for quick and healthy sandwiches, wraps, salads or even a cold pasta dish. Throw in a piece of fruit and you’ll have a quick and balanced budget-friendly meal in no time at all.
Fridge Finds: Sometimes it takes longer to shop for ingredients than it does to actually cook them. If you’re pressed for time, improvise with what you already have on hand. Even the most novice cook can do a stir-fry. And since stir-fry technique is more important than ingredients, get creative with what’s already in your fridge. For a vegetable stir-fry, wash and chop your veggies into uniform pieces so they cook at the same speed. Then heat up two tablespoons of Kelapo Coconut Oil in a frying pan and toss in your veggies. Use whatever you have on hand for seasoning: low-sodium soy sauce and honey, marinara sauce or even peanut butter. Cook over high heat for 7-10 minutes and you’ll have a quick and healthy dish, no shopping required.
– Patricia Bannan MS, RD
Tags: breakfast, coconut oil, Coconut Oil Cooking, dinner, easy recipes, experts, health, healthy alternative, healthy recipes, healthy tips, Kelapo Coconut Oil, lunch, nutritionist, organic coconut oil, Patricia Bannan, registered dietician