The Hacks to Meal Prep
Advance meal prep saves my life whenever I actually get around to doing it! The struggle is real. Can I just say for the record that I know all of this is easier said than done and I have yet to master any of this. I'm human, and so are you! Be patient with yourself. That being said, I believe we all must try to be the best version of ourselves. Not just for us, but for all the others that will follow. I'm not a parent, but one of my biggest motivators is to consciously shape the next generations to know better and do better.
It is no secret that eating habits in this country are not great. Living in a culture of fast, cheap, and repeatable food options has found its way into our bellies. We consume fast food, made from ingredients that they have to try and convince us are real and healthy. The best thing to come out of COVID-19, though, is that we all are cooking more at home. This has always been a struggle for me. As someone who has been very fortunate (or unfortunate, depending on how you see things) to be able to eat out most of my adult life, I have chosen to do so often. Since being married and now, having COVID upon me, I have decided to embrace being skilled in the kitchen. The first thing I did was to invest in the right cooking necessities such as pots, pans, knives and the like. The second thing I did was to buy several cookbooks. Here are a few of my favorites:
Love is served: Seizan Dreux Ellis, the Executive Chef at Café Gratitude, brings Gratitude-quality meals to your table and the soul and mission of the restaurant to your home. With unfussy methods and easy-to-access ingredients, this cookbook makes the nourishing elements of the restaurant accessible for the home cook as it charms and inspires you to change the way you look at food. Café Gratitude has 3 locations in California and is a must-visit if you ever find yourself near one.
Eat clean, play dirty: Eat Clean, Play Dirty sends you on an exploration of the science behind topics like the microbiome and gut health, the truth about plant protein, and how to get that coveted Sakara glow. Take a deep dive into their favorite ingredients' health benefits and learn how to incorporate Sakara's life-changing nutritional philosophy into your everyday routine.
Vegan Reset: The Vegan Reset Book is a practical guide to plant-based cooking and a vegan lifestyle and a cookbook and a meal plan with easy to follow shopping lists and meal prep options. Get delicious and wholesome recipes.
Another thing that I have done is to utilize the online cooking school offered by the Veecoco Academy. What I love about this online cooking school is that all of the recipes are entirely vegan. Not only that, but they teach you how to prepare essential recipes that can be integrated into lots of different types of meals. For instance, they have an authentic Italian tomato sauce recipe that can be used for pasta, pizza or any recipe that calls for a tomato sauce. Recipes like this have been a lifesaver for me. On a day where I have some downtime, I can prepare lots of sauces and mixtures to be added to and/or paired with various dishes throughout the week.
By now, you have noticed that all of these resources are vegan resources. While I am not a vegan, I do understand the importance of eating plants. And that's the hard part. Chicken I know how to make! But how do I make vegetables taste delicious? These plant-based resources have helped me tremendously with integrating whole foods and more plants into my diet. They are indeed a lifesaver. You can find an excellent recipe for steak and potatoes anywhere but to get good, wholesome and delicious plant-based food recipes is a struggle. These are my top resources for Healthier eating habits and giving yourself a fighting chance at a more sustainable lifestyle.
Note: Use the link to sign up and get 10% off any Veecoco class