Sometimes…well really all the time…life can be hectic! It can be difficult to keep up your whole food plant-based diet when things are going great. But when life is extra stressful, it can be even more of a challenge to stick with it.
If you’re dedicated to a truly healthy whole food plant-based lifestyle, you know there are very few quick “convenience” foods available. So it’s important to find ways to optimize your food prep and make your own “fast food.” In this video I show you a few different methods I use to find short cuts to fast, easy, and healthy meals.
Watch the video to see my daily routine and what I ate. On this day I didn’t follow strict recipes, I just made it up as I went, but you can find the loose recipes below:
Breakfast
I started the day with a smoothie and oatmeal. I always batch prep my oatmeal which saves a lot of time each morning. I can simply scoop out a portion warm it up, and add some fruits, nuts, and seeds. But lately I’ve gone one step further.
My mornings have been more rushed lately, so I take a few minutes each evening to get my oatmeal ready the night before. I added some berries to the oatmeal in a microwavable dish, so I literally just had to pop it in the microwave the next morning.
I also measured out my smoothie ingredients the night before, so I just had to blend it the next morning, cutting a few more minutes off my morning routine.
Lunch
Next was a giant salad made with greens, cucumbers, peppers, onions, celery, apples, whole grains, roasted chickpeas, and a baked japanese sweet potato for lunch. I also used batch prepping for this meal. I washed and chopped a variety of veggies, mixed up an easy salad dressing, and roasted chickpeas and japanese sweet potatoes so I had everything I needed to make really fast salads for a few days.
Simple Salad Dressing
I don’t usually measure when I make this, so the amounts are approximate
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon dried dill
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon dried chives
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon date sugar
- A couple teaspoons water
Directions
- Add all ingredients to an 8 ounce mason jar. Secure the lid and shake to combine.
- Store in the refrigerator and use as needed for salads.
Roasted Chickpeas
Ingredients
- 1 can low sodium chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Directions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Pat the chickpeas dry. They don’t need to be completely dry, but you don’t want them to be wet.
- Toss chickpeas with the spices and then spready evenly on a parchment lined tray.
- Bake for about 30-40 minutes or until the chickpeas are golden and crunchy, stiring halfway through.
- I store these in the refrigerator for about 3 days. They will be crunchiest on day one. Some people suggest storing these in the pantry to maintain the crunch, however I live in a very warm, humid place, so I keep them in the fridge to avoid any spoilage.
Dinner
Finally I threw together a really quick soup using ingredients from the freezer and pantry. No chopping, no prepping, and very little thinking. Just throw everything in the pot and heat it up!
Freezer Soup Recipe
- 10 or 12 ounce frozen mirepoix (carrots, celery, onion)
- Half of a 10 ounce bag Chinese stir fry veggies
- ½ tablespoon hot sauce
- 1 teapoon garlic powder
- 1 teapoon onion powder
- 1 teapoon dried parsley
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 can low sodium kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 4 cups low sodium vegetable broth
- 1 block millet and rice ramen noodles
Directions
- Add all ingredients except the noodles to a medium soup pot.
- Bring to a boil and then lower to simmer. Cook for 10 to 20 minutes.
- Add the noodles and cook another 5 to 10 minutes. The longer you cook the soup the better it will taste, but if you’re in a hurry, just cook until everything is heated and noodles are fully cooked.
