I’m about to tell you exactly how
I eat, the most simply and inexpensively ways, also providing endless variety. Ways
in which are easy and fun to cooking and eating new foods, it is a constant experiment
with whole foods and ingredients and learn how they look and taste. Some flavours and textured you choose, you may have not even thought of going well together! But if you
like it – what is the problem?
You will spend a lot of time
learning and coming up with your own little tricks. Then eating
starts to get much easier and simpler. You are more resourceful and
knowledgeable than you give yourself credit for. Missing an ingredient or two
is no problem - you can improvise.
The key to my method is not to stress about it. You can’t mess this up! Eating this way is cheap, and it is also a great way to use a mixture of random plant foods or leftovers in your fridge. Be inventive and you will never get stuck in a rut. I rarely add salt to my food. Many of these fillings and sauces have so much flavour, you will not miss the added salt.
The tips in this post are more so if you are looking to try out being plant based or are looking for some new and easy ways to add in more fiber or vegetables, vitamins and minerals into your diet. These ideas also include added protein by using nuts, seeds or legumes if you are trying to cut down on meat and will leave you full and being able to eat so much more.
Simple,
Healthy Mealtime Prep: Mix and Match
So, my recipe for cooking without
a recipe?
Start with a base, add one or more toppings / fillings,
and play with sauces or spices. That is all.
From there all you need to do is
think about some of your favorite meals and add in the veggies / salads or go
veggie for a day or two, it is simply learning a new skill and takes time to
get it right.
Hopefully, this helps someone out
there enjoy the world of eating greens, vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole
grains, nuts and seeds - from the nutrient-dense plant kingdom of food! Or
simply want to add in a new food each week. It is also a fun and easy way to
get your family / children involved with cooking.
Step 1. CHOOSE A BASE
Wild rice and quinoa makes an excellent base
for a meal with endless possibilities and flavours.
Here are a few ideas to help you
choose a base for your recipe:
- For a bowl:
Brown or wild rice, quinoa, millet, lentils or split peas. - For a salad:
Romaine lettuce, rocket (one of my favorites!), spinach, kale, spring greens, sprouts or another favorite leafy green. - For a noodle dish:
I personally go for Gluten-free whole-grain pasta, rice noodles, or spiralized veggies like zucchini, butternut squash, sweet potatoes, carrots, beetroot, parsnips, or any other hearty vegetables.
Step 2.
CHOOSE FILLINGS / TOPPINGS
Choose one or more of the
following that you have on hand:
- Lentils:
I like them with warm seasoning (which you can make at home chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika etc. again these are not expensive). Lentils can be bland on their own but will take to the flavour of whatever you cook them with, so load up on the spices, maybe even consider cooking them in veggie broth instead of water. - Beans:
Black beans, cannellini beans, kidney beans, even chickpeas. You can season them however you like. There are many kinds of beans which can provide your meal with great textures and nutrients.
- Brown rice, wild rice, quinoa:
If you are not using rice as a base, you can add it as a filling or topping, seasoned however you like. - Hummus or baba ghanoush (Aubergine) spread:
These options are great to spread on your wrap first before piling on any toppings - doing this first helps to holds everything in so nothing slips out. I love to have a dollop of hummus on my salad and you know what extras have been added (if any) this also works out so much cheaper than buying a small pot every few days. - Sautéed or roasted vegetables:
I’m a big fan of sautéed or roasted veggies! Think peppers, onions, tomatoes, parsnips, carrots, and turnips. All go great in a stir fry over rice, or on top of a salad. - Raw vegetables:
Tomatoes, any sprouts, sliced bell peppers, carrots or other root vegetables. Spiralized veggies can work here, too. - Olives:
Any kind - Tahini:
This is a sesame seed paste that I like to mix with other toppings, drizzle on top of a salad with some lemon juice and you have got yourself a low-fat dressing. - Avocados:
Sliced or mashed, avocados provide healthy fat that keep you satisfied from one meal to the next. - Nuts and seeds:
Pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, pine nuts, or chopped, sliced, or whole almonds, walnuts, or pecans. All of these can add a really nice crunch to your meal. You can flavour them, too or roast them in the oven for the salads or as a side snack.
There are endless sauces and
spice combinations you can use to add flavour to your meal. Here are a few that
I like to use:
- Salsa:
Any kind you like! It can be a classic tomato salsa, or maybe a zesty mango salsa. All you need to do is dice up some soft fruits or vegetables. Get creative! - Lemon juice and olive oil dressing:
As the base of any dressing, try to add fresh lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil and garlic. Blending them together with other nuts or seeds and herbs it will be bursting with flavour and you know there will be no added salts or sugars. This combination will boost antioxidant content of your salads / meals and allow the nutrients to become more absorbable, from the healthy fats.
Remember - Our bodies need dietary fat to absorb fat-soluble vitamins such as Vitamin A,D,E and K.
- Mustard or Veganise:
Both can be used on their own or incorporated into dressing and sauce recipes or again add to a burger / sandwich. To make it slightly more runny, simply add in a more watery ingredient or again mix two difference chutneys or sauces. - Indian, Italian, Thai, and Mexican organic
spice blends:
Do your research into the different spices they use and create your own. You can buy the ingredients fresh or pick them up from any health food shop / food / super market - Ginger, turmeric, chili pepper, cayenne, dried
parsley, and garlic powder:
These are all staples of my spice rack, and I highly recommend having them in yours as well. They also have lots of great remedies and health factors packed into them. - Apple cider vinegar:
This is a great addition for extra flavoring. Make sure you don’t cook it – with it being a fermented food, it has lots of amazing benefits for your gut health, and the living enzymes that provide those perks can be killed off if heated. Pair the apple cider vinegar with Tahini and you have a sharp flavorsome dressing.
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