This week has been full of days that have not gone quite as expected… which has made me wonder - maybe that is what should expect :).
I wonder if your routine gets shaken up on the regular - or if your days at times take unexpected twists and turns? In some stages and seasons of our life, consistency and stability and even “normalcy” are hard to find…
Instead those things are replaced with the Wild and the Crazy, and even more often, with the Inconvenient and the Unplanned.
We cannot expect that we will be able to focus on our health “when things slow down” or “when I’ve finished/accomplished this or that” or “when everything goes just right”. Our healthy habits are crucial to propel us through the unexpected, and to fuel us to tackle the crazy.
If you want your day to day to be full of productivity and peace, then you need to focus on the practical steps that will make that a reality.
One of the things that keeps me grounded when things feel a tad upended, is having easy meals that I know I can always count on.
I call these FAME Recipes - Fast Amazing Meals that are Easy! They are meals that are comforting and satisfying, and make me feel clean and nourished. These meals are packed with nutrients, but so uncomplicated that they are a source of calm in the storm. This banana and cashew butter toast, sprinkled with cinnamon, may not look like much, but for me it was all the things that I needed on this crazy morning. What is that meal for you?? How does it nourish your body and keep you on track?
Take the pressure off and make something easy and amazing.
Friends, let's not make this so hard! There are enough things in our day that we will need to react and bend to. Let’s make sure that what should be a comfort to us is not a struggle, and the thing that is supposed to fill us up doesn’t make us feel totally drained. Let’s discover the foods that nourish and strengthen our bodies and our families, and learn how to make them full of flavor and with ease!
My next FAME Recipe Building Course begins January 15. This two month (8 week) course is the perfect jumpstart to learning how to eat freely!
Learn how to transform the meals you love into the most nourishing things you eat. Get equipped with super practical strategies and build healthy habits that you can stand on when you day gets shaky! Check out and sign up for my FAME Recipe Building Course here.
And just in case you need a few recipes to inspire you and get you started, here are a few of my faves:
Banana and Cashew-butter Toast
- banana
- cashew butter
- whole wheat toast (or toasted bread of choice)
- cinnamon sprinkled on top
I'm pretty sure you can figure this one out.....
Crunchy Cabbage Salad
- 1 small purple cabbage
- 4-5 carrots
- 1 bunch of cilantro
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp flax oil
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp soy sauce (optional)
- 2 tbsp honey
- S&P
Cut cabbage in half, and take out the core by cutting a triangle out of the bottom. Cut halves into eighths, and the cut those eighths into shreds. Peel carrots and shred in a food processor. Chop cilantro and add to the bowl with cabbage and carrots. Make dressing by combining remaining ingredients in a small bowl and whisking together. Pour dressing onto vegetables and toss.
**Tips and Tricks** This salad gets better as it sits and the flavors meld! I often will make it at the beginning of the week and enjoy it for lunch multiple days, or make it earlier in the day when I am entertaining, to make less work for myself that night.
Lemony Zucchini Ribbons - serves 2
- 4 zucchini
- handful of feta cheese crumbles
- 1/4 C pine nuts
- juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1 tbsp butter
- S&P
Heat pan to med-high heat and toast the pine nuts for 2-3 minutes. Peel zucchini into ribbons using a vegetable peeler, or spiralize them using a spiralizer. (I find that if I purchase them already in noodle form they go bad more quickly...). Remove the pine nuts, and melt the butter - keeping the pan on med-high heat. Toss in zucchini and season with S&P. Cook and tossing for 2ish minutes until ribbons/noodles begin to soften. If feta cheese is not yet in "crumble" form, cut into bite sized pieces. Remove zucchini from the pan and divide into two plates. Top with feta cheese and pine nuts, with a squeeze of lemon juice to brighten.
**Tips and Tricks** When I entertain, I will serve this alongside salmon or chicken grilled with lemon and oregano. If you feel like you need more protein in your life, this can be served along side any protein of your choice! If you have leftover grilled chicken or fish, that would make things easy. Or, adding 1/2 a can of chick peas would make this meal more hearty and even more delicious!