Recently, I had three different people comment that they wished they had the time to eat a WFPB diet, but they were just too busy to do all that cooking. Sadly, I remember saying the same thing more than once before we took the happy plunge into the deep end of healthy flavors and improved vitality. Even if I didn’t understand the benefits of a WFPB lifestyle, I can hardly claim I didn’t recognize that I needed to eat more fruits and vegetables and less animal fat. And yet, I’d rationalize all that chopping and cooking just took more time than my busy schedule would allow.
The truth is, I didn’t want to make the change and go against the grain no matter how beneficial it might have been. Humans are pre-wired to take the easy route and stick with the ‘plate’ that got you there. But the plate I grew up on had changed dramatically without me even recognizing it. Factory farming, antibiotics, pesticides, hormones and GMOs have turned what was once a relatively life promoting fare into a petri dish for a wide array of chronic diseases. All of this supported by a pharmaceutical industry that brought in more than 1.5 trillion dollars in revenue last year.
We had a pastor who was very fond of saying that we tend to
find the time to do what is really important to us. His words of wisdom weren’t just a reminder
to spend quality time with God and His family, it also haunted me when I used
time as an excuse for doing anything else I knew I should. So, thank God for grace, and the ability to
learn and change even in the autumn of my life.
This last week was a very busy one at our house and we were
both were running ragged, tired and hungry at the end of the day. I should have done some batch cooking
anticipating our schedule, but all I managed was to bake some Japanese sweet
potatoes Sunday night. Thankfully, I
have found some pantry items that help me to assemble nutritious and tasty meals
in minutes. Thursday night I prepared
some Lentiful Three Bean Chili. (See the link to their site on my resource
page. Just add boiling water to the cup, stir and close the lid for 4-5
minutes.) While the lentils marinated, I warmed up a potato
in the microwave and chopped some broccoli.
When the potato was warm, I popped the broccoli into the microwave. Then I sprinkled nutritional yeast on the
potato and covered it with fresh arugula.
As the broccoli steamed, I chopped some fresh green onions for my garnish. The broccoli was added next, sprinkled with a
dash of dry mustard. (See February 19th’s
post on bioavailability.) Then I poured
the lentil mix over it all and finished it with the fresh green onions. Twelve minutes tops and that’s with a bum
right hand I’m still trying to heal. We
had a healthy starch, crucifer, greens, lentils and enough flavor to make us
rub our tummies in satisfaction. Where there is a Wilma, there’s a Way.
Most weeks, I’m fortunate to have plenty of time to prepare
our meals, but I promise you don’t have to be retired, hire a chef or spend
your day in the kitchen to eat healthy.
Every time you replace an unhealthy food with a more nutritious one, it
is a win. So don’t hesitate to stock up
on some healthy convenience foods like canned beans, pre-cut veggies, healthy
soups, frozen vegetables and whole grains to replace the more popular fast food
when you are pressed for time. It will
save you time, money and quite possibly your health.
As always, I’d love to hear what time saving ideas you use to stay healthy without living in the kitchen.
“God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.” (2 Corinthians 9:8 ESV)
“A plant-based diet will change your health… If you are living on convenience foods, it is just a question of making the best choices. It takes no more time than you spend preparing food now.” (Neal D. Barnard, MD, FACC – Your Body in Balance)
“Buy single-serving packets of already-cooked frozen brown rice, quinoa, cauliflower rice, and more for those days when you just can’t handle the effort of turning on the stove.” (Dean Sherzai, MD, PhD, and Ayesha Sherzai, MD, MAS – The 30-Day Alzheimer’s Solution)
Yours for a Joyful Journey,
Joyice