The recipe excuse.
Erin Moraghan
When I ask clients what stands in their way of embracing nutritious, healthy eating strategies, one of the most frequent responses I hear is that people feel they don’t have enough recipes and don’t know where to begin.
I love y’all, but last I checked, the internet has approximately 57302 billion recipes, so I know this can’t be a barrier. (Also, cookbooks?)
Jocko says “excuses are lies we tell ourselves”, so if a lack of recipes are your reason for staying confused when it comes to nutrition, I’m here with a little tough-love AND a no-brainer solution we’ve been sharing with our members for years. It will also save you time. If you’re spending too much time trying to make your food Pinteresting and telling yourself you don’t have time for other wellness efforts, that’s time you could be spending going for walks, working out, or just relaxing with a good cup of coffee and a book.
Just. Eat. Things.
Now, I love cooking. I even went to culinary school! (I dropped out because I can’t handle sharing kitchen space with anyone but my dog, but hey, I went and I got the apron and compound butter recipes to prove it.) But I don’t always have time to cook, and I sure as hell don’t want to batch-prep giant vats of salads and stews that I eat all week long in my lunch boxes.
So most of the time, I just eat things.
I literally open my little bento-style lunch box, pop in my proteins, healthy fats, complex carbs, veggies and fruits, and in 3 minutes flat, I have a DELICIOUS lunch.
And you know those nights when everyone under your roof has soccer/guitar/a late meeting and no one can gather around the table? Well, we eat things on those nights too.
Come to think of it, most meals are things, making “real cooking” an extra-special treat that I truly delight in preparing and eating when I have the extra time.
How To Just Eat Things.
Whether it’s in my lunchbox, on a plate or charcuterie-style board, here’s how I generally compile my “things” to eat.
Make it balanced:
- Half the plate or lunchbox is veggies, with possibly some fruit in the mix.
- A serving of protein can generally be calculated by the size of your palm.
- A serving of healthy fats is usually about the size of your thumb.
- A serving of complex carbs is about one cupped hand.
Veggies + Fruits:
Eat the rainbow! Green leafy veggies can be complimented by an array of carrots, beets, cucumbers, berries…mix it up for a beautiful balance of nutrients!
Protein:
We love mixing it up here. With all you save on processed, packaged foods, splurge on the best quality meat you can find. (Note: While I spent many years eating plant-based, I’m not an expert in compiling plant-based meals, so I’m not including plant-sources of protein here.)
I always pre-cook meats so I have them ready to slice and add to my meals and lunchboxes. We roast at least 3 chickens weekly, and use the carcasses for bone broth as a bonus! Some of my favourites:
- Bison.
- Salmon.
- Steak.
- Roasted chicken + turkey.
- Boiled eggs.
- Bacon.
- Organ meats.
Complex Carbs:
We often think of carbs as starches and grains like rice, potatoes, and pasta, but there are so many additional options. Some of my favourites:
- Sweet potatoes and yams.
- Starchy veggies like asparagus, cukes, and radishes.
- Fruits.
- Oats.
- Pickles.
- Tomatoes.
Healthy Fats:
- Unrefined coconut, olive, and avocado oils.
- Olives.
- Nuts and seeds.
- Avocados.
- The fats from egg yolks, bacon, and salmon and other fatty fish.
Don’t get caught up in fancy preparation or cooking techniques here, either. Boil your eggs, pan-sear, bake, or grille your meats. Meat tastes better without sauces and when it’s beautifully cooked! Veggies can be eaten raw, air-fried, grilled, or steamed (any way, really!) with a little salt and pepper, herbs, or toasted nuts or seeds for crunch.
Simplifying how we look at food preparation puts the power back in our hands. And once you get used to it, simple food actually becomes more and more delicious. Reducing our intake of prepared sauces and condiments means the true flavours of foods in their natural forms starts to take the spotlight.
Have fun!