I believe we’re into week seven of stay-home orders in most states. With gyms and restaurants (in the traditional sense) closed, we’re all faced with a lot of changes with how we use and fuel our bodies.
I want to share with you a few things that have been helping me keep up healthy habits during this quarantine. Most of them are food-related because I love cooking and eating, anyone else?
Make healthier versions of your favorite sweets
I love sweets, but they don’t always make me feel greatest and I always want seconds. We’ve been making a lot of desserts during this time at home, so we’ve tried quite a few new healthier recipes.
Whatever sweet I’m craving (usually cookies or brownies) I try to see if there is a healthier version of it out there. I promise you won’t sacrifice flavor! Pinterest is an amazing place to find quick, easy, healthy recipes. Here are a few recipes that we’ve been loving during this season!
Paleo Flourless Chocolate Cookies
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies
Visit your local farmer’s market
Now is the perfect time to check out what produce is in season and try something new. A few years ago I got some pea shoots at a farmers market on a whim, now I can’t wait for spring to come around so I can eat them to my heart’s content!
In Ohio (and other states I’m sure) beets, chard, asparagus, garlic scapes, mushrooms, pea shoots, and lots of herbs (to name a few) are in season. You can use the Seasonal Food Guide App to see what is in season in your area. Grab whatever looks good and try a new recipe!
You can find your local farmer’s market at LocalHarvest.org
Fail-Proof Seasonal Pasta:
I love pasta and since I’ve discovered Banza (chickpea pasta) it makes the menu almost every week. My favorite way to prepare it is to sautee whatever veggies are on hand (asparagus, garlic scapes, mushrooms, chard, and frozen peas are all great options) in olive oil until cooked through, but not mushy. Add the cooked pasta to the skillet with extra olive oil and butter to coat the pasta. Then top with salt, pepper, cheese, and sometimes red pepper flakes (or whatever herbs/seasoning you’re feeling). This time of year I always top with lots of pea shoots. It’s a fifteen-minute meal that never disappoints.
Cook once, eat all week
When work gets busy I usually wait until I’m so hungry I can’t concentrate to eat lunch. However, this often leads to eating a boring and unhealthy lunch. To combat this vicious cycle, I’ll make a batch of something I can eat for lunch all week. Sometimes it’s the pasta above with a salad or a smoothie, but more recently I’ve been making large salads with whole grains (quinoa, couscous, rice, millet, etc.). I’ve been making a few from the cookbook Run Fast Eat Slow, but there are lots of great ones online. The basic recipe is:
Greens + Grains + Legumes (beans or lentils) + Veggies + Healthy Fats (nuts, cheese, avocado) + Dressing + Dried Fruit (optional)=Grain Salad
There is no need to reinvent the wheel, cooking three meals a day is a full-time job. Set some time aside to cook up a big batch of something you love with the veggies and you’ll be set for the week!
Keep it moving
When the stay-home order was first put in place I didn’t think much about exercise. I was sitting at the table most of the day. After two weeks my body was screaming for movement, but my mind was not convinced. After a brief internal banter, my body won and I began adding exercise back in. My whole mood changed. On the days where the concern about the virus felt like it was too much to handle, I put on my work out clothes and turned on a video and got moving.
A great way to break up a long day of staring at a screen for work is to get up and move! Take a quick walk around the block, get the mat out and do yoga (Yoga with Adrian is one of my favorites on YouTube), or work out video.
Whatever exercising looks like for you, high impact, low impact, just keep on moving your body.
How have you been maintaining or adding healthy habits to your daily like during COVID-19?
