Essential Ingredients To Keep on Hand At Home

Eggs are incredibly versatile - a staple ingredient I always have on hand.
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Cooking for yourself can be a fun, empowering, and educational experience. It’s important to learn how to nurture your body in healthy ways as an adult, but knowing where to start can be tricky. Here are some staples that can serve as the base of many easy-to-make dishes. Be sure to pick these up on your next trip to the market!

Eggs – Eggs can be added to anything and serve as an easy way to get protein in your diet. You can eat them for breakfast or dinner and add them to just about everything. A fried egg atop a hearty kale salad? I don’t mind if I do! A soft-boiled or hard-boiled egg for a daytime snack? Heavenly!

Cheese – Cheese is another essential item you can add to just about any dish or eat alone. It’s easy to make a snack with cheese if you just add crackers, veggies, apple or toasted bread for a meal. What’s your favorite type of cheese? I love sampling the gourmet cheese section at the store each week and trying new things.

Bacon – Bacon is another awesome ingredient that can be used in so many ways--just don't eat it ALL the time. You can put it in sandwiches, breakfast dishes, salads and pastas. You can utilize it in a multitude of ways or eat it alone. I love adding the Trader Joe’s Peppered Turkey Bacon to chopped Brussels sprouts for a spicy breakfast side.

Bananas – I may have a slight banana problem. I recently got braces, and my morning staple breakfast has become smoothies, which seem to always call for banana. My personal favorite is blending one banana, 2T cocoa powder, 2T almond butter, a handful of frozen blueberries, and 1.5 c almond milk for the perfect chocolaty start to the day!

Veggies – Although it’s hard to keep fresh veggies for very long, you can always pick up some frozen vegetables that can be added to a variety of dishes—I always do this with peas and corn. For fresh veggies, I usually have at least one leafy green on hand (kale or spinach, usually), carrots (they keep for quite some time), and onion (I prefer yellow or sweet—they’re so versatile!). Plus, even if the kale starts to turn before I can finish it, it’s easy to turn into some crunchy and delicious kale chips!

Tomatoes – Not only do they add a pop to your dish, but they are also a great accent and starting point for a base for any dish. You can use them for pastas, savory pies, or paired with a sandwich. And of course, the cherry or grape varieties are fabulous all on their own. Try to get tomatoes when they are in-season, however; the out-of-season tomatoes will be far less flavorful.

Which essential ingredients do you keep in your kitchen?

Chew On This: Post-Workout Eats

Not only is chocolate milk delicious,
it's also a great post-workout snack!
Image: Shutterstock

We’ve all been there: You’ve just completed an awesome (or grueling) workout. You may be feeling great, but chances are that you’re also feeling completely drained. There’s a reason for that—when we exercise, we exert insane amounts of energy, AKA calories. Workouts drain our bodies of energy, and it’s essential that you help your body recover afterwards. That means eating (or drinking) something that will give you back some of those calories and protein.

But you probably shouldn’t just go eat a doughnut, though it might be tempting. For those of us who have made that mistake, eating heavy or carb-heavy foods post workout can leave you feeling, well, not so great. To feel re-fueled, aim for up to 45 g of carbs and between 6-15 g of protein to help your body build up muscle.

So what foods would those be? Here are some suggestions for ideal noms after you’ve completed your workout:

1. Dates with peanut butter



Mix it up with some pistachios and raisins.
Image: Shutterstock

2. Deviled eggs with hummus & yolk filling and chives on top
3. Pistachios and raisins
4. Protein powder juice
5. Chocolate or Soy milk
6. Banana with nut butter
7. Chickpeas with lemon juice
8. Green smoothie
9. Pear and peanut/sunflower butter
10. Apple and string cheese
11. Avocado and lemon
12.  Sweet potato with black beans, greek yogurt, or salsa

My personal favorite after a workout is chocolate milk or a Naked juice (they sell mini-bottles of them at Costco now!). Both of these are easy on my stomach after a tough workout, and within just a few minutes of drinking them I can feel my body recovering. Instead of feeling drained and exhausted the rest of the day, instead I feel energized and strong.

What are your favorite post-workout eats? I’d love to hear some more suggestions!

9 Meat Replacement Options for Vegetarians

Vegetarians must be proactive in getting protein and other nutrients into their diets.
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One of the biggest challenges to becoming a vegetarian is making sure that you still get the protein and other nutrients like omega 3 fatty acid that are so prominent in meat. Missing out on those nutrients can be hugely detrimental to your health, and so if you’re planning on saying goodbye to meat, be sure you have a plan in place for how you’ll make up for it.

If you’re new to the vegetarian scene, you might also find that there are some dining experiences that seem hard to replicate without meat. An incredible amount of non-vegetarian meals center around meat, and it can be a hard transition to make if you’re not prepared.

So what’s a non-meat-eater to do? Try out some of these meat substitutes to make sure you have a way to get all the protein, omega 3, and other nutrients you’ll still need.

1. Nuts—Lots of nuts have high concentrations of omega 3, protein, and fiber in them. Try mixing raw walnuts, peanuts, almonds, and other nuts in with salads, stir-fry, and more. Just don’t overdo it—nuts are also high in calorie content.
2. Tofu—Made from coagulated soymilk, tofu is a bean curd that’s very high in protein. It doesn’t have much taste on its own, but can be great mixed in with sauce, in a stir-fry, or grilled with some spices. Scramble it up in the morning like eggs, or make some veggie kebobs.
3. Soy—This is one of the most popular substitutes for meat; it’s very versatile, has lots of protein, is low in fat and cholesterol, and can even help fight cancer.
4. Eggplant—It’s like eggplant was made to replace meat. It’s got a meaty texture and is chock full of fiber, antioxidants, B vitamins, and potassium. I find it best in lasagna, pasta, and other tomato-y Italian dishes.
5. Portobello Mushrooms—Like eggplant, Portobellos have a meaty texture that makes them an ideal substitute for meat. You can slice them up and make steaks, stuff them with your favorite veggies and cheeses, roast them, and so much more. Plus, you’ll get lots of protein in the deal.
6. Legumes—AKA beans, peas, and lentils. Members of the legume family are loaded with protein, folate, iron, magnesium, and potassium. Throw them in a stew, stir-fry, or salad.
7. Tempeh—Made from soy, tempeh is full of iron, calcium, protein, and vitamin B12. It comes molded into patties and can be baked, steamed, deep-fried, sautéed, and everything else under the moon.
8. Bulgur Wheat—This whole grain is a form of whole wheat that can be used as rice, meatloaf, and even sausages. It’s got you covered for fiver content, protein, potassium, iron, and more.
9. Seitan—A wheat gluten, seitan has a similar texture to some meats. Its protein content is comparable to actual meat, making it a perfect substitute in many meat dishes.

5 Healthy Eating Fallacies

Since I started actually doing my research about healthy eating, I’ve found out that a lot of the things I initially thought were nothing but common misconceptions or fallacies. I thought “low fat” was a synonym for “healthy” for a long time, but that’s not necessarily true. I also always just equated calories as the main cause of weight gain. Basically, I had part of the truth but not the actual facts or science.

"All-Natural" does NOT mean organic. In fact,
it doesn't mean much at all.
Image: Shutterstock

These days, I walk through the supermarket knowing better; but it’s painfully clear how seduced our society is by labels like “low fat,” “organic” and (my favorite) “all-natural.” Sure, there’s some merit in those things, but it’s not an excuse to ignore the label. And it doesn’t always mean what you think it means. Here are some common fallacies about healthy eating:

If it’s all-natural, it must be good for me. That’s the same as “organic,” right? Wrong. The FDA’s definition of “all-natural” is extremely loose. Basically, any food that doesn’t contain added color, artificial flavors, or synthetic substances can be labeled as all-natural. However, these foods can still contain processed sweeteners, lab-produced flavors and colors, and other additives and preservatives.

If I exercise, I can eat all the junk food I want. Definitely not true. My three-mile runs burn just over 300 calories, yet s medium sized Chocolate Cookie Dough Blizzard from Dairy Queen contains almost 1,000 calories, 36 grams of fat, and 157 grams of carbs. Ouch!

Image from dairyqueen.com
A medium Cookies & Cream Blizzard has 980 calories.

Buying organic is a must for all produce. While I prefer organic produce when I can afford it, I certainly don’t prescribe to the notion that all food should be bought organic. It’s most important when avoiding the EWG’s “Dirty Dozen,” or most contaminated foods. However, many foods are unlikely to contain contaminants even when you buy the non-organic option. Of course, locally grown can be a healthy medium here, since many local farmers follow organic practices but can’t afford official certification.

Energy drinks and protein bars are really healthy. Unfortunately, no. Check the back label of a bottle of Gatorade or a high protein energy bar and you’re likely to see that they’re full of sugar, often high in calories, and have lots of carbs (plus a TON of strange ingredients you can’t pronounce). These products are some of nutritionists’ biggest pet peeves. If you’re working out, you will burn off many of those calories, but if you’re not, eating an energy bar is just like eating a candy bar—just with more protein.

Image from bigsisterdiaries.wordpress.com
Bingeing on the weekends isn't healthy.

Eating healthy means never eating junk food. Prescribing to this view often ends up being self-destructive in the end. Never allowing yourself to enjoy your favorite “junk” foods can make us feel socially alienated at times and sometimes makes the cravings even worse. The key to healthy eating is to be in control of our cravings and indulge sensibly and in moderation. Eating healthy M-F only to break and binge on the weekend isn’t healthy for our bodies or our minds. Instead, don’t feel so guilty about the occasional slice of cake—just make sure “occasional” treats stay that way.

Vegetarians Have Healthier Hearts

Eating meat could affect your heart health.
Image: Shutterstock

It’s easy to assume that a diet full of lots of meat (protein) is healthy. In fact, many people feel a meal isn’t quite complete without at least a small serving of meat. But the truth is, meat’s not all it’s cracked up to be. No question about it, meat is a great source of protein—but it’s also a big source of saturated fat and sodium.

When it comes to ischemic heart disease, two of the main risk factors are high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Saturated fat is the biggest dietary factor that contributes to the production of cholesterol. As for sodium, it’s the biggest dietary determinant of high blood pressure, according to Dr. Peter McCullough, cardiologist for St. John Providence Health System.

Vegetarian diets had a lower risk of heart disease.
Image: Shutterstock

Because a vegetarian diet leaves out meat, which can be full of sodium and saturated fat, vegetarians are 32% less likely to develop heart disease than meat eaters. This is according to a British study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. The study surveyed over 44,000 people, 34% of which were vegetarians.

Of course, one doesn’t necessarily need to become a vegetarian to cut saturated fat and sodium from their diets. It certainly makes it easier, but vegetarianism can also come with problems like not getting enough protein and consuming too many sugars. Cheese, which vegetarians tend to consume in larger amounts, is also a big source of saturated fat.

Image from acanaturalmeats.com
Beef is the unhealthiest source of protein.

Being choosy about meat products can go a long way in lowering the chance of heart disease. Fish is the healthiest source of protein, followed by beans and nuts. The least healthy source of protein is beef, since it’s usually quite fatty. McCullough recommends staying away from the “three s-es:” sugars, starches, and saturated fats to lower health risks.

I generally eat about half my main courses vegetarian and the other half with a serving of meat. Do you eat meat, or are you a vegetarian? I’d love to hear your input in the comments below!