I don't know about you but this non-stop cooking during these last few months of quarantine has had it's highs and lows for me...
When this all first began I was PUMPED to stop eating out and cook all my own food at home. I dusted off some of my favorite cookbooks like Cultured Foods by Leda Scheintaub. I’d been psyched to trade a copy of my own book, A Gut Feeling, at a Fermentation Festival in the Berkshires with Leda for a copy of her book and it has quickly become a favorite since. I also pulled out Eating Clean by Amie Valpone, a few others, and got to work.
I took photos of recipes I was inspired to try or re-try and added the ingredients to my shopping list. “No choice but to cook 100% at home? Good thing I was born for this!” I thought. (You can find a few of my cookbook inspired home-made recipes here.)
Of course, the months dragged on and on and the grocery shopping became excessive. Our fridge was always overflowing with food and trying to keep stock of what was fresh and what was on its way out and needed to be used right away, not to mention keep everything organized, started to wear on me. Add to all that the non-stop whining of my picky four-year-old who refused to take more than a few bites of most of the new creations I proudly placed on her plate -- and I was ready for some reinforcements.
After a few months I started to resort back to the tried and true, gluten-free quinoa pasta, roasted veggies (roasted broccoli is a fav in our house), organic gluten-free chicken nuggets and tacos/quesadillas. Three things I knew my four-year-old and husband would both eat. This is when I knew I needed some help. I could no longer continue cooking non-stop for our family of four on top of everything else I was doing without reaching burn out.
Now, if you’re a parent or a super busy gal like me, then you know what I’m talking about. There comes a time -- probably more often than we’d like to admit -- when getting some extra support in place is no longer just a luxury, it's a NECESSITY.
I want to share two of my go-to favorite frozen meal/services I’ve started or renewed my subscriptions on during COVID that have been a life-saver for me.
1. Plantable makes plant-based, no sugar added, chef-crafted meals, freezes them and delivers to your door
2. Daily Harvest is my long-time personal favorite for frozen foods. I recently discovered they have added paleo wheat-free flat-breads and low-sugar, plant-based ice creams to their repertoire, on top of their delicious plant-based smoothies I’ve loved for years. (Be sure to use discount code “agutfeeling” for three free cups on your first order!)
Now, I’m finding my new grove of home cooking that involves, delicious, healthy meals ready to go in my freezer to supplement my homemade dinners with the family.
Share your own tips and tricks to eating healthy, plant-based meals at home in the comments here!
Here's my lunch today, a chicken salad supplemented with a Daily Harvest Artichoke Flatbread:
