3 Quick Lunches for Work

Easy, Plant Based Lunches

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Why do we really need to eat well throughout the day? Well, our bodies are constantly working to clear out harmful substances form the environment and from our own metabolism. They are also repairing cells and producing hormones and chemicals and energy that our body needs to function.  If the building blocks of all that are the carbohydrates, proteins and fats then the machinery that allows our body to uses the building blocks to function optimally would be the vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients.  The thing is, phytonutrients have a huge role in keeping our bodies healthy.  They do everything from keeping free radicals in balance so that the free radicals don’t cause cell damage, to preventing cancer cells from growing to fighting inflammation. We don’t store these chemicals in stock pile…they get used up doing their job.  So we need to replace them throughout the day.  Although meet and fish give some vitamins and minerals, the only place to get phytonutrients is PLANTS! Hence the emphasis on a PLANT BASED DIET.

Phytochemicals are compounds that occur naturally in plant foods (fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts and seeds). It is often what gives plants their colour. How do you know you are getting enough of them and a variety of them? Eat the rainbow!  Aim for at least 1-2 servings of every colour each day.

To help you out, here are 3 easy lunch recipes that amp up the plant based goodness, that you can take to work!

Arugula, Tomato, Avocado and Feta Salad.

Make twice as much so you can have some wth dinner as well as for lunch tomorrow. Arugula is nice to use as it doesn’t get soggy too quickly.  You can always take the juice of 1 lemon and mix with a drizzle of olive oil and keep it in a separate container to add to your salad when you get to work.

Recipe: makes 2 servings

1. Arugula for two salads (About 4 - 5 handfuls and more if you like!)

2. 1 avocado diced

3. 1 cup cherry tomatoes sliced in half

4. 2 carrots shredded (or buy the pre-shredded carrots and add a handful)

5. 1 cup cucumber

6. ¼ c chopped walnuts

7. ¼ c feta cheese

8. Juice of I lemon

9. Drizzle of olive oil

Combine all ingredients, toss and voila!

Creative add-ins to amp the nutrient value:

• Sprinkle on some hemp seeds for more protein and omega 3

• Add some chickpeas or black beans (look for BPA-free cans and rinse and drain well or cook your own if you have time) for more fiber and protein

• Try different nuts such as pecan or almond pieces for variety and to switch up the nutrient mix

• Try lime instead of lemon and see what you think of the freshness of lime. (My fav!)

• Try Sauerkraut like the beet and cabbage one in the picture, for a boost of gut healthy probiotics

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Chickpea and Cauliflower Wrap with Avocado and Lime.

This is a great meal you can make for dinner the night before and take leftovers for lunch.  If you just take it for lunch, you will get a few days out of it.

Recipe  Makes 4 servings ( 2 wraps each) * requires 40 min baking

• 1 bag frozen cauliflower

• 2 cans of chickpeas (BPA free cans) drained and rinsed and let most of the water drain out so that they are as dry as possible.

• 2 tsp Chili powder

• 2 tsp garam masala

• Olive oil

• 2 ripe avocado

• 2 limes

• Cilantro

• Salt and pepper to taste

• 8 tortilla wraps (If you want to go grain - free, use lettuce wraps or look for grain free recipes for wraps or pita on the web.)

Preheat oven to 425 °F.

1. Use a large baking tray and line with parchment paper.

2. Place chickpeas in a bowl and drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with half the chilli powder and garam masala.

3. Mix until well coated and then place on baking tray.

4. Do the same with the cauliflower and place on baking tray

5. Spread chickpeas and cauliflower out so that they are in a single layer.

6. Sprinkle on some salt and pepper to taste.

7. Bake for 20 - 25 min and remove tray and use a spatula to turn the mixture over and bake for another 20min until cauliflower begins to brown.

8. Meanwhile, cut and scoop out avocado flesh into a bowl and mash with fork.

9. Add juice of 2 limes to the avocado mash and stir.

10. Chop a handful of cilantro for topping.

Once the chickpea/cauliflower mixture is cooked and slightly brown, remove from oven. 

Put together the wraps as follows:

Take one wrap and spread a table spoon or so of avocado mix, add chickpea/cauliflower mix, squeeze on some more lime if you prefer, add some chopped cilantro and its ready to eat!

For lunch you can make the wraps the night before and make sure they are cooled completely before putting them in a container to go. You might want to heat them up a little before you east them.

Healthy “Caesar Salad” with Vegan Caesar Dressing

This is one our family favourites and the creation of @Chefmaterial.  It is great for a light dinner and filling for lunch. You can make as much or as little as you like.  Don’t like spinach? Then just use arugula or try any other dark leafy green. Chicken or grilled tofu is optional but will make this a hearty quick meal.

Recipe: Makes 2 servings

In a bowl add:

Baby arugula and baby spinach mix (4-5 handfuls)

I/2 can of chickpeas rinsed  and drained

I Avocado diced

*Optional*: Some cooked chicken breast  or even grilled tofu! 

Drizzle with some dressing enough to lightly coat the  leaves. Toss and serve

For the dressing:

Juice of 1 full lemon

1 tbsp hummus

1 tbsp dijon mustard

1tsp almond milk

ground black pepper to taste

Combine all the ingredients in a jar and shake well. This makes extra dressing to use later. Store leftover dressing in the fridge for 1 week.

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3 quick easy and healthy recipes with:

3 colours ✔️🍓🍑🥬

At least 2 servings fruits/veg  ✔️

Delish ✔️

Now that’s a good lunch!

Know someone who could use a bit of stress relief?  Share this post and spread some joy! ☺️

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Disclaimer: The content in this blog is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read in this blog or on this website.

Quick and Easy Breakfast Ideas

Need a fast and healthy breakfast? Try these three breakfast powerhouses!

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The Green Smoothie: Perfect Breakfast on the Go.

In an effort to eat more veggies, why not start your day with some? Green smoothies are packed with nutrients to kickstart your day and and are quite refreshing. Experiment with ingredients and see what you like.

Green Smoothie

*Makes 2 servings

500 ml coconut water🥥

2 large handfuls if spinach or kale🥬

Juice of 2 limes🍈

2 handfuls frozen pineapple 🍍

1 red apple (with the skin)🍎

1/4  large cucumber peeled🥒

1/2 avocado 🥑

4 tbsp hemp seeds (good protein source)

1/2 cup crushed ice

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The Smoothie Bowl: A Cereal Alternative.

Is cereal or oatmeal your thing? Then try a smoothie bowl! It’s a great way to get a breakfast packed with antioxidants and fibre, giving your breakfast bowl an upgrade.

Smoothie Bowl

 *Makes 2 servings

1 cup blueberries

1/2 cup almond or coconut milk, unsweetened

1 tsp vanilla

2 Tbsp of almond butter

2 scoop of protein powder or 2 Tbsp hemp seeds

1 small banana 

Toppings suggestions:

Granola, goji berries, sliced almonds, fresh berries, diced mangos, sliced banana, chia seeds, shredded unsweetened coconut

Amp the nutritional content by adding toppings with a couple different colours like a banana and red berries. 🍓🍌🍐

Chocolate Lovers Delight: Chocolate Chia Pudding

Chia seeds are loaded with vitamins, minerals and fibre. Per gram, they are high in omega 3, iron and even protein!

So go ahead and indulge in some pudding for breakfast!

Chocolate Chia Pudding:

*Makes one serving

1 cup almond, coconut or other milk

2 Tbsp chia seeds (+ 1 Tbsp if not using coconut milk)

2 Tbs cocoa powder

1 tsp Vanilla

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 Tbs maple syrup

Add the ingredients to a bottle. Stir with a fork then secure the lid and shake so all ingredients are mixed.

The pudding gets thicker with time so this is great to make the night before or take with you to eat at work.

Top with your favourite berries, nuts, seed, shredded coconut, sliced bananas or whatever you like and aim to get in 3 colours with berries, banana nuts and seeds!

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3 quick easy and healthy recipes with:

3 colours ✔️🍓🍑🥬

At least 2 servings fruits/veg  ✔️

Delish ✔️

Now that’s a good breakfast!

Know someone who could use a bit of stress relief?  Share this post and spread some joy! ☺️

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Disclaimer: The content in this blog is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read in this blog or on this website.

Why Bother with Gratitude?

Practicing Gratitude

Many years ago my family and I started a “daily” gratitude practice at dinner time.  We would talk about the 3 things that went well that day or that we really appreciated.  I used this practice as a tool to deal with the negativity from the challenges that I had been facing at work.  It ended up being a great practice that we have continued. 

Now, we haven’t always been together at dinner, nor in the same city for that matter and some days one of us would miss out on the conversation, but we have kept it going with the help of technology.  We now use our phones and have set up a family group chat for just these types of, what I call, “happiness practices.” Let’s face it, you can’t expect every day to be filled with joy and bliss - that’s not realistic or healthy. However, you can expect to have some degree of satisfaction and gratitude, no matter what is going on.  To feel more “happy,” which I define as a general state of wellbeing and satisfaction, we need to be active in practicing those states of being.  Just like you don’t expect to exercise once and be fit the rest of the year, “happiness practices,” whether mindfulness or gratitude or anything else that contributes to your overall wellbeing, need to be practiced regularly.

Gratitude Brings Balance to Life’s Negativity

Take the time to savour the small things.

Back to our family: Now we send each other texts, at least once a week, where we list 3 things that went well or that we really appreciated. We also add how we felt after that activity, savouring the experience a bit more.  It’s been such a positive influence on us. Even on the days that have been rough, we have often found something that we can be grateful for or something that is going well.  This points out that the day isn’t actually as bad as we thought it was. Gratitude is a way to become more mindful of the positive experiences in life, helping us to tip the balance from all the negativity our mind likes to soak up like a sponge.

Is Gratitude Really Worth It? 

I know there has been a ton of information on gratitude and gratitude journals but does this stuff really work? Even though our family has been practising this for years now, it wasn’t until this past year that I learned about all the research behind gratitude. There have actually have been many studies done on gratitude and its physical, psychological and social benefits.  Studies have shown that those who practice gratitude are physically healthier with lower blood pressure, better cholesterol profiles, fewer physical symptoms and better sleep quality. Researchers have even compared gratitude to focusing on random events in the day or the feelings of pride. They found that those that practice gratitude compared to the other two practices became happier and continued to grow happier even 5 weeks after the practice had concluded. Other research shows that people who practice gratitude are less stressed, have less depression, feel more satisfied with life and that these effects can be seen even in groups who have chronic illnesses. If you think gratitude practice will make you complaisant, think again! One study showed that college students who practiced gratitude worked harder at their goals and made 20% more progress towards achieving them.

How to Add Gratitude to Your Day

Practicing gratitude doesn’t have to be a big deal where you have to sit down and write 10 pages everyday… it should not become a chore because that defeats the purpose and is less likely to make it a habit.  In fact, a study by Dr. Lyubomirsky, a professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of California, showed that people who wrote down five items in a gratitude journal once a week felt more gratitude than those who did the practice three times a week.  The idea is just to practice.  It can be anything from thinking of what you are grateful for or feeling appreciation while standing in line at the grocery store or waiting at a traffic light. You could keep a journal and create a bedtime routine of winding down to take a few minutes to reflect on what brings you gratitude each day.  Imagine thinking of your blessings before you fall asleep. What a great way to set the intention for the next morning!  Texting your ‘gratitude’, as we have done, may be a great way to connect with family and friends.  There is even an online journalling website called thnx4.org where you can practice gratitude journalling from your phone.

Gratitude and Kids

Gratitude is a great practice to teach kids from a young age. It helps them to realize how much effort went into a gift their grandparent gave and even how much work it is to teach a class.  It allows kids to focus on the intent and not the object. When my kids were younger, we developed a ritual of each child writing thank-you notes at the end of the year to all their teachers.  For each teacher, whether they liked their teacher or not, they had to think of something they really appreciated that the teacher did that year or taught them. It has lead to some great conversations about how much effort teachers put into their work and even how teachers have influenced their growth. I know this practice has changed their interactions with teachers through high school and even university.  Research by Giacomo Bono, PhD and assistant professor at California State University, has shown that as kids get older, the focus of their gratitude changes. His research found that gratitude in kids was linked to more social integration, wellbeing and less depression even four years later. Whether they were children, middle schoolers or high school students, practicing gratitude was associated with more wellbeing, optimism, less depression, and more satisfaction with life and school.  Students who practice gratitude were also more likely to help others and contribute to their community.

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A Gratitude Film

Many years ago, I was sent the clip to this youtube video on gratitude.

If you have not seen this short film by filmmaker Louie Schwartzberg on gratitude, it’s definitely a must-see.  I turn to it often, to remind me about what matters in life, especially when I’m having a particularly rough day.  It always turns my day around. ☺️

Remember that our bodies cannot be grateful and stressed at the same time. Gratitude practice really requires little effort but can have such a positive impact on life and that is something to be grateful for- don’t you agree? 🙏🏼

Know someone who could use a bit of stress relief?  Share this post and spread some joy! ☺️

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Disclaimer: The content in this blog is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read in this blog or on this website.