18 Oct Health is home made
Home made: Meal prep when you don’t have time
Cooking for oneself is the greatest act of self-love. When you take the time to prepare nourishing meals for yourself, you will start shying away from self-sabotaging habits and relationships. How we relate to ourselves and how we eat is intimately interconnected.
How to begin?
Ditch the recipes
This may sound counter-intuitive but sticking to recipes, especially if they’re written by foreign chefs, always turns into a “treasure-hunt,” as they always demand for hard-to-find imported ingredients.
Cook intuitively
Play with local, in-season produce in the Farmer’s Market (Palengke) instead. Seasonal harvests are more affordable and are at the peak of their flavor which means you need not add a lot of ingredients or do too much when you cook with them. Unleash your inner Chef and get inspiration from Instagram, Google search, Pinterest and You Tube on how to make the most of the season’s bounty to make fuss-free delicious recipes.
Stock-up on these pantry essentials:
Beans; Monggo, Lima, Kidney
Grains: Brown rice, Adlai, Quinoa. Millet
Pasta; Penne, Spaghetti
Shiratake noodles
Nori
Extra-virgin olive oil
Culinary Coconut Oil
Butter
Sesame oil
Soy sauce; Tamari, Coconut Aminos
Vinegar; Coconut, Cane, White wine, Rice wine
Honey
Nuts: Cashew, Pili, Peanuts
Torilla wraps
Pickled vegetables
Spices and Aromatics
Sea Salt
Whole Pepper
Coconut or Muscovado Sugar
Dried Chilli / Chilli flakes
Curry Powder
Cumin
Get fresh always:
Garlic, Onions, Tomatoes, Ginger, Turmeric
Herbs: (Buy sparingly, use immediately. Choose only 1-3 kinds a week)
Must have: Cilantro, Bay Leaf, Leeks
Optional: Rosemary, Thyme, Basil, Kaffir Lime
Tip: You can easily whip-up a flavorful wholesome meal with your Farmer’s market finds and just five added ingredients or less of your pantry essentials.
Invest on Kitchen tools: You don’t need a lot, just key good ones.
Cast Iron Pan: For sauteing, roasting and even baking.
Steel Pot: For broths, soups, beans and grains.
Chefs Knife: For chopping and cutting
Paring knife: For peeling
Wooden chopping board
Mortar and Pestle
Strainer: For rinsing noodles, Pasta and Salad greens. Can double as a steamer.
Small whisk: For dressings and sauces
Portion guideline
Fist-sized choice of protein, a cup of whole grains and a generous serving of vegetables on your plate every meal. Flavor with a handful of healthy fats.
Pre-prep Hacks:
Pre-cook a week’s worth grains and beans.
Sautee greens in garlic for easy topping on fried rice, omelets, pastas or wrap in tortilla.
A big batch of pasta sauce is also great on toast, as a dip and even as the base of a stew.
Freeze over-ripe fruits to turn into smoothies.
Make use of leftover vegetables by boiling yourself a stock.
Full article at SUN LIFE GO WELL :
https://www.gowell.com.ph/2018/10/01/health-is-homemade-meal-prep-hacks/
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