34 FEBRUARY 2022 Plant - based Wellness Owner of YouCare- SelfCare, a private wellness practice specializing in plant- based lifestyle and disease prevention. youcare-selfcare.com BY MIRIAM HAHN E ating healthy day in and day out can be tricky, right? Not every meal has to be perfect, but to make progress with your health goals, the majority of your meals should be packed with nutrients, void of processed ingredients, and balanced with protein, fat and fiber while still being delicious. And yes, this is possible! We all have 21 meals a week to work with. What if we make 17 of those meals the healthiest they can be? Bump up the nutrition in any meal by adding fresh organic produce, reducing or eliminating animal products, adding fresh herbs or spices (turmeric, basil, oregano, thyme, dill, etc.) that contain potent antioxidants, and bringing in multiple colors of the rainbow by eating a variety of produce. One way to stay on track with healthy eating is by meal prepping. Take 15 minutes on Fridays to jot down 3-5 meals that can be made ahead for the following week. Shop for the ingredients on Saturday and then spend an hour or two on Sunday making them. To help you get started, here are three recipes – breakfast, lunch, and dinner options – that all can be made ahead of time: Time to whip those meals into shape! Instant-Pot (or stove-top) steel cut oats 1. Add the oats and water to the Instant Pot and stir. 2. Place the lid on the Instant Pot and make sure the nozzle on the lid is set to “sealing.” Select the “pressure cook” button and the time to four minutes. 3. When the cook time is done, let the Instant Pot natural-release for 20 minutes. Then carefully (using a utensil), change the nozzle from “sealing” to “venting.” Stand back in case there is any remaining pressure to release, which will come out of the top of the lid. Open the lid and stir. Ready to serve. For stove-top, follow package directions. Ingredients Directions • 2 cups steel-cut oats • 5 cups water • Fresh fruit for topping • Plant-based milk for topping Serves: 6 My number one healthy breakfast is rolled or steel-cut oats topped with fresh fruit. Oats are full of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and resistant starch, which activates the good healthy bacteria in our gut (hello, strong immunity!). Topping with fresh fruit adds antioxidants to fight disease and make us glow. Eggless “egg” salad 1. Put the drained chickpeas in a food processor or a food chopper and pulse to get a chunky texture. (Don’t fully blend to make smooth.) Mash with a fork if you don’t have a food processor. 2. Add the red onion, celery, relish, dill, Vegenaise, mustard and spices. Stir well to combine. 3. Spoon into romaine hearts or on whole-grain toast. Ingredients Directions • 2 cans garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained • ½ cup red onion, diced • 2-3 stalks celery, diced • 2 tbsp. organic sweet relish (or sub dill relish) • 2 tbsp. fresh dill, chopped • ½ cup Vegenaise • 2 tbsp. Dijon mustard • 2 tsp. black salt • 1 tsp. garlic powder or granules • 1 tsp. onion powder or granules • 1 tsp. pink Himalayan salt • ½ tsp. turmeric powder • 3-4 romaine hearts, butter lettuce or on whole grain bread Serves: 6 This “egg” salad is packed with nutrients that will keep you full until dinner and contains none of the cholesterol the typical version contains. Eat a scoop on top of a salad, serve in romaine lettuce cups or have on toasted bread. Top with sprouts or arugula for an extra burst of flavor. Tortilla soup 1. Add ¼ cup of the broth to a large soup pot and add onion, green pepper and jalapeño. Saute for five minutes. 2. Add in everything else except coconut milk, tortillas and toppings. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to simmer. Cook 30 minutes. 3. Add the tortillas and coconut milk and cook for five more minutes. Ingredients Directions • 1 yellow onion, diced • 1 green pepper, diced • 1/2-1 jalapeño pepper, diced • 2-½ cups vegetable broth • 1 15 oz. can tomato sauce • ½ cup salsa verde • 1 tbsp. tomato paste • 1 can each: black beans, pinto beans (drained) • 1 cup corn (frozen, organic) • ¾ cup red lentils (do not substitute green or brown) • 1 tsp. each: pink salt, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder • ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper • 1 cup canned coconut milk (optional) • 8 small (4.5”) corn tortillas cut into strips • Toppings: cilantro, red onion, avocado, jalapeños Serves: 6 Soups are a great thing to have for a quick lunch, dinner or snack. This one is packed with many healthy ingredients, including lentils that offer B vitamins good for brain health and mood. Top with red onion, fresh avocado and cilantro for more disease-fighting compounds. 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