12/13/2022
I had a fabulous day in the kitchen yesterday working with my dear framily member Karen and we both truly enjoyed whippin' up all the good stuff for you this week. I love the idea that in this life of fast-paced, going, going, faster, too much stuff, not enough time (you get the picture, I know you know it well), that you have chosen to take one HUGELY IMPORTANT item off your to-do list and pass that honor on to us! I hope that you feel some ease and joy when it comes to nourishing yourself this week!
This week's "food for thought":
I had a client ask me "how long should the food last?". This is a tough question to answer. It goes without saying that if your food looks or smells spoiled - don't eat it, but myself (and many clients) have eaten even the meat meals at least a week later and it was just as delicious and not spoiled in the least! However, this is unofficial advice. If you want to ask a "professional", Google says 3-4 days when it comes to eating a meal such as a turkey burger. So if you are unsure, I would go with that ;-)
This all said, most of my meals are plant-based in which case they can last quite a while! However, I would always start with salads or meat-based meals as they would be best eaten as fresh as possible!
Try making a delicious grilled cheese or just yummy toasted sourdough and sharing your tomato soup with a friend on one of these chilly, December days. Warm your heart and soul right up!
The lentil bolognese is best heated up on the stovetop. I always like to add a dash of water to my leftovers to keep moisture in! I ended up using quinoa and lentil spaghetti (not corn), plus all the veg in the sauce - this meal is one plant-based meal that will leave you feeling full for hours. Depending on your appetite, you could probably split this one in two. Maybe make a side salad and share with a coworker?
You know I love to put whatever I can in between two buns, but you certainly don't need buns to enjoy this turkey burger! I would heat this up covered in the oven/toaster oven (or fry on the stove) and then either add all the fixins to your buns or make a burger salad out of it! My favorite add-ons: avocado, pickles, kraut, kimchi, grated carrots, greens, or any other pickled veg. The spicy mayo is the perfect match for this meat!
Weekly Fun Food Fact
Did you know that microwaving your meal literally kills a good portion of the nutritional content in your food? So listen, if you are in an office and that is your only way of heating your meal - of course, go for it! But if you have the option, and the patience, go ahead and use that oven, stove, or toaster oven to reheat your meals to keep the best flavor and nutrition!
If you've been following me for a hot minute, you already know I am a huge fan of "eating the rainbow". And yes, we eat with our eyes first so a colorful salad like this week's "it takes two to mango" is surely attractive, but the truth is that there is importance behind each color of the rainbow.
Yellow and orange foods are huge hits of Vitamin A and vitamin C, amongst many others. Both of these are imperative for a working immune system and the benefits of Vitamin A are hugely understated in my opinion. But that doesn't mean I want you to go out and start choking down Vitamin A capsules. Just go ahead and add in some yellow or orange plants.
Red fruits and veg also offer Vitamin C hits, not to mention tons of antioxidants.
Green - you know that eating your greens is important, but did you know that eating Kale with a little bit of lemon juice is a great source of iron? Or that eating green banana before it turns yellow offers different support than when it ripens? Green bananas have less resistant starch and sugar content, but are harder on digestion.
Blue - eat a handful of blueberries every. single. day. End speech.
Purple - purple plants contain anthocyanidins which protect cells from damage, improve memory function, and promote healthy aging!
Try this:
Try eating a rainbow with each meal (or at least throughout the day!). Have littles in your life? This is such a fun way to educate and motivate them to add some variety to their diets too. Go to the store together and everyone gets to choose a fruit or veg of a certain color and then go home and explore that plant together!
Try these recipes for some colorful inspiration! Take a pic and tag me so I can share the joy!
As always, huge thanks for ordering food from me each week. I know when it comes to food we have tons of choices, so I truly appreciate you choosing TWSF this week! Happy Holidays!
XXX