I’ve burnt chocolate in a microwave, set a tea towel on fire and eaten uncooked pasta. Thank goodness my teenage cooking skills have improved. But truthfully, as much as I love the idea of spending an evening cooing over the stove, I also like the concept of lazy girl healthy eating; easy meals without hassle.
Don’t meal prep, just organise
Meal prep works for some – my attempts left me with bland meals by day 3. I want my food to have variety, freshness and adaptability. Because sporadic food cravings are real.
If you can relate, skip the prep and just keep your cupboards organised. Healthline suggests arranging spices to keep the daily ones together. I put my baking products in a box (maple syrup, vanilla essence, baking soda), nuts and seeds combined, and keep sauces and oils to one section. Flimsy packet food can retain freshness in containers with lids, sticking the best before dates on labels.
Publication Resource reported on a study by a waste food app which found “34 percent of prepped meals are binned”. Managing to create the most meals in the least amount of time has become an Instagram fitness sport. Decide whether it’s sustainable for you before starting the trend.
Lazy girl healthy eating = Use less utensils
Stews, stir-fry, curries – all these dishes offer less cleaning and time spent in the kitchen. When you’re feeling tired, chop some onion and garlic in a pan with olive oil, add in some veg, pour in either coconut milk or chopped tomatoes, add a splash of water, spices and curry paste, and you have a delicious, healthy meal.
If you can dedicate 10 minutes to chopping veg, you’ll be able to whip together several dinners. To avoid buying sugary sauces, invest in some different pastes and curry mixes that you can add to tomatoes or coconut milk. Additionally, stock up on tinned lentils and beans which you can add to one-pot meals. Pastes can also be used with water in a stir-fry.
If you’re feeling super lazy (not in the mood to cook), simply use your good old-fashioned oven. With your protein choice (chicken, fish, vegan meat), add some vegetables to your oven dish with olive oil and seasoning, followed by setting a timer. (Veg usually takes 20 minutes to roast, but oven settings can vary). When everything is roasted and crisp, you can make some instant gravy for extra flavour. Try to find recipes that let you cook vegetables in the same way. It’s a hassle to roast carrots, boil broccoli and fry asparagus in one evening.
Look for healthier options
Rather than a baked potato, why not a sweet potato? In replacement of a chocolate bar, an apple with peanut butter. Where possible, think about the quick food you eat and whether you can make slight adjustments to increase nutritional value. For instance, homemade popcorn (you can buy the kernels in supermarkets) contain less calories than a bag of crisps. Hummus, Marmite, nut butters and avocados are healthier toast toppings than jam and Nutella.
Sugary cereals can swap to porridge with fruit and a protein shake can replace chocolate milk, squash or fizzy drinks. These tiny changes can lead to huge steps in your energy levels and how well you feel.
Don’t forget the small details
Chia seeds over porridge, pumpkin seeds across a salad; chopped walnuts in banana bread. Whenever you’re making something, consider if the food can accompany some seeds or more healthy produce. A salad for instance – spinach and lettuce could be included to your weekly meals.
If you are indulging, try to make sure your plate has a good amount of vegetables and are not sectioned to a small area.
Lazy girl healthy eating = desserts
Healthy eating doesn’t have to be boring. If you have a blender, mix together banana, dates, cacao/cocoa powder, chocolate protein shake, cinnamon and oat milk. It’s a homemade chocolate drink without actual chocolate. smoothie. For added health benefits, you can add chia seeds or powder like maca.
Frozen desserts are perfect for lazy girl healthy eating. I took this fudge recipe from One Green Planet and presented it as a cake. A tasty treat with 5 ingredients and no baking. As a word of warning, raw desserts don’t look the most appetising until they’re taken out of their tin and ready to serve.
I recommend keeping dates in your cupboard. When you have a strong sugar rush, a couple of dates can be the cure.
There’s so many Healthy Indulgences available. From buying a pizza base and make your own less calorific topping to stuffing large mushrooms with tomato puree and cheese.
Lazy girl healthy eating = overall tips
Being healthy isn’t about never treating yourself or always eating a salad. As fast food is extremely convenient and ready within minutes, we often assume healthy food requires lots of cooking and expensive ingredients. And that’s just not the case. Search for healthier recipes to your favourite meals, add healthy ingredients to whatever you’re eating, and don’t underestimate the enjoying of eating roasted veg, drizzled in oils and herbs or honey and syrup.
My overall tip is to experiment, practice and slowly add substitutions to what you’re already doing. What are your tips for fast healthy eating?
In the last few months, I worked on losing the fat on my body, and now that I have been pretty successful, I am working on toning up a little bit and getting the figure I ultimately want. I love your organizational tips for your seasonings! Right now I’m still living with my parents and we have so many seasonings, it’s a little ridiculous. I know I will have much less when I live on my own. Great post xxx
Melina | http://www.melinaelisa.com
That’s great! My mum is exactly the same with seasoning. I use about 5 on a daily basis and only switch if specific recipe suggests something else. Thank you Melina for reading xx