Healthy eating outside the home. Recipes, ideas, reflections.
By: Elena, Sunshine, Petrova - Elena Sunshine Magazine
Tags: Elenasunshinemagazine, Food, Cooking, Recipe, Healthy

Healthy eating outside the home. Recipes, ideas, reflections.

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And the main question:

how to combine a healthy diet and a life at high speeds?

The very first thing is to realize your choices from the position of “moves forward/throws back”. The main bad news is that making healthy choices outside the home is very difficult.

What influences how we choose? There are two main factors: motivation, which works from the inside, and the environment, which works from the outside.

And if we can still work on motivation, then the environment in most cases is out of control. At home, the environment is less saturated with triggers — in addition to food, there are other ways to have fun around. If we are out of the house, the environment hits us with all the power of triggers, there is a rush, an overestimated importance of different things and anxiety about the opinions of other people, and now we find ourselves in a coffee shop with a cappuccino and a muffin.

The feelings and emotions that overwhelm us during the day are only half the story. The weather outside the window and our plans that do not converge with the fact, the thoughts caused by the events and news of the day, the sensations that we receive through our senses: the smells of food in places where we find ourselves, photos of food on social networks and in the cafe menu — all this has a direct impact on the choices that we make.

A smoothie with you or a croissant at the coffee shop? Latte or ginger tea? Burger in a cafe or warm soup from home? We make dozens of food-related choices a day. Each of these choices is significant, because it always either moves us forward to our goals or throws us back.

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But often we choose spontaneously.

That is why the person who writes in the plan of the week “monitor nutrition from Monday” (strategist) and the person who implements this decision on Monday (performer) are two different people. On sunday, we can never know that on Monday we will be late for work, quarrel with a partner or get upset because of a conversation with my mother. We can’t predict the environment, which means we can’t be sure of the choices we’ll make.

Our expectations of ourselves are very high. In our plans, we are maximalists, because we underestimate the unpredictability of life and the influence of the environment.

What to do with triggers if just the intention not to succumb to them does not help?

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To avoid rather than to fight

Be proactive. Take action in advance. On the beach, think about what situations may arise during the day, and just prepare for them. If you know you can’t get past Starbucks, you’d better go the other way. If you have a habit of snacking on tea and cookies, break the template and take a smoothie and an apple with you. If you overeat a business lunch in a cafe, and then feel sleepy-take a light but hearty meal from home and enjoy the afternoon lift.

The point is to create a healthy alternative that will protect you at the time of the trigger. Agree, it is much easier to resist temptations if you have a ready-made healthy snack in your bag, which will be a step towards a beautiful figure, and not roll back to a dull reflection in the mirror.

Where to start?

There are many more options for healthy eating out than you might think at first glance. Choose the one that causes the least resistance at the moment, that is, lies closest to your current comfort zone. Otherwise, you may simply not have enough motivation.

For example, if you are used to eating burgers with pies, you can hardly carry a green cocktail in your bag and enjoy this fact — too much must change in your head before this option will be comfortable for you. You can start by finding healthy restaurants near your work and ordering mashed soup and salad for lunch. This will be your starting effort, on which you will get the first results, and therefore the energy to move on.

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Also a good option for beginners of proper nutrition is a healthy food constructor. This is a compromise between home-cooked food and eating in a restaurant. You are brought home products in already measured dosages and all the instructions for cooking, and you just “collect” dishes in your kitchen. This approach significantly saves time on the selection and preparation of products, leaving you only the process of kitchen creativity. The disadvantage of this option is the budget.

If you set out to eat homemade food, first of all, stock up on airtight containers of different shapes. They must have flaps for snapping on the sides or a lid with a thread, otherwise you risk spilling the contents into the bag and for a long time discourage yourself from taking food from home. In general, convenient, aesthetic and reliable containers of various shapes (including very small ones) are half the success, so do not spare the time and money to buy them.

What kind of food to take to work?

Of course, the best option is to bring food with you from home.

Positive:

Healthy food with your own hands. You know the conditions under which your lunch is prepared and the ingredients used. You decide what you eat and when — from the first to the last ingredient.

An alternative to environmental triggers. The delicious menu and flavors in the restaurant will no longer tempt you to an unscheduled lasagna or tiramisu.

You can plan a family menu once a week, and you won’t have to back away from it because you’re away from home. Just take something from the menu to work.

Eating homemade food will significantly save your budget. Any business lunch will cost more than the products in your container. And you will always know exactly how much money is spent on food per week.

Food is energy. It’s also information. On a subtle level, food absorbs the States and thoughts of the cook. Therefore, it is not recommended to cook in acute stress — it is better to wait until the emotional background returns to normal. If your food is prepared by you personally, then you can also control this moment.

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Cons:

It’s not always convenient to eat out if you don’t have personal transportation.

You don’t always want to carry food with you if you have a small purse.

Not every container is suitable for hermetically packing food in it without the risk of soiling the bag.

If you are on the road for a long time, you need to stock up quite a lot of food. Especially if you have loved ones with you.

Cooking takes time.

What kind of food is convenient to take with you? First of all, these are snacks that do not require warming up, which can be prepared once for several days. For example, hummus is now fashionable.

Hummus is a middle Eastern cold appetizer similar to pate. Classic hummus is made from boiled chickpeas (Turkish peas)with the obligatory addition of sesame paste (tahini) and cumin. I love beetroot hummus, and also, of course, eggplant.

Hummus is good because it does not require heating. This is not a dry meal like snacks, and it can be easily Packed in a container. And hummus is stored for a long time (up to 3 days in the refrigerator) and goes well with almost any vegetables and bread.

What to take with hummus? Carrots and celery, cut into strips, a couple of sprigs of coriander or parsley, whole-grain bread made from chickpea, rice or Flaxseed flour. Dip them in hummus and enjoy a healthy homemade snack.

And there is also a very interesting pumpkin hummus — a sea of benefits and a real pleasure in color) If you like, then this recipe is for you.

Pumpkin hummus

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Ingredients

Pumpkin 8.82

Garlic 6 cloves

Olive oil 6 tablespoons

Dried rosemary 1 teaspoon

Chickpeas, ⅔ Cup

Cumin (cumin) 1 teaspoon

Paprika 1 teaspoon

Lemon ½ piece

Sea salt to taste

Instructions

cooking time 1 hour + 8 hours

1. Chickpeas soak overnight in water. Then rinse, cover with water, bring to a boil and cook until tender for 20–30 minutes over low heat.

2. Preheat oven to 356F degrees. Cover the baking sheet with parchment. Cut the pumpkin into small cubes and mix in a deep bowl with 2 tablespoons of oil. Put the pumpkin on a baking sheet, sprinkle with rosemary, place the unpeeled garlic cloves next to it and send it to the oven for 20–30 minutes until the pumpkin is soft.

3. Ready chickpeas are well crushed in a blender, adding a little cooled broth. When the chickpeas are mashed, add the pumpkin and garlic, peeled from the husk, to the blender, as well as spices, lemon juice and salt to taste. If necessary, and for a more creamy consistency, add a little olive oil and broth to the blender.

Cream of avocado

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Avocado is a satisfying and super-healthy product that contains a bunch of important trace elements, such as vitamins A, C, D, E, K, Riboflavin, Niacin, vitamin B6, Pantothenic acid, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus and fiber. This amazing product can be prepared from two versions of the snack outside the home: cream and gaucamole. The cream resembles the consistency of hummus, but it is made much faster, and the ingredients need less.

Ingredients

Ripe avocado 3pcs

Apple cider vinegar 3 tablespoons

Olive oil 2 tablespoons

odes 2 tablespoons

salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Cut the avocado in half lengthwise, remove the stone and scrape off the contents with a teaspoon so that only the peel remains. If the avocado is really ripe, it will not be difficult to do this.

Place the avocado in a blender and add the remaining ingredients. Grind to a creamy consistency.

This cream is very tasty on its own or with any vegetables, as a topping for a salad and a hot dish. My favorite option: quinoa with broccoli, zucchini and tomatoes, seasoned with avocado cream. You are exactly the same as hummus, you can spread the cream on gluten-free bread.

Another cool and healthy option to eat with you.

Chia bowl or Chia pudding

Chia seeds contain a significant amount of complete protein, omega-3 acids and fiber, as well as calcium, iron, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium and zinc. Chia seeds and quinoa are two South American treasures. These are whole foods that have such exceptional nutritional value that they should definitely be included in the menu.

In addition, eating a light protein in the morning you are saturated for a long time without the feeling of heaviness that porridge can give. The bonus of such a Breakfast is a reduction in cravings for sweets.

Basic Chia pudding recipe

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Vary the ingredients to your liking, but never use animal milk. Also, I do not recommend putting nuts in Chia pudding — it can turn out that much. The best option is coconut or almond milk, fresh fruit juice, witgrass, coconut water. Even with Chia, cocoa beans, coconut shavings, flax seeds (not ground, and then there will be porridge!) and other seeds, natural syrups without sugar, berries and fruits.

Tip: if you cook with yourself, collect Chia pudding directly in a glass bottle with a screw cap-it turns out practical and aesthetic.

Ingredients:

Chia seeds 3 tablespoons

Coconut milk 3.53

Coconut flakes or coconut chips 2 tablespoons

Cinnamon ⅛ teaspoon

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 Cup blueberries

Almonds 2 tablespoons

Instructions

Combine Chia seeds, coconut milk, coconut chips, cinnamon, vanilla and stevia in a small bowl or jar.

Cover and set aside for at least 10 minutes or overnight.

Sprinkle the pudding with berries and nuts.

How to take a hot meal: porridge or soup?

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In addition to cold snacks, you can take warm food with you in a thermos or thermo container. Thermos flasks with a wide neck are usually low and comfortable: such a thermos does not take up much space in the bag. You can put any warm lunch in it, but best of all-cereals and cereals. And the soup-puree can be poured into a regular half-liter thermos for tea. If you want to take a solid dish with you-quinoa cutlets, baked vegetables, soba-it is better to place it in a horizontal thermal container.

In general, a thermos with a wide throat is an indispensable thing, especially if you have children and you want them to eat properly. The microflora of the child’s body is very sensitive to certain foods and heavy combinations, so the best thing for a child is to eat homemade food made from whole seasonal products personally by you with love and care.

For example, in a thermos with a wide throat, you can steam buckwheat overnight, pouring it with boiling water. Add dried fruits — raisins, dried apricots, prunes, a little coconut or linseed oil, salt to taste. In the morning, it will save you time to prepare a meal with you.

How to eat on the plane?

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It all depends on whether the children are flying with you and how much time you have to spend on the road. I always take fruits that can be peeled and eaten without the help of a knife — bananas, tangerines, oranges.

For a child, you can make a mini-Bento by putting sliced fruits, berries and seeds in a beautiful individual lunch box. When the plane begins to distribute food, you will get a lunch box and the child will not feel deprived.

If the flight is going to be long, take with you organic granola made from whole grains with nuts and pieces of freeze-dried berries and several deep bowls, you can use disposable ones. Or even the usual dry oatmeal (not instant porridge!). It will only be necessary to ask the stewardess for boiling water. Five minutes under the lid — and the hot porridge is ready. Add pre-cut fruits and berries from a separate container.

Also on the plane you can take Chia pudding, a handful of pre-soaked and dried nuts or dried fruits.

After passing through customs control, stock up on water in the departure area for each hour of flight. The air-conditioned cabin air dehydrates faster than you can imagine. This measure will help to avoid such consequences of jetlag as headache, dry skin and gray complexion.

Definitely do not take any dry and salty snacks on the plane — chips, crackers, sweets. Such food unbalances not only the digestive tract, but also the mind, and upon arrival you may find yourself in an irritated, tired and hungry state.

Awareness and love!