Hey folks! Though it has been a great week full of lots of training sessions, I'm happy it is coming to a close so I can finally catch my breath! I know I missed out on joining a few really fun contests this week, but I'm happy to jump back on my girl @heart-to-heart's #veganwednesday for this coming week. I have not seen the latest post up yet, but you can check here for last week's update if you want to check it out! I'll be sure to resteem the latest when my darling friend posts it!
If you have seen any of my recent food posts, you know I am in a part of the world (like many of you) that is still hanging on to the last little bit of winter. That means I am impatiently waiting for the abundance of spring at the farmers market and our garden! There are always some things you can get fresh that are either grown in greenhouses or shipped up from Florida or Mexico, or the few bits of produce that store well like squash and potatoes. However, I generally do rely on some frozen fruits and vegetables this time of year to make sure I am getting a good variety of nutrients in my daily diet.
As I have mentioned before, frozen can actually be a really great option during the winter and early spring months. You need to make sure you are only picking items that have no sauces or preservatives added, but most of the produce is flash-frozen so it retains much of it's original nutritional value. When you buy fresh produce that has been shipped from far away, a lot of the nutrients start to degrade the longer it has been since it was harvested. If you are really on top of things like many of the bada$$ homesteaders and gardeners I see on here, then you might even have some things you preserved yourself--even better!
Two things I pretty much always keep in my freezer are organic corn and edamame. They are great staples that round out quite a number of different meals, and they also cook really fast for a last-minute option! Both can also be of the GMO variety, so do make sure to get organic if you can. Though people worry about GMO soy, I actually hardly ever see it for human consumption (unless it is processed as soy protein isolate or soy lecithin). Most of the modified soy in the United States is actually fed to animals, so you have a higher likelihood of consuming it as a meat-eater. However, if you have a sensitivity to soy you would still need to avoid edamame regardless of it's origin. Luckily, I feel fantastic using edamame as a whole food, plant based form of protein, fat and fiber in my diet.
The past few weeks I have needed either an easy meal to finish out the week before I re-stock on my groceries, or at the beginning of this week I was very limited on my meal prep time. These two gems in my freezer came in quite handy in both situations! I go through phases where I am all about a certain foods, and the corn/edamame combo just seems to hit the spot right now. The are definitely helping fuel all of my running at the moment. :)
Here are my three slightly different meals that I made with them over the past few weeks:
Skillet Quinoa & Veggies
This was actually my dinner before the half marathon the following morning. I had a few baby bell peppers left, so I tossed those into a skillet with some garlic, my frozen veggies, pre-cooked quinoa/brown rice and finished off with chopped kale. I drizzled a little rice wine vinegar and a tiny squirt of hot sauce for flavor. I like light, but still filling meals packed with nutrients for the night before a race.
Rainbow Salad
A few weeks ago I had a little bit of cabbage slaw left, so I just mixed that in with the corn, edamame, a few olives and some leafy greens underneath. Doesn't get much easier than that, but if was a great light meal to help me get through my Friday.
Sweet Potato Salad
Keeping with the theme, the only thing I had to really prepare for this salad was chopping up and roasting a few small sweet potatoes. I already had my chickpeas cooked from my freezer stash, tossed in the frozen corn and edamame, chopped up some fresh bell pepper, and added some dried cranberries for a little pop of tart and sweet. I left the salad naked and just drizzled on a different balsamic vinegar each day to slightly change up the flavor. I think my favorite was the cherry dark balsamic. :)
I hope you guys enjoyed seeing how quick and easy healthy vegan meals can be! Even with using some of the same ingredients, it is also quite simple to add variety and keep from getting bored. A well-stocked kitchen assures good health is only a few chops of the knife or a stir in the bowl away. Happy eating!
