How To Eat Healthy With A Busy Schedule

How To Eat Healthy With A Busy Schedule
A balanced diet supplies the fuel your body needs to work effectively. Without balanced nutrition, your body is more prone to illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer[1].  
The scientific connection between food and health is well documented, with substantial evidence showing that following a healthy diet can help to achieve and maintain good health[1]. A healthy diet is something we all deserve and can achieve, but it sometimes requires coordinated planning as we tend to be busy in today’s world. Let’s have a look at some tips and recipes that may be suitable when time is of the essence. 

TIPS:  
  1. Prepare your meals the night before or on the weekend. This makes it so much easier to eat healthy when you don’t have the time to freshly prepare something. 
  2. Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated. When dehydrated, your cognitive function will decline and your brain will not be working efficiently. Carry a reusable water bottle with you all the time and refill it often[2].  
  3. Pack your own snacks. You can pack fruits, vegetables or nuts to eat during the day and avoid having to buy plastic-packaged, unhealthy products. Snacking throughout the day can prevent overeating or eating less nutrient dense meals later[2]. 
  4. If you don’t have the time to cook yourself, conciously make healthier choices in restaurants. Try to choose dishes that contain mostly vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein. Consider adding various side dishes to create a balanced meal[2]. 

For those of you who are looking for healthy snacks and meals that you can take on the go, we got you covered. This not only guarantees a healthy nutrition but also prevents you from spending money on highly processed and plastic-wrapped, unsustainable snacks. 
 
HEALTHY SNACKS

1) Raspberry-beetroot smoothie 
Servings: 2 small glasses 

Ingredients: 
  • 1 cup of raspberries 
  • 1 banana 
  • 1 tablespoon of chia seeds 
  • ½ beetroot (fresh or pre-boiled) 
  • ½ cup of orange juice 
  • 100ml of yogurt (can be substituted with a plant yogurt) 
  • For extra protein add 1 raw egg or a tablespoon of hempseeds 
 
Mix all the ingredients in a blender and serve. 

2) Buckwheat porridge with figs, apple and cinnamon 
Ingredients: 
  • 1 dl of buckwheat groats 
  • 1 tablespoon of flaxseeds 
  • 2 dl of water 
  • 1 tablespoon of salt 
  • 2 dried figs 
  • 1/2 apple 
  • 1 dl skimmed milk or plant milk of your choice 
  • Cinnamon 
 
Put buckwheat groats, flaxseeds, water, and salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Cut the figs and 1/4 of the apple into small pieces and mix into the porridge. Let it boil for about 10 minutes. 
Place the porridge in a bowl and sprinkle with cinnamon. Cut the rest of the apple into small pieces and sprinkle over the porridge. Serve with skimmed milk or plant milk of your choice (we recommend oat milk). 

HEALTHY MAIN DISHES

1) Noodle wok with vegetables and pre-cooked chicken or tofu, 2 servings 
Time: 15 minutes 

Ingredients: 
  • 250g of frozen stir-fry vegetables 
  • 2 packs of instant noodles, 85g each 
  • 1,5 cloves of garlic, pressed 
  • 1cm of fresh ginger, grated 
  • 1 tablespoon of soy 
  • 1 tablespoon of sweet chili sauce 
  • Rapeseed oil for frying 
  • 200g of chicken/tofu, fried and diced 
 
1. Boil a pot of water. Turn off the heat and put the noodles in together with the contents of included spice bags. Let the noodles stand for 4 minutes and then strain off the water. 
2. Fry the wok vegetables together with garlic and grated ginger on high heat for 5 minutes. 
3. Put the cooked noodles together with chicken/tofu, soy and sweet chili sauce into the pan and mix well. Fry for a minute so that the chicken/tofu is warm and then serve.

2) Pasta with lentil stew and tomato sauce, 2 servings 
 
Time: 15 minutes 
 
Ingredients: 
  • 150g of pasta 
  • 420g pasta sauce basil 
  • 230g of boiled green lentils 
  • 230g of boiled black beans 
  • 60g of fresh spinach 
  • 1 yellow onion 
  • 1 clove of garlic 
  • rapeseed oil for frying 
 
1. Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the package 
2. Finely chop the onion. Heat a little oil in the bottom of a pan and fry the onion for one minute. Squeeze in a clove of garlic and add the spinach. Stir and fry for another minute. 
3. Add the pasta sauce, lentils, beans and bring to a boil. Taste with additional spices if necessary. 
4. Serve the lentil stew with freshly cooked pasta. 
Enjoy! 

Recipes: Elsa Christenson + added options


Author: Luyolo Mazomba-Karlsson, Region Västerbotten

Sources: 
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