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You Don’t Have To Give Up Anything In Order To Be Healthy

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It’s important for you to understand that you do not have to give anything up in order to be healthy. This is where so many people go wrong because they start trying to cut out the things in life that they like. The problem with this is that it’s not sustainable, and it leads to people feeling as though they have failed when they eat a candy bar. This is not the way forward, and down below we’re going to be looking at some further information on this. Keep reading if you would like to find out more.

healthy strawberries

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Everything In Moderation

First, you should ensure that you are having everything in moderation. Too much of anything can make you sick, and that’s why you have to be cautious going forward. You don’t want to end up as one of these people who is stuck in a cycle of trying to be nothing short of a health God, only to find yourself binging and collapsing a couple of weeks later. You need to enjoy the things that you like, take days off every now and then, and give yourself a break. Moderation is the key to life, so you want to make sure that you are balancing things out as and when you need to.

You Still Have Free Time

A lot of people think that leading a healthier lifestyle is going to take up so much of their time that they are no longer going to have any for the things that they enjoy. They might think that they are going to need to spend so much time meal prepping, exercising and whatever else, and they won’t be able to do things they enjoy like hanging out with their friends. But, this isn’t true. You can save time on meal preps by doing as many as you can, and checking out my favorite crockpot recipes that you don’t have to stress about. As for exercise, you can make this fun and you can do it with your friends!

See It As An Opportunity For Your Future

The last thing that we’re going to say is that you should see this as an opportunity for your future. Instead of seeing the changes in your life as a burden or a negative thing, you could try seeing them as positives. They are stepping stones for your future and that’s exactly what you need. If you have a more optimistic outlook on life and the future of your health, then you’re going to find it much easier to make these changes, and stick to them going forward.

We hope that you have found this article helpful, and now see some of the things that you need to know about being healthier going forward. You don’t need to give up some of the things that you love just so that you can live a healthier life, because you don’t need to give up anything at all entirely. We wish you the very best of luck, and hope that you manage going forward. 

Get More Fruit and Veg Into Your Diet

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It’s pretty normal for children to be picky about vegetables. But when you’re an adult, you don’t necessarily want to feel like your diet is limited by a dislike of fruits and veggies. If you feel like you don’t get enough fruit and veg, it could also be because you’ve simply fallen into a pattern of not using them in your meals. The occasional meal with no vegetables isn’t a big deal, but if you’re rarely eating them, it’s likely your diet isn’t very balanced or complete. Luckily, there are things you can do if you want to get more fruit and veg in your diet.

Fruit

Image by Dominik & Frederike Schneider from Pixabay

Count Fruit as Dessert

Looking forward to your dessert at the end of a meal can be a good motivation to eat a main course that might not be that interesting. But dessert doesn’t have to be cake or something else that’s filled with sugar. Fruit can make a great dessert, or it can be included in your dessert as an ingredient. If you want to learn how to make ice cream strawberry flavored, click here for a recipe. A piece of fruit on its own can be tasty, but there are also plenty of things you can do with fruit if you want to make a more interesting dessert.

Eat Vegetables as Snacks

Snacking throughout the day can keep you going between meals. Some people even snack all day or have small meals instead of three big ones. However, many snacks can be less healthy than ideal. If you want to eat healthier snacks, both fruits and vegetables make good snacks. But fruit can be high in sugar, which means vegetables are often the better choice. They can be made more interesting with a healthy dip or combined with things like peanut butter or some seasoning to add flavor.

Image by Michal Jarmoluk from Pixabay

Try Out New Things

When was the last time you tried a new fruit or vegetable? We tend to stick to what we know, especially when it comes to preparing different ingredients. However, trying something new can open up a new world and allow you to explore lots of different recipes and cuisines. Next time you shop for groceries, consider getting something that you’ve never eaten before or never cooked with before. You’re sure to find plenty of ways to use it, whether it’s something you want to cook with or try raw.

Have Smoothies and Juices

Smoothies and juices are excellent for getting more fruit and veggies into your diet. You can put so many different things in them, from strawberries to spinach. You can make sweet drinks or go for a more savoury flavor profile, depending on what you prefer. They can be good for your breakfast in the morning, or they can make excellent pre- or post-workout fuel to give you the energy and hydration that you need. You can try out so many different flavors.

Getting more fruits and vegetables into your diet can help you be healthier and give you more energy too.

How to Cook Healthy Meals When You’re Short on Time

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Cooking healthy meals can be a challenge, especially when you’re short on time. It’s easy to resort to fast food or processed meals when you’re busy, but these options are often high in calories, sugar, and unhealthy fats. However, it is possible to cook healthy meals even when you’re short on time. Here are some tips to help you get started.

Plan ahead

One of the biggest time-savers when it comes to healthy cooking is planning ahead. Take some time on the weekend to plan out your meals for the week, make a shopping list, and prep ingredients in advance. This can save you a lot of time during the week, as you won’t have to spend as much time chopping vegetables, cooking grains, or portioning out protein sources. Planning ahead can also help you stay organized and ensure that you have all the ingredients you need to make healthy meals.

Keep a well-stocked pantry

Having a well-stocked pantry can be a lifesaver when you’re short on time. Keep a variety of healthy staples on hand, such as whole grains (such as quinoa and brown rice), canned beans, canned tomatoes, frozen vegetables, and nuts and seeds. These ingredients can be used to create a variety of healthy meals in a pinch. For example, you can make a quick grain bowl by combining cooked grains with canned beans, frozen vegetables, and a homemade dressing. Or, you can create a healthy soup by simmering canned tomatoes and beans with frozen vegetables and spices.

meals

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Use your slow cooker

Slow cookers are a great way to cook healthy meals when you’re short on time. Simply add ingredients to the slow cooker in the morning, and you’ll have a healthy and delicious meal ready for dinner. Slow cookers are great for making soups, stews, and braises, which are all perfect for busy weeknights. Slow cookers are also a great way to cook tough, inexpensive cuts of meat, as the long cooking time helps to tenderize the meat and make it more flavorful. This guide on how to cook white chicken chili in an instant pot is a good example of what you can do with a slow cooker.

Use convenience items

While it’s always best to cook from scratch, there are some convenience items that can help you save time without sacrificing nutrition. For example, pre-cut vegetables and fruit, rotisserie chicken, and canned tuna can all be used to create quick and healthy meals. Just be sure to read the labels and choose options that are lower in sodium and added sugars. Pre-cut vegetables, for instance, can be added to stir-fries, omelets, or grain bowls to add nutrition and flavour without requiring any prep time.

Try one-pot meals

One-pot meals are a great option when you’re short on time, as they require minimal prep and clean-up. Some examples include chili, soup, and pasta dishes. These meals can be made in advance and easily reheated for a quick and healthy dinner. One-pot meals are also a great way to use up any leftover ingredients you have in the fridge, as you can throw them all into the pot and create a delicious and nutritious meal.

Ingredients Everyone Should Have In Their Kitchen

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Image by Matej Madar from Pixabay

Are you busy rolling your hours between your job, school, and family? Then trust me you need this list that can ease out your daily meal preparation? Below mentioned are the most essential ingredients that can easily lift your regular cooking game.

Eggs

Eggs can be a go-to snack – whether boiled, omelette, fried, or scrambled. It’s always good to choose eggs for your little hunger pains. They also meet-up your protein requirements, which makes them a perfect option for Breakfast. Our family loves deviled eggs.

Good Quality Bread

Bread is such a staple that we always have it in our kitchen. Good quality bread can be a base ingredient for many meals, be it a sandwich, bread with an omelette, bread and butter, garlic bread, a bread pizza, and a whole lot more.

Canned Beans

Apart from having a good shelf life, canned beans can also be added to many dishes for some extra protein and flavour. Canned beans can add substance to your tacos, pasta, and salads.

Image by Steve Buissinne from Pixabay

Honey

Honey is one of the best natural sweeteners, and adding it to your diet can result in amazing health benefits. Add it to your tea, use it has a dip for pretzels, or use it in glazes for meat or poultry.

Dried Pasta

Families with kids will know what a saviour pasta can be. When your little ones demand some quick snacking, all you need to do is boil some pasta, and when ready, add some tomato sauce. The pasta is then ready for them to devour. For a health kick, add in some vegetables to the sauce.

Tortillas

These thin, crispy bites are an amazing go-to snack. You can pair them with some cheesy dip or some marinara sauce and enjoy a quick meal.

With some handy tortillas, you can prepare some quick tacos. All you need is some ground beef, salsa, lettuce, and grated cheese, and your fulfilling wholesome meal is ready.

The best part about tortillas is that they can be stored for 3-4 weeks if you pack them up properly in an airtight Xiplock bag.

Cheddar or Parmesan Cheese

Cheese is a must ingredient in our kitchen. Whether it’s bread or pasta, pizza or salads, cheese can add an abundance of taste to almost all meals.

We all know cheese for its amazing and mushy taste, but little do you know, it’s a great source of Vitamin D as well.

Image by iSAW Company from Pixabay

Salsa or Hot Sauce

Are you someone who loves spicy flavour in your food? Then stocking up on some salsa and hot chilli sauces should be on your list. You can add them to season up your pasta, sandwiches, or add it to your tacos or nachos. And the best part – these store-bought sauces can last for months in your kitchen.

Rolled Oats

Are you planning on having a healthy and nutritious start to your day? Then what’s better than some nutrition-packed rolled oats. Oats are a great source of antioxidants – natural fibres that maintain a healthy gut, and keep your muscles healthy.

Manganese, phosphorus, magnesium, copper, iron, zinc, folate, vitamin B1 (thiamin), vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid), calcium, potassium, vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), and vitamin B3 (niacin).

With all of that, rolled oats is one of the most nutrient-dense foods you can consume.

Spices

Garnishing your meal with spices can immediately make it flavourful and amazing. Spices also have a longer shelf life and are easy to store, so it’s a great idea to stock up some common ones like black pepper, oregano, garlic powder, salt, cinnamon powder, rosemary, thyme, paprika, and chilli flakes. Craig and I love to use different spices when we cook to enhance the flavour of our dishes.

Baking Essentials that every baker needs

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There are a hundred and one things that might all be used when you’re baking, and we’d count each of them as essentials. However, there are some things that are more essential than others and are often overlooked in the kitchen.

In this article, we’re focussing on some of those overlooked essentials, as well as making sure that we’ve picked out products that can truly boost your baking to the next level!


Image by Pascal Bondis 💙💛 💙💛💙💛 from Pixabay

Instant-Read Thermometer

An instant-read thermometer might seem like a flashy gadget to have in a home kitchen, but it’s incredibly helpful for any number of things.
The first use that comes to mind is when making fudge or candy. Sugar reaches different stages at different temperatures when you’re heating it, so if you’re aiming for the soft-ball stage, you need to be within a certain temperature bracket. That’s where an instant-read thermometer comes in handy!

The other use that is handy is when making your own bread. Bread is cooked all the way through when you can take its internal temperature at 96˚C/205˚F. When making your own bread, it can be tricky to know when you’re at that point, and tapping the base of the loaf is an unreliable predictor. Instead, we would suggest investing in an instant-read thermometer for perfect bread every time.

 


Image by 为 肖 from Pixabay

 

Digital Scale

A digital scale is a game-changer in the kitchen! You won’t have to worry about perfectly using measuring cups ever again, instead of being able to perfectly measure the amount of each ingredient as you add them to your mixing bowl.
This is a really great way to enhance your recipes for more finicky things, such as meringues since they require very precise ratios of different ingredients to correctly bake and rise in the oven.

A digital scale can also help you to get rid of measurement errors with old measuring jugs. If the measuring lines of a jug have worn off, it becomes quite useless. On the other hand, a digital scale will always be able to tell you the exact number of mL of a liquid in a container. How handy!

 


Image by congerdesign from Pixabay

Whisk

Okay, this might sound a little obvious – of course, you need a whisk! However, you’d be surprised how often there’s hesitation to buy a good whisk. Make sure to get one that’s comfortable in your hand and quite lightweight – your wrists will thank you later!
We’d recommend getting one that’s completely made from stainless steel. That way, you can throw the whole thing in the dishwasher after you’re done with it! It’s really handy, and we love it.

Now, these three essentials might not sound too groundbreaking, but we’re completely sure that if you’re missing one of them, picking it up will mean you can see a huge improvement in your bakes in no time at all. Even if you just start with one, it’s a huge help!

So, without further ado, make sure to pick up the essentials we’ve pointed out here – you’ll love them!