This weeks edition of Hood Health 101 is going to give you some dope recipes for a healthy vegan meal!
When it comes to healthy meals most of the time the last thing that we seem to have is time. Whether you’re a busy student, a busy mom, or a busy professional getting the proper nutrition is vitally important to your overall health. The pathway to better health begins with the dedication to making a lifestyle change and not simply taking on the newest diet trend. Approaching your overall diet as a lifestyle change will ultimately produce lasting results. Below are some suggestions to start or assist with that process. I will also include a few 20 minute healthy meals to get you started.
Suggestions for better overall health:
Start doing light to moderate exercise– The key is to start being more active. You can start with something as simple as taking a walk. The hardest thing is simply getting started, but I promise everything after that first step gets easier.
Purchase a good multivitamin/multimineral– I prefer raw wholefood brands such as Garden of Life. They offer Vegan, Vegetarian, and Gluten Free options. Vitamins that utilize whole foods instead of synthetic forms of the vitamin are (in my personal opinion) better for you. Vitamins are a necessary part your diet whether you are a carnivore or a vegan. It is the only way to ensure that your body is getting all of the nutrients that it needs.
Clean out your colon– This is the biggest things that individuals forget about. Start eating the right foods that encourage you to have bowel movements. You can also take probiotics to assist you with the digestion of your food and help to maintain healthy intestines among other things. As a rule of thumb, the number of times you eat daily is the number of bowel movements that you should have.
I understand that those tips may seem simplistic on the surface, but you would not believe how many individuals do not perform them. And although they may seem elementary, they have a huge impact on your overall health. Keep in mind as I said before, every journey beings with a first step. You have to start somewhere beloveds. Listed below are a few recipes that can be put together in 20 minutes or under
Coconut Curry Chickpeas over Brown Rice:
2 teaspoons canola oil
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 (19-ounce) cans chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
2 (14.5-ounce) cans no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (13.5-ounce) can light coconut milk
2 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
6 cups hot cooked brown rice
Preparation
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add onion and garlic; sauté 5 minutes or until onion is tender. Place onion mixture, chickpeas, and next 5 ingredients (through salt) in a 3 1/2-quart electric slow cooker; stir well. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours. Stir in cilantro. Serve over rice.
Hummus-Veggie Sandwich on Whole Grain:
8 slices whole grain bread
3/4 cup hummus
1 orange, yellow, or red bell pepper, sliced
1/2 cup baby arugula
4 radishes, thinly sliced
1/3 cup clover, broccoli, or alfalfa sprouts
1 tablespoon roasted garlic-flavored olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Salt and cracked pepper to taste
Preparation
Spread bread slices evenly on 1 side with hummus. On 4 slices, layer bell pepper and arugula. On 4 remaining slices, layer radishes and sprouts. Stir together olive oil and lemon juice; drizzle over vegetables. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Combine sandwich halves.
Southern Barbeque Tofu:
Dry Rub
– 4 tsp paprika
– 1 tsp salt
– 1 tsp seasoned salt
– 2 tsp onion powder
– 2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
– cayenne pepper to taste
– 1 pkg extra firm tofu, cut into 8 slices
– 2 tbsp oil
– 1/3 cup Jack Daniels
– 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
– 1/4 cup brown sugar
– 3/4 cup ketchup
– 1/4 cup water
– 1 tsp onion powder
– 1/2 tsp garlic powder
– 1/2 tsp mustard powder
– dash of hot sauce
Preparation
1. Combine rub ingredients. Roll each tofu slice in rub until coated. Set aside.
2. Heat oil on med to med hi in a large frying pan. Fry tofu for a few minutes on each side, until nicely browned. Add more oil, if needed. Remove from pan.
3. Add Jack Daniels to pan and let reduce a bit. Add remaining ingredient and mix well. Bring to bubbling and let thicken. Add tofu and turn to coat. Serve.
As always, I recommend that you do further research and acquire additional recipes. You can find plenty on the internet for free. Take the time to prepare enough meals to last a couple of days. This will give you some additional free time from cooking but still enable you to eat healthy meals. Don’t forget to follow me on Twitter @NakeashaJ and on Instagram @Melanated_Beauty.
-Nakeasha Johnson (@NakeashaJ)
