The Blog Roll

Less is More

This post is revelatory for me for a few reasons. A: It has been a long time since I have posted something because too often I think I need a lot of complex information to share with you and 2. The phrase "Less is More" is applicable in SO many aspects of our lives, but I have not thought about it as an important part of our health and diet, until now.

Just recently my husband Sam finished his residency fellowship and now spends everyday working very hard to take the next steps in his career. Just before his fellowship ended, I started to really concentrate on our food supply, and simplifying our meals so they were healthy, but simple. It is still a process, but it was an eye opener to me just how complicated and complex I have been making our meals, thinking that the more I offer, the better it will be. Well, I am now changing my tune and jumping on the KISS bandwagon: Keep it Simple, Seriously. :-)

I don't know if you are asking yourselves how, when you struggle to add vegetables and fruits in the first place, but the key is to simplify. It is a challenge for me, in a lot of things, to simplify my life- cutting down on playdates and trips to the grocery store, activities for the kids, or projects that I decide to take on- sometimes, honestly, we end up doing too much for others, and not enough for our families, and ourselves. Seriously, think about it. How many times do you schedule something and realize you don't have any time in between to EAT, let alone sit and enjoy your meal, or a book, or a run or time with your kids? That is something that has really affected my health, and I now intend to give myself more time to accomplish those important, and enjoyable things you NEED to do, that will in turn help you to better take care of those you love. It's like what interior decorators do; they don't usually add to a busy room to make it beautiful- they simplify it, and bring out the strengths it already possesses.
So, this is what I suggest, because this is what I am noticing: Prices of healthy foods are increasing, saving money seems more and more difficult, and we are all guilty of buying the chips and the crackers or the cereal OR THE CANDY or the hamburger helper because it's cheaper than it's healthy counterparts (yes, guilty is the correct term- there is nothing redeeming about this just because it's cheap!)
Take a look at the food in your pantry. How much money do you think you could actually save if you SIMPLY scratched the cookies from your shopping list, and replaced it with a pound of apples, or bananas? This isn't the only simplifying I have discovered. How many dishes do you make for dinner? I have a hard time with this one, since I KNOW that too often my children, and especially my husband, do not get much in the way of fresh fruits and vegetables during the day, so I feel like I need to make up for it at dinner. What if I made some simple changes and offered more of those things during the day, and cut out so much complication at dinner so we can all enjoy EVERYTHING? What if we actually ENJOYED the preparation AND the meal? I am loving this thrilling call to bring us closer to a WHOLE FOOD, PLANT-BASED diet, on a very humble budget. We have returned to BLT's for dinner, with hummus and carrots, or apples and almonds as a snack. We love slow-cooked salsa chicken for dinner as tacos or taco salads. And the fresh vegetables are SO CHEAP when I take the time to go to the farmer's market!
I think you know what I am getting at. And if you don't, just ask. You KNOW I am happy to talk about these things. Besides, I also KNOW I can learn from you- so would you please share with me the things you do to serve healthy and simple meals?
Knowing what you know- can you go back? What are you going to do to simplify your life, and enjoy eating less because you are eating more-more natural, more whole. Ahh, it feels good to be back.

Comments

  1. Amy, I've missed you and your wealth of nutritional knowledge! I love your thoughts on simplifying. I've heard a few moms of young children say that their children welcome more simplified meals--say, steamed potatoes with butter--rather than a gourmet variation with tons of fancy flavor. Simple works for me and can still taste SO good!

    I found a new blog I think you'll appreciate. It's called wordofwisdomliving.com

    Let me know what you think! And I hope to see more of your wonderful posts soon!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular Posts