The key to a plant based diet is preparation. It does take a little bit more time & research but as for the time & research we put into menial things, our bodies are so worth it. So we can start together today talking about how I have made these little adjustments to help me ease into the process. This all started with a Thrive Order. I took the time to order all the things I have not added to my orders in the past. It was a new Thrive Adventure for sure!

 

I took the time to dig in deep in some homework & put myself to the test by adding things into my diet regularly that I never really ate. Example Beans. Yup, beans. Growing up, the only beans I knew were baked beans with hot dogs. That is about the extent of my knowledge. So when looking into other places to get more iron, fiber and protein. I turned to learning about beans.

 

The key with beans is preparation. To avoid having beans be the musical fruit that makes you toot, simple, soak them in water over night in the fridge. In the am I wash them & put them in my new Quick Pot. (recommended by Bob Harris) This pot makes beans perfect & many other things I may add, but back to the beans. After the beans are cooked, I take them out, rinse them again in a strainer & put the band in individual glass containers. Now, here is my new little hack. I take the beans & I just fill  a glass container, put the lid on and pop it in the fridge. The hack is that I fill the beans just enough that when I want to make a bowl, I pull out that lass container & use it as my salad bowl as I add in all of the other ingredients I add. It is so quick, filling & packed with goodness. I have found that little hack brings me such a nice hearty instant meal, remember I keep veggies cut & ready at all times, so you can imagine how easy this is to whip up. (BTW: Whip Up is a family thing, when I was a kid if I said to my grandmother I was hungry, she would, in the sweetest voice say “Let me go into the kitchen & see what I can whip up for you!” I knew right away I was getting something good, she was a great cook & made the best sandwiches in the world!)

Now, dinner. This is where I felt a bit challenged. Dinner is when I would grill a piece of fist, make some ground turkey & veggies etc. So I felt a little concerned about my level of dinner satisfaction. My first dinner adventure was something I found on Thrive.

 

Oh, this was so easy to make & so tasty. I grilled up some garlic, fresh tomatoes, kale & after I cooked this pasta for a fast 5 minutes, I put it in the pan with the veggies. It was tasty, I was full & I felt great. Here is the side of the box for you to read.

I am realizing how much more nutrients I am getting every bite I take. I have also decided to connect all of this with facts. So each time I eat something new, I look it up online and read all I can about the benefits I am getting, different tips for preparation & meal plans. Learning while I am eating is really connecting the dots for me. The time I am putting in has a real purpose just like the food I put in having a great purpose as well.

I will keep these coming, for anyone that is curious about a plant based protein diet, or just wants to open up to trying some different items with me.