Hello lovely readers! A few weeks ago I did an Instagram poll for what my next post should be about, and overwhelmingly, readers wanted a post about nutrition. I have been meaning to write a post like this for a while now, especially because nutrition is one part of my health that I have experienced so much growth in during this past cross country season.
I put energy into listening to my body and how different foods made me feel throughout the day, and I also focused on making sure I got enough vitamins and iron through my diet and a few supplements. I did a post a few months back where I talked extensively about glycemic index, which is a concept I still appreciate and factor in when making dietary choices. However, I am not as strict as I was during the summer, since I have a more intuitive handle on my personal nutritional needs. Reading and working through books including Run Fast, Cook Fast, Eat Slow, and Deena Kastors memoir Let Your Mind Run, has also inspired me to dive into cooking as a mindful practice. Overall, I would say that my personal philosophy on nutrition hasnt changed much since the last post I did about nutrition. One thing that has changed for me, however, is how I understand nutrition in the context of my community and the greater world around me.
I believe nutrition should be a privilege of knowledge, not a privilege of wealth. My college is located in a food desert, which basically means that our surrounding area is nearly void of traditional grocery stores with produce. What this means is that many people, either due to income or lack of transportation, cannot get to stores that sell fresh fruits, vegetables, and meat. We have an Aldis about 2 miles away, and Whole Foods within a mile (but thats definitely a luxury option!). Most people in the neighborhood end up getting groceries from convenience stores, which can lead to diets void of fresh produce and high in processed ingredients. Clashing with this is my university, which brings in comparatively wealthy students, who have enough money to purchase things like nutrition bars, protein powders, luxury vitamins, and even subscriptions like Hello Fresh.
Faced with this juxtaposition between the reality of food in America and the luxuries propagated by the fitness and nutrition industry (trust me, its a booming business), I feel that recently I have been humbled into the realization that good nutrition shouldnt have to be about a $40 powder from the supplement section at Whole Foods. While I do find nutrition products and meal subscriptions fascinating, and I am privileged to have some unconventional items in my pantry, such as nut flours and seeds, recently I have been feeling that nutrition is really about spending mindful time in the kitchen, and starting from scratch. Meal prepping is so much fun for me and has allowed me to gain culinary skills via trial and error. And sometimes, cooking a meal for myself on a slow morning or a night in is truly the best form of self-care. After all, a fresh, steaming bowl of from-scratch oatmeal beats drinkable, packaged oats any day, right? All Im really trying to say is, the nutrition and fitness industry has all of us in its pocket, and its our job, through education, to realize that we dont need to spend exorbitant amounts of money on processed foods in order to be healthy. Produce is expensive enough!
So, with that being said, enjoy a couple original recipes I worked up in the kitchen this week, and maybe take some time to try them out or do some improvising of your own!
Coconut flour maca biscuits
- 1/2 cup coconut flour
- 4 whole eggs
- 3 tbsp. melted butter
- 1 tsp. sugar
- 1 tbsp maca powder
Female runners in particular are notorious for not getting enough fat in their diets, which can lead to hormone imbalances. This recipe combines the good fats in coconut flour with the adaptogen maca powder, which is homeopathically said to have adaptogenic effects in helping your body respond to stress and balance hormones. Try it out! Coconut flour has an interesting texture, so these dont act like traditional biscuits, but they have a great coconut-y and buttery flavor that goes great with a hot bowl of soup or a cup of tea!
Combine dry ingredients, then whisk the eggs and melted butter together before pouring in and stirring to combine. Keep stirring until you form a thick batter, and then drop in 2 tbsp. sized balls onto a greased baking sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes until the tops are browned and a toothpick comes out clean. While best enjoyed right out of the oven, these can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week and are great reheated for 10 seconds in the microwave and topped with a little jam.
Easy, cheap and healthy white bean and rice soup
- 1 can cannelloni beans
- 1 can diced tomatoes
- 4 and 1/2 cups vegetable stock
- 1 cup brown rice
- 1 cup chopped red cabbage
- 1 cup canned green beans
- 1 tbsp. italian spice mix
- 1 tbsp. garlic paste
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
Beans are a great food for college students looking to eat healthy on a budget because they have protein, complex carbs, and cost less than a dollar per can. This recipe uses white beans, which are a great source of iron, potassium, and calcium. Enjoy your soup with a thick slice of whole grain bread or a coconut flour maca biscuit with jam! I love the creaminess of the beans in this recipe balanced by the hearty rice and tomatoes, and the whole thing cost probably less than 6$ to make!
Heat the garlic paste, olive oil and spices on medium at the bottom of a big soup pot, stirring until aromatic, about 3 minutes. Add chopped red cabbage and saute until softened. Pour in vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Add rinsed and drained canelloni beans, tomatoes, green beans, and brown rice. Cover with lid, turn heat down to medium low and simmer for at least 45 minutes, until rice is cooked through and evenly dispersed, and the beans have softened and split. Salt and pepper to taste, but note that the canned goods already have salt so you might just need to add pepper!