For the best part of two years now I have been trying to come up with a workable solution to my daily dinner dilemma : How to get that hit of healthy protein with a good dose of greens in an economically viable and time effective fashion?
I mean, after all a good diet and a sustainable exercise routine is critical to a healthy lifestyle.
Due to a combination of bad planning (at the grocery store), fear of the unfamiliar (cooking) and a general aversion to chopping boards, I have tended to go down the financially taxing route of grabbing a protein-based main meal with a side salad at a restaurant on the way home from work.
That was … until I sat down one day and brainstormed ideas around cheaper and sustainable alternatives to my restaurant addiction.
Lo and behold! I emerged 10 minutes later with actionable ideas from google.
My online research informed me that preparation is half the battle when it comes to cultivating a sustainable, healthy diet and so keeping ones eyes peeled for idea at the grocery store is critical.
To cut a long story short … here are findings from my gastronomic adventures crystallized in the five simple steps that led me from calorie-laden meals at my local restaurant to the healthy world of economical stir fries.
1) When grocery shopping I grab the following raw materials:
- Most supermarkets these days sport a range of pre-packaged assorted vegetables
that are chopped and ready to stir fry. I usually grab one of these … or three
… or five. The more greens the merrier! - Some pre cooked meat from the deli – the leaner the better
- Tofu
- Bean sprouts
- A bottle of soya sauce
- A tube of ginger paste
- A tube of garlic paste
2) Back at home, I grab a bowl and put in some soya sauce with an
equal part of water and mix in a dollop of garlic and ginger paste
3) I heat up some oil in a wok (on high) and add
the magic potion from step 2
4) I chuck the meat into the magic potion and stir for
a couple of minutes followed by the chopped vegetables for another couple
5) I congratulate myself on my masterpiece before
making my creation disappear with gusto
To a lot of readers with refined taste buds and a cultured upbringing this may well seem like a Neanderthal’s recipe. But hey it works just fine for me on all fronts – it’s an economical, time effective and healthy solution.
I haven’t been able to convince the folks at home to partake in my culinary delights yet but I think it’s just a matter of time before they discover my culinary abilities!
What are your thoughts or comments on nourishing yourself in an economically viable and time effective fashion?
Image courtesy of SOMMAI / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
