Category: Tips and Guides

5 Foods To Always Have Prepped And Ready

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Hey friends! I’ve already posted a great guide on How To Meal Prep The Perfect Lunch Bowl, but today I wanted to give you a few more tips on how to make eating during the week much easier.

While making lunch bowls is a super easy way to stay ahead, having these 5 ingredients always prepped and ready to go means that you’re, like, AHEAD. It makes it so easy to just throw some stuff into a bowl and go, without cooking each separate component every time you need to make your lunch. Some of these ingredients are great for a quick breakfast too!

Trust me, when eating well is this convenient, it’s almost too easy. In about 20-30 minutes, you can have almost all of these 5 versatile and healthy foods prepped and ready to go for the week. 20-30 minutes- FOR THE WHOLE WEEK. It’s just way less of a headache then having to remake the same things every day, and will definitely help you to fuel your body for all of the amazing things that you do when you’re on the go.

I love having these foods on hand, and there’s so much you can do with each and every one of them to keep things interesting! I’ll definitely be sure to list some recipes and ideas that you can try with them. here they are!

Quinoa

Making a big batch of quinoa at the beginning of the week allows you to make a variety of different bowls, salads, and stir-frys with ease! Quinoa takes 15 minutes to cook and contains all 9 essential amino acids, amazing it a complete source of protein, as well as a complex carb. It’s the perfect base for a lunch bowl, and is great for breakfast, lunch or dinner. That’s right- I said breakfast! Mix some quinoa with fruit, almond milk or yogurt for a quick breakfast, like in these Cherry, Peach and Quinoa Breakfast Bowls. Hands down, quinoa is the most versatile ingredient on this list. Check out these great recipes you can make with pre-cooked quinoa!

Hummus

Whether you make your own hummus or buy it at the store (no judgement here- there’s a great hummus that I love from Costco), having some in your fridge at all times is a great idea. It makes a delicious snack paired with crackers or veggies, or spread on toast. Plus, dolloped onto bowls and salads it’s SO GOOD- not to mention the amazing flavour it gives to sandwiches and wraps. Hummus brings any of your meals to life, especially your lunch bowls, and so it’s great to have some always ready to go! Here are some delicious hummus recipes- and some recipes that use hummus in delicious ways!

Boiled Eggs

Gotta get that protein baby! Protein is super important for building muscle and filling you up, but it can be hard to fit into your diet. Having some boiled eggs prepped in the fridge means you can just grab some and go. Need breakfast? Good, grab a couple eggs. Making a lunch bowl? Add a couple eggs. Quick snack? Eggs! I know some of you might get tired of eggs quickly, so even prepping them just once every couple of weeks can keep them from becoming boring. I have one salad recipe where I use a nice soft boiled egg- but feel free to add an egg to any salad or bowl!

Roasted Chickpeas

Roasted chickpeas are so crunchy and delicious, and are packed with protein and fibre! This makes them an amazing snack, and a super tasty addition to sandwiches, salads, bowls, and wraps. It only takes about 20 minutes to roast up some chickpeas, and there are a TON of delicious flavours out there! Here are some great roasted chickpea recipes- and a couple of recipes that highlight these crispy little legumes.

Frozen Bananas

Fresh bananas are definitely a necessity for me, and I eat one almost every day at breakfast. But having a couple of frozen bananas in the fridge is a lifesaver- mainly for making smoothie bowls! Frozen banana gives your smoothies and smoothie bowls an amazing creamy texture and a perfect touch of sweetness. Even if you’re not a big fan of smoothies, you can still easily defrost a frozen banana and add it to oats, pancakes, or make some delicious banana bread. You can freeze your bananas peeled and halved like this, but I like to chop them up first, so that I can skip the hassle of trying to cut up a frozen banana! Here are my favourite frozen banana recipes.

I hope this list helps you out when planning ahead for your busy week! Making sure that you’re getting the kind of fuel your body needs is super important, and having these ingredients on hand will definitely make it a lot easier. As always, if you have any questions don’t hesitate to reach out!

Yours Truly,

Olivia:)))

How To Meal Prep The Perfect Lunch Bowl

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Hey friends! I know that prepping lunches/dinners for school/work can be a STRUGGLE. I’ve been there, believe me. So today I’m sharing how to meal prep the perfect lunch bowl, to give you a bit of inspiration to make lunch the best part of the day again!

Packing lunches is difficult for a number of reasons. It could be that you have no idea what to make, or that you’re just lazy (I get you). It’s times like these when it’s the hardest hard to fit nutritious food into your diet. When you don’t feel like prepping food or are lost as to what to even pack, it’s easier to grab more processed snacks and faster, less nutrient dense options. So this is why lunches need to be

a) Exciting

b) Quick and Easy to Make

c) FREAKING DELICIOUS AND NUTRITIOUS

Having a slew of super tasty lunch ideas available makes it way more likely that you’ll have the desire to meal prep, because you’ll know that your future self will be thanking you. And if said delicious ideas are fast and simple to prepare, even better! It won’t be a laborious chore to make sure that you’re nourished everyday. Which is, of course, the goal. To NOURISH YOUR BODY so that you can be the best version of yourself possible. You can’t do that if you’re consistently packing you’re not having a good lunch- whether you’re consistently packing a couple of chocolate bars and a bag of chips, or s few cucumber slices. I have a ton of great lunch options under School Lunches on my site, but keep reading for my perfect bowl formula.

Like I just said, you can’t pack a super tiny lunch full of junk food or just veggies and expect to feel satisfied. You need BALANCE people. BALANCE! And that’s what I love about these bowls. You get your veggies, your complex carbs (aka ones that will help keep you fuller longer), AND your protein (also fills you up), all in a neat little package that is customizable based on what you have, what you like, and what you feel like preparing. The point is, you get a delicious meal that is simple and easy to make. Which is the optimum recipe for meal prepping success!

Once you have these bowls made, feel free to add a little something extra on the side, whether that be more fruits and veggies, or a little treat. If you’re getting all of your required nutrients in to fuel you throughout the day, of course you can have a lil something sweet- check out my healthy desserts here. It keeps things interesting and satisfying.

Before I present you with this bowl building guide, let me assert this point- UTILIZE LEFTOVERS! Whether it’s some chicken from that night’s dinner, some quinoa you made a few days ago, or some random roasted veggies that you have in your fridge, leftovers of all kinds are welcome in these bowls and are a part of what makes them so quick and easy!

You’ll definitely notice the difference once you fuel up properly, as opposed to being unsatisfied with your lunch choices. And this is incentive should be enough to keep on meal prepping! I hope that this perfect bowl formula helps you out- it’s my go-to lunch almost every day! Let’s get into the very simple steps.

Step 1: Choose Your Complex Carbs

Carbs are IMPORTANT because they give you energy for the day ahead, and help you feel full! Don’t leave em out. What is also important, however, is making sure that you’re choosing whole grain and complex carbs that release energy more slowly and provide you with more nutrients than more quick to release, simple carbs. Think whole wheat bread instead of white bread, and brown rice or quinoa instead of white rice. But if you don’t have whole grain options on hand, don’t shy away from using carbs like white rice. You still need that energy, and carbs shouldn’t be something to be afraid of. Fill your tupperware to about a 1/4 full with your carb of choice! Some of my favourite complex carb ideas are:

  • Sweet Potato (see my 5 Minute “Baked” Sweet Potato for a quick option)
  • Quinoa
  • Brown rice
  • Sprouted grain bread
  • Toasted whole wheat tortillas
  • Brown rice crackers
  • Couscous
  • Barley
  • Whole wheat pasta or brown rice noodles

Step 2: Add Your Veggies

Veggies are full of nutrients and are an essential part of these bowls! Both fresh and cooked options work great- or use a combination of the two. I always like to have a bunch of different veggies on hand in the fridge, ready to be used for such situations. Be sure to pick veggies that YOU LIKE- don’t force yourself to eat stuff you hate, because that is not sustainable. Fill your tupperware at least 1/2 full with veg- here are some ideas:

  • Tomatoes
  • Cucumber
  • Corn, peas, or other defrosted frozen veggies
  • Beets
  • Cauliflower
  • Zucchini
  • Carrots (I grate mine- game changer!)
  • Spinach
  • Lettuce
  • Mushrooms
  • Celery
  • Broccoli
  • Peppers
  • Olives
  • The list goes on and on!

Step 3: Pick Your Protein

Protein is vital- it helps keep you feeling fuller longer, and is necessary to build muscle tissue and for your body to function in general! When you think protein, you may just be thinking of your conventional sources- meat- which can be hard to include if you don’t have any ready to go. There are a TON of easy protein options out there though! Many of them can be prepped before hand, and a bunch of others are ready to go as is. These are some great healthy protein options to add to your bowl:

  • Boiled eggs (I love boiling a bunch at a time, and having them ready to use for the next few days)
  • Chicken, pork, or beef (including leftovers, or meat that you cook in a batch for meal prep)
  • Canned tuna (mix with some mashed avocado so it’s less dry)
  • Canned beans- black, red kidney, navy, etc.
  • Chickpeas- drained and rinsed from the can, or roasted (see my 3 Flavours of Crispy Chickpeas for ideas!)
  • Falafel (see my favourite falafel recipe here)
  • Tofu
  • Veggie burgers

Step 4: Finish With Flavour And Healthy Fats

Ok, so we’ve got carbs, veg, and protein, which, on their own, should taste pretty good. You can see that I added some more protein in the form of chickpeas to this bowl as well. But to make these bowls even better, be sure to add some healthy fats and flavour at the end! I’m talking homemade dressings, hummus, tzatziki, avocado, nuts and seeds, or simply some balsamic vinegar! Healthy fats are a necessary part of your diet, and make your lunches that much more satisfying. Try and stay away from store bought dips and dressings- they can be full of preservatives, sugars, and other not so nice ingredients! Some finishing touches I like to add to my bowls are:

  • Dips and dressings (see my favourite recipes here)
  • Hummus
  • Salsa
  • Vinegars (love my balsamic)
  • Avocado
  • Nuts
  • Seeds

There you have it- the perfect steps to make your meal prep dreams come true! There are so many combinations and that’s something that I love about this formula, but here are some flavour combo ideas if you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed:

  • Brown rice with cucumbers, spinach, mushrooms, grated carrot, Soy Marinated Tofu, and Peanut Dressing.
  • Quinoa with cucumbers, tomatoes, red peppers, olives, red onion, Falafel, and Hummus.
  • Sweet Potato with spinach, red onion, peppers, corn, roasted chickpeas and balsamic vinegar.
  • Toasted whole wheat tortilla with tomato, corn, peppers, black beans, salsa and chicken.
  • Couscous with beets, cauliflower, grated carrots, boiled eggs, almonds and Creamy Avocado Balsamic Dressing.

All of those combos sound amazing! Go ahead and get creative, and I promise that these steps will help you to create delicious, filling and nutritious lunches and keep you coming back for more.

Yours Truly,

Olivia:))

4 Essential Pieces of Kitchen Equipment

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Hey there! To be honest, today I was going to post an omelette recipe, but it turns out we have no eggs. So I thought it would be a great opportunity to post about some kitchen equipment that I use really often and that I think are SUPER important.

You don’t need a ton of fancy equipment to be a good cook, but there are a few things you can buy that make a great investment. These kitchen tools are all really versatile and take care of both very simple and more complex tasks that you might have to do. I use at least one of these things every day, and more often than not I’ll use two or three. Most of them are a big part of the recipes I make.

When buying these items, it’s also important to make sure that they’re good quality. I’ve bought some dollar store can openers and garlic mincers in my time, and you can definitely tell the difference in how they preform compared to higher quality ones. While it might be a bit more expensive to get better tools, it’s DEFINITELY worth it in the long run.

So yeah! Hopefully this list is helpful to you as you build your artillery of kitchen tools:) The omelette can wait, let’s get into the post!

A Good Set of Knives

This might seem like a given, but having a good set of both plain-edged and serrated knives is ESSENTIAL in making pretty much everything! Having good quality knives, and keeping them sharp, makes everything easier. Bigger knives are great for cutting things like squash, sweet potatoes, and meats; serrated knives work well for tomatoes and bread; and the smaller knives in between cut everything else. I would say that these are your MOST important pieces of kitchen equipment.

Garlic Mincer

I love garlic, so having a good quality garlic mincer is important to me! This little gadget also saves a lot of time, because you don’t have to mince the garlic by hand. I’ve bought some cheap ones before and they didn’t work well at all, so be sure to buy a metal one!

Veggie Peeler

Veggie peelers might me the most underrated piece of equipment in your kitchen. They not only peel veggies, but they can make beautiful veggie ribbons like in my Thai Ribbon Salad. I peel sweet potato so often that this one is a necessity for me!

Blender/Food Processor

This is definitely one piece of equipment that you don’t want to cheap out on! Cheaper blenders or food processors just can’t do the things that good quality ones can. For blending tough or hard foods, you need an awesome machine! I have a Vitamix, and I use it for everything from smoothie bowls to soups and sauces to nut butters. It’s so versatile and useful in the kitchen!

Thanks for reading and I’ll see you Wednesday!

Yours Truly,

Olivia

How I Use My Bullet Journal

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Hi there! I didn’t get around to posting this Wednesday, but today I have a great post that I’ve gotten a couple of requests for. If you’re looking to start a bullet journal or are just interested in the system, you’re in the right place.

This post is going to showcase all of the pages that I use most often in my journal, and explain how I use them. Bullet journaling really helps me to plan out my day and get stuff done. Also, I can track my habits, keep a gratitude log, and set goals. There are a lot of working parts in a bullet journal and I might not get to all of them today, but I’ll get into the most important pages that are essential. Well, I think they are, anyways. A bullet journal is super personal and can be used pretty much however you want. But I suggest that you start with the basics, and then once you get the hang of it you can start adding in all of the bells and whistles.

If you’re curious as to the supplies I use for journaling, you can check out my post on Bullet Journaling Supplies. Plus, here’s the link to my very first Bullet journal set-up, where I also explain the bullet journal system a little bit.

I’ll probably use examples from all three journals that I’ve done so far, so you can see the development in my writing style and layouts. There are honestly so many ways that you can set up any given page of your journal! That’s what I love most about having a bullet journal; it keeps me creative and forces me to try new things all of the time. Right now is the perfect time to start one, because we’ve all got so much time on our hands! Plus, having a journal can give you some semblance of routine, and my to do lists that I’ve been making have really helped me survive.

I want to start looking through my old bullet journal pictures so I’m going to keep this last part short. Remember to have fun with your journal and to EXPECT MISTAKES. I’ve made sooooo many mistakes over the years, and I’ve just had to deal with them. Sometimes they end up helping your design process. Don’t worry if your first journal attempts don’t look like some of the amazing spreads on Instagram or Pinterest either. Just stick with it and your journal will develop into something awesome! Let’s get into how I use my bullet journal.

Key/Title Page

I always start with a key and a title page at the front of my journal. The key includes the different bullets and colours I’ll be using to record tasks and events throughout the year. I don’t usually reference it too much because I have it memorised, but it’s still good to have. As you can see, my first year journaling I made my key pretty complicated. I’m going to tell you right now that there’s no way you’re going to pull out a stencil or draw a little symbol every time you write something down. Especially in school! Keep your key simple with a few colours and bullet shapes, and you can always tweak it later on. As for the title page, I just have fun with it every year;)) Sometimes I throw in a quote, and other times I just keep it super simple. Anything goes!

Future Log

This is one of the most important features of my journal! It’s where I record all the events that are happening throughout the year, like birthdays, big exams, and sports tournaments. I don’t write that I have volleyball practice every Thursday at 8 in my future log, because it would fill up pretty quick. I save it for the big stuff that I need to know the dates of. I always write out a mini calendar for each month so I can see which dates fall on which days. Holidays are another thing that I write in here.

Goals

Something that I love having in my journal is a goals page. Here I write down the big things that I want to accomplish that year. In 2019 and 2020 I have a “this year” section, with things that I want to do during the year in there. A goals page is definitely super important, because it allows you to revisit your goals often, and filling in that box when you accomplish something feels great! Remember, a goal that isn’t written down is just a dream.

Monthly Title Page

These are some of my favourite pages to draw, because I get to be really creative with how I present my theme. I choose a different theme for every month in my journal to keep things interesting. Most of my title pages have the name of the month on one side, and a quote on the other.

Monthly Calendar

In my monthly calendar, I write transfer over all of the events happening that month from my future log, and also include sports practices and smaller things that are happening. This helps me get a clear view of exactly what my month looks like. Plus I make space for goals, and sometimes a blog tracker or monthly focus.

Trackers

One thing that I’ve stuck with throughout my three years bullet journaling is tracking my habits, mood, and things I’m grateful for. I find that it really helps me stay motivated to get things done, and figure out why I’m feeling the way I am. I love my gratitude logs because they force me to find one positive thing about my day, even if it wasn’t very good.

Weekly Spread

In my weekly spreads, I always have a space for each day, the name of the month, and maybe a quote or to-do list. This is where I go into the most detail with tasks and events. Lately I’ve been writing kind of a checklist for each day, so that I see what I need to get done. Weekly spreads help you to plan out your week, and you can get super creative with them!

Those are the parts of my bullet journal that I use most often! Hopefully you learned a little about the system!

Yours Truly,

Olivia

The ULTIMATE Guide To Roasting Veggies

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Hey guys! Roasted veggies are one of my favourite things to eat, and my go to side dish. They get so caramelized and delicious in the oven and just taste AMAZING! I’ve posted a lot of recipes that feature roasted veggies as well, and I thought that it was high time to post an ULTIMATE guide to making these babies. They’re very simple and straight forward, but this post will help you get the perfect roasting time and know exactly what to look for when your veg comes out of the oven.

I’d have to say that my favourite veggie to roast is sweet potato, but I also love a good roasted cauliflower, onion, beet, carrot, or chickpea. The possibilities are endless! I’ll categorize the veggies that I’m writing about into groups like root vegetables and cruciferous vegetables (your vocab word of the day- veggies like broccoli and cauliflower), so that if there is a veggie I’ve missed you can roast it the same way as the other veggies in its family. Let’s get started!

First of all, I almost always roast my veggies at 400 degrees Fahrenheit. It’s high enough to cook the veggies quickly and get some nice caremelization going, but not so high that you’ll burn them to a crisp. Some kind of oil is also good for roasting, so I usually toss my veg in about a tablespoon or two of olive oil, enough to lightly coat them, and some salt and pepper before throwing them on a parchment lined baking sheet in the oven. You can also get creative with other spice combos! Okay, now that you know the roasting basics, you can scroll on down and I’ll let you know how to prepare each vegetable and how long to roast it for. When reading this next part, keep in mid that soft means easily pierce-able with a fork, but not mushy. No one likes mushy vegetables.

Root Vegetables

Sweet Potatoes (had to start with my fave): Wash your potato well, or peel it. Dice into cubes about an couple centimetres wide. Roast for about 30-35 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are soft and going slightly dark around the edges. (ps I don’t do a lot of normal potato roasting, but I can assume it would be the same procedure).

Carrots: Peel the carrots. Cut into sticks about five centimetres long and a centimetre wide. Roast for about 25-30 minutes, until soft and slightly caremelized.

Beets: Peel the beets. Dice into cubes that are two centimetres wide and roast for 30-35 minutes, until soft.

Onion: Peel the onion. Cut the onion in half, then into think slices, without separating the layers. Roast for about 20 minutes, until they’re soft and slightly brown.

Garlic (great for soups and dips!): Wrap a whole garlic clove in some tinfoil (I don’t use oil for this one) and roast for 15-20 minutes. Let the tinfoil cool slightly, then unwrap the little packet and remove the garlic cloves from their skins.

Cruciferous Vegetables:

Cauliflower: Wash the cauliflower well and cut it into florets a few centimetres high and a couple wide. Roast them for 20-25 minutes, until they’re tender and going brown.

Broccoli: Can be roasted the same way as cauliflower.

Brussels Sprouts: Remove some of the outer leaves and cut the brussels sprouts in half. Roast for 25-30 minutes, until soft and going brown.

Red Cabbage: Wash the cabbage and cut into lengthwise into cross sections about a centimetre thick. Roast for 25-30 minutes, until soft.

Kale: Chop width-wise into two centimetre long pieces and roast for 15-20 minutes, until crisp.

Squashes:

Zucchini: Wash and slice into circles about a centimetre think. Roast for 20 minutes, until soft and browning.

Butternut: Peel and cut into two centimetre wide cubes. Roast for 30-30 minutes, until soft and going golden.

Eggplant: Wash and cut into one centimetre thick cross sections. Roast for 20-25 minutes, until soft and going golden brown.

Other (aka I don’t know where these go)

Cherry Tomatoes: Wash and roast for 10-15 minutes, until very soft and getting slightly charred.

Tomatoes: Wash and cut into quarters. Roast for 15-20 minutes, until slightly charred.

Peppers: Wash, remove the stems and cut into chunks a few centimetres wide. Roast for 20 minutes, until soft.

Asparagus: Wash and cut off the very bottoms of the stems and any mushy parts. Roast for about 20-25 minutes, until fork tender but still a bit firm. The one vegetable that I would most hate to have mushy is asparagus!

Snap Peas: Wash and roast for 15-20 minutes, until soft.

Mushrooms: Apparently washing mushrooms make them absorb water that will come out when cooking them, so wiping your mushrooms with a paper towel might be a better cleaning method. You can slice the mushrooms and roast them for 15-20 minutes, or leave them whole and roast for 20-25 minutes. Either way, the mushrooms should be soft when done.

Chickpeas (from the can): Drain and rinse the chickpeas, then roast for 20 minutes, until crispy.

And there you have it! Talking about these veggies makes me want some:) If you like roasting any other kinds of veggies, let me know so I can try them out!

Yours Truly,

Olivia;)