April 24, 2024

Are You Letting Your Schedule Dictate What You Will Eat?

June 24, 2014 by

stress eating

One of the biggest challenges for a busy woman is knowing how to eat for her schedule. Let’s be honest…trying to plan healthy meals and snacks can sometimes be aggravating. Things get so busy; sometimes it does not seem possible to have any control over what you will eat for your next meal.

Right when you think you have your healthy eating habits together, your schedule and life changes. You may have evenings that you work late; weeks that you travel or have business dinners; or you may have weeks that you literally have an activity every night of the week with your family.  All those outside factors may leave you feeling powerless and with no control over your next meal.

I remembered the many changes in my life with the birth of my second child.  I had to re-adjust my life and schedule.  Things really began to change when he entered school.  Now he was not just tagging along to his big sister’s activities…he had his own. I now have two kids at the baseball field going in different directions, on top of all other life responsibilities.

ball season

No matter how hectic life gets, our bodies still need adequate nutrition. A few months ago, I read a story of a 17 year old girl who for many years had a diet consumed with fast food and frozen chicken nuggets, only. Her diet was completely void of fruits and vegetables. When she was hospitalized after collapsing, doctors discovered her body was so deficient in vitamins and nutrients that she had to be injected with them.

Getting adequate amounts of vitamins and nutrients for me and my family is very important. I know I will eat healthier at work and with my family when meals and snacks are prepared at home.  However, eating healthy does not just happen and it is hard to do with a crazy schedule.  As with anything in life worth having, planning and preparation is the key.

The trick:  Plan your upcoming meals and snacks on a day when you have the least amount of stress or responsibilities. Don’t wait to figure out what you are going to eat during a busy day because you have too many other things on your mind that may include a long “to do” list and who knows what other things could pop up.

Once you pick your day to make the preparations, begin putting together your strategies for your meals so that they are time efficient, yet healthy.  Follow me on Pinterest and Facebook to get more ideas and recipes.  With a few tricks you can avoid making the mistake of letting your schedule dictate what you will eat.

In Good Health,
Crystal

Filed Under: At Home w/ GCH Tagged With: , , ,

Korean Green Onion Salad – Pa Muchim

January 3, 2014 by

Pa Muchim Resize

Korean Green Onion Salad, or Pa Muchim (pronounced “pah moo cheem”) is a staple at Korean BBQ restaurants and homes alike.  It is frequently paired with pork belly or other fatty meats, as a counterbalance to all the rich flavors and textures.  I find it spicy and weirdly refreshing!

Yes, this salad has a lot of green onion in it.  So much so that you should probably share it with whoever you’re going to be hanging out with that day.  I wouldn’t eat a big plate of this and then go out on a first date!  Cutting the green onions into long strips can be a little tricky.  If it’s not working out for you or you get frustrated, you can just turn the onion on a bias and cut long diagonal slices – they don’t have to be strips cut lengthwise.  Red leaf lettuce is most commonly used, but you can try green leaf or romaine too.  As for the dried red pepper, just use one of those little packets of crushed red pepper that always comes with a pizza delivery!

Next time you grill or fry something rich and delicious, pair it with this spicy and cleansing salad.  (And for more motivation, check out how healthy green onions are for you!)

Korean Green Onion Salad (Pa Muchim)

Ingredients:

  • 1 bunch green onions (anywhere from 4 to 8 onions)
  • 1 head red leaf lettuce
  • 2 teaspoons soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 2 teaspoons rice vinegar (or you can substitute apple cider vinegar)
  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional, but try it if you have them!)
  • 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

Directions:

  1. Slice onions lengthwise into thin strips, or you can cut them on a very severe bias into long ovals.  Put the onions into a bowl of ice water and let soak for fifteen minutes.  This crisps them, and also removes some of the sliminess from the insides.
  2. While the onions are soaking, wash the lettuce and cut it into bite-sized strips.  If your lettuce is a little limp, soak it in ice water too!
  3. Make the dressing:  combine soy sauce, sugar and rice vinegar in a small Tupperware cup with a lid.  Shake well to combine.  Add sesame oil and red pepper flakes and shake again.
  4. Drain the lettuce and onions, dry them if you can:  Either roll up in a dish towel, or spin in a salad spinner.  Combine lettuce and onions in a large bowl, toss with dressing, and sprinkle with sesame seeds.  Serve immediately.

Explore, experiment, enjoy! — Dana

To view even more of Dana’s unique recipe, you can visit her at Frugal Girlmet!

Filed Under: At Home w/ GCH Tagged With: , , , , ,