So Many Activities, So Little Time!

Obviously by the amount of time that has passed since my last post, I can certainly sympathize with all of you busy parents out there!  Drill team practice, volleyball practice, football & volleyball games, fall baseball practice, and the list goes on!  With all of the running here, there, and everywhere, how can one eat healthy while on the run?  As I've mentioned before, I am a non-dairy vegetarian.  (For all practical purposes I am vegan except that I cook with the eggs that my own chickens lay.)  It's always a challenge to find vegan meals outside of my house since we live out in the country in Texas.  Meat rules here.  Nonetheless, I do manage.  If I do run short on time I will run through a place like Chipotle or Freebirds World Burrito and have them make me a vegan burrito or taco.  I swap out the cheese and sour cream for avocado.  I have them add lots of veggies, and the beans serve as protein.  It's healthy, vegan, and fast.  Most places have salad, but you have to watch that you are getting a salad that is not made of iceburg lettuce and use a healthy dressing to go with it.  But there's always those situations where I am not afforded any items that are on my menu, for example, the snack stand at football & baseball games.  In this case, I plan ahead.  I ALWAYS pack fresh fruit.  I take a protein bar (Vega Vibrancy Bar is one of my favorites), some bean dip, and pitas.  It's a healthy brown bag meal.  If anyone stops me for bringing in food I simply tell them that I have food sensitivities and am unable to eat from their snack bar.  I have yet to have anyone argue with me.  The key here is to plan ahead.  It takes less than 5 minutes to whip up a batch of bean dip and pack my brown bag booty, and it's well worth the time!  Did I mention that since going vegan I have lost 6.5 lbs and a size and a half?  At 120 lbs, that's a wonderful accomplishment since I only had about 5 lbs to lose.  Remember, you are what you eat and you either pay the farmer or you pay the doctor.  Isn't your health and future health worth a few extra minutes of time?   Well, I'm heading off to pick up the carpool and then onto a volleyball game that my daughter is playing in.  (I see a brown bag booty in my future!)  I'll leave you with this super easy recipe for my bean dip:

Bean Dip

1 can of beans drained (I switch between cannellini, navy, and black beans)

1-2 TBS of lemon juice (start with one and add the other if you need to)

basil leaves

1/2 tsp salt

1 clove garlic run through a garlic press

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.  Start with just a few basil leaves and add more to taste.  Enjoy with some pitas, corn chips, fresh sliced veggies, crackers, or tortillas.