*THIS BLOG POST IS IN COLLABORATION WITH IHERB*
Before I had Hemsley people told me all the time how life would be so different with a baby. While I unfortunately heard my fair share of horror stories I was also told many positive ones and assured that having a child would be one of the most rewarding things I would experience in my life. It’s been such an amazing journey this short (almost) 5 months since welcoming Hemsley into our family and I do have to admit, everyone was right when they said that things would be different.
My days are a complete 180 from what they used to be and my time is almost always committed to Hemsley and her needs. I’m sure as she gets older this will change but right now, I’m pretty much her entire world (sorry Justin, she loves you too, but you know… mama makes the milk!). It can be a bit all-consuming at times as I learn to manage life with a newborn but I truly feel so honoured and joyful to be her mama.
As I do my best to take care of this little munchkin and her needs I also try to take good care of myself as I know that a happy, healthy, well-fed mama = a happier baby! This means eating nourishing meals throughout the day.
Lunch can often be a challenge as we are often on our way out of the house or out-and-about so I’ve come up with three super easy, healthy, quick, and delicious lunches for those busy mama’s like me, working professionals, overwhelmed students, and basically anyone else who has little time to spare when it comes to lunch.
Thanks to iHerb, I was able to order many of the ingredients for these lunches conveniently online. I’ve become quite the online shopping fan over the past couple of years, and now especially with Hemsley, it’s not uncommon to find me doing much of my grocery, baby, clothing, and miscellaneous shopping at my computer.
iHerb carries over 35,000 products with over 5,000 of those being grocery specific products including healthy, organic and natural foods that can be ordered easily online and delivered to your door no matter where you live (iHerb delivers to 160 different countries!). The ease of ordering is always a simple process and my products arrive in a timely manner. It’s also neat to find special items I love but can’t find in stores locally. As a new mom, this convenience is incredibly valuable and gives me more time to spend with my family and all things NITK.
So without further adieu, the 3 easy-peasy recipes in no particular order!
10-Minute Lemony Tuna Salad
This simple and nutritious salad contains a beautiful blend of protein-packed wild Tongol Tuna mixed with olive oil, lemon, capers, tomatoes, fresh greens, chickpeas, and a sprinkle of Raw Energy Nut Mix. The mix of ingredients creates a perfect combination of blood sugar balancing protein, healthy omega-rich fats, and fibre-packed carbohydrates for a super healthy lunch that will fill you up and keep you going all afternoon. Best part, it takes only 10-minutes to make!
- 1 can Tongol Tuna
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- juice from ½ lemon
- ⅛ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- ½ tablespoon capers
- 2 cups mixed greens
- ½ cup chickpeas
- ¼ cup halved cherry tomatoes
- ¼ cup Raw Energy Nut Mix
- ½ tablespoon balsamic reduction
- Mix the tuna with the olive oil, capers, salt, pepper, and lemon juice in a bowl.
- Add the mixed greens to a large tupperware and top with the tuna mixture, tomatoes, chickpeas, and nut mix.
- Drizzle with the balsamic reduction.
- Enjoy!
Go & Glow Smoothie
I love to sneak loads of veggies into my smoothies to amp up the green-goodness and make kind of a “drinkable salad” that tastes naturally sweet. This smoothie comes together super quick and the combination of cucumber, kale, spinach, tropical fruits, avocado, and lemon creates amazing fresh and bright flavour. The collagen peptides powder and sprinkle of hemp seeds brings in a big dose of protein to help round out the smoothie and keep you feeling satiated. This meal-sized well-balanced smoothie is a perfect on-the-go option.
- 2 scoops collagen peptides
- ½ frozen banana
- ⅓ cup frozen mango
- ⅓ cup frozen pineapple
- ¼ avocado
- 1 handful spinach
- 1 handful kale
- ¼ cup diced cucumber
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon honey
- ½-3/4 cup water (depending on preferred consistency)
- 2 ice cubes
- 1 tablespoon hemp seeds
- Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.
- Pour into a jar/glass and top with the hemp seeds.
Veggie-Packed Ramen Soup-In-A-Jar
This nutritious, gluten-free noodle soup is much better than a traditional soup-in-a-cup as it’s full of fresh veggies, a tasty mushroom medley, and my favourite Lotus Foods millet and brown rice ramen noodles. You can choose to add edamame beans or tofu for vegetarian protein, or simply toss in some cooked chicken or shrimp for a non-vegetarian option. Simply cook up the noodles in 4-minutes, add in the homemade seasoning blend and layer in the rest of the ingredients. When you are ready to dig in, just add hot water! How easy is that? The soup ingredients can be assembled the day before and whether you are at home, work, or anywhere else with hot water you’ll be able to enjoy this tasty soup-to-go!
- 1 package millet & brown rice ramen noodles
- 1 cup spinach
- ½ cup shredded carrot
- ⅓ cup dried mushroom medley
- ¼ cup green peas
- ½ cup shredded cooked chicken, diced tofu, edamame beans, or cooked shrimp
- ¼ cup sprouts
- Ramen Seasoning:
- 1 tablespoon gluten free soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sweet chili sauce
- ¼ tsp onion powder
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon minced ginger or ¼ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- ⅛ tsp black pepper
- Prepare the ramen noodles according to package instructions, once cooked, rinse under cold water and set aside.
- In a small bowl mix together the ramen seasoning ingredients until smooth.
- Take a large mason canning jar (between 16-24 ounces) and pour the ramen seasoning mix into the bottom.
- Layer in the cold (cooked) ramen noodles, spinach, carrot, dried mushrooms, peas, and protein of choice (chicken, tofu, edamame, etc.).
- Top with the sprouts and twist on the lid.
- Keep chilled in a lunch box or fridge until ready to eat.
- When ready to eat, pour in 2 cups boiling water and stir to combine the ramen seasoning well with the water and enjoy!
So, which of these three are you planning to try first? Do you already make quick and healthy on-the-go lunches? I’d love to read about it in the comments below!
P.S. If you haven’t tried iHerb yet, follow this link to sign up and receive $5 off your first order of $20 or more!
Have a wonderful Sunday!
All of these look amazing.
I love the idea of making creative and super healthy meal to take with you. There are so many cases where you’re just not going to be eating at home. Having something amazing in your bag wards off any temptation to buy something unhealthy while you’re out.
So true Vince, thanks for the comment!