Hello friends!
I wanted to talk about my favorite staple foods. These are the foods that I eat nearly everyday, if not everyday. They are always on my grocery list and they are the majority of what my meals are comprised of each day. If you have read How Not to Die (Amazon affiliate link), you may notice similarities because my lifestyle follows a lot of what Dr. Michael Greger talks about in his books and podcast (I highly recommend listening to or reading work by him!) I have found that this whole foods plant-based way of eating is exactly what keeps my body feeling its best. I have more energy, clearer skin, and a comfortable weight. I feel good in my body and skin for the first time in a very long time and I attribute this feeling to the below foods.
If you like this kind of post and want to see how these foods come together into meals for me, check out my “What I Ate” series.
1. Beans and Legumes
I wrote a post with over 20 ways I enjoy beans and legumes and I could keep going because there are so many ways to enjoy this fiber-fueled ingredient. I eat at least 1-1 1/2 cups of beans a day.
2. Rice
Rice is my grain of choice. I am not big on brown rice alone, so I make a mixed batch of brown and white rice and serve in lunch bowls or as a dinner side throughout the week.
3. Potatoes
White and sweet potatoes… I go to town on any and all varieties. I always bake at least 5-6 sweet potatoes for the week (great for a fast snack or lunch) and boil my potatoes ahead of time to make fries, use in bowls, use in queso, etc. My favorite are the tiny potatoes from Little Potato Company – simply steam or boil and eat as is or with some hummus. So creamy and delicious.
4. Green Leafy Vegetables
Spinach, kale, lettuce varieties, rabe, bok choy, broccoli… a few of my favorite green vegetables that I eat every day. I usually grab at least 3 varieties for the week. Steamed broccoli or sauteed kale are my favorite on the side of meals.
5. Corn Tortillas
Corn tortillas are so cheap. We get a pack of 80 for under $5 and they last forever. I love using them to make air-fryer corn chips or as a base for tostadas.
6. Rolled Oats
If you have been around for a while, you know about my mornings with oats. I eat oats in one way, shape, or form every single day. OATS FOR LIFE!! But my favorite is oat flour mug cakes or oatmeal with berries and chocolate date sauce.
7. Tofu
My choice mock meat protein is tofu. I love to make it in the air fryer and use on top of salads, pasta dishes, or over stir fry.
8. Fruit
Any and all fruit. I buy what’s in season and eat plenty of it throughout the day. When fruit isn’t in season (like berries), I buy frozen. Fruit is the best and quickest snack, especially apples, bananas, oranges, and pears. Don’t get me started on frozen banana nice cream.
9. Non-Starchy Vegetables
Zucchini, carrots, mushrooms, celery, peppers, green beans… I always have vegetables in abundance in the fridge. I try to eat at least a lb or more of these vegetables a day. It’s easy to do this when I make vegetables the star of my meals.
10. Ground Flaxseed
I use ground flaxseed in my oatmeal every morning for a dose of omegas.
11. Raw Cashews
I use raw cashews to blend into creamy dressings, sauces, or dips. I always have blended cashew cream in a mason jar, ready to be made into whatever I need (like cashew lime crema or ranch dressing – both recipes are in my eBook).
12. Medjool Dates
Dates are my choice of sweetener (aside from maple syrup). They can be blended with a bit of warm water and made into a caramel-type sauce, made into candy, or eaten as is. I use them everyday.
