The past two weeks have been a whirlwind of travel for me. And I’ll be the first to admit, I’m always talking about planning ahead for travel — packing healthy snacks, researching the closest juice bars. But seriously, the stars don’t always align. Take, for instance, this most recent trip: One week in San Francisco followed by what was to be a few days in Lake Tahoe. While I had the flight covered for healthy grub, I began to panic about finding my way to a juice bar once in San Francisco. I know, I know, San Fran seems like the likeliest of places to find a juice bar. Ummm, not so. At least not where I was situated in the city’s business district.
Then the the unexpected happened. Instead of my Tahoe trip, I had to fly back East for a funeral in Western New York and I can pretty much assure you there are no juice bars in quaint Jamestown, Ny. where the population is 30,000 and the most exciting place to shop is CVS.
So, seriously, planning ahead is not always an option. What to do in situations like these? Quite honestly, I do the best I can. But inevitably, I feel unbalanced on my return home. Usually, I want to dive head first into a salad and green smoothie as soon as possible but this time I found my usual fare less enticing. Soooo, I made a deal with myself and eased back into my usual routine with healthier versions of “comforting” foods.
I started out by getting my butt into Whole Foods and stocking the fridge. When I got home, I downed a green juice and cooked up a to-die-for vegan quesadilla using my favorite sprouted grain tortillas, Daiya cheese, black beans and diced red onion and yellow peppers. I baked it on 350 for about 10 minutes, until the cheese was melted. Once it was done, I stuffed it with a huge handful of fresh cilantro and a dollop of fresh guacamole.
I then planned to attend a yoga class later in the day to ease back into the movement I was craving. I’ve learned over time that running on my first day back in the gym doesn’t ever happen. A gentler workout is best for me.
Later, dinner beckoned so I thawed and reheated a cup of homemade black bean soup left over from my Savory Soup Cooking Class and made a giant salad of romaine, carrots, olives, red onion and hemp seeds topped with a tahini dressing that I made up on the fly!
Even the healthiest of bodies gets confused. Whether you’re just beginning on the path toward healthy eating or you’re a seasoned professional, get familiar with your body and what she needs. Instead of fighting her, fulfill her every need. I promise, she will reward you.
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