Ingredients:
1 bag of frozen falafel (look near frozen veggie burger section)
Creamy vegan dill dressing (or swap for vegan mayo + fresh dill)
Cucumber, sliced
Hummus (Balsamic Glazed Onion Hummus is my fav)
Sprouted whole grain bread (check ingredients for "sprouted"- Dave's Killer Bread is my favorite especially Dave's Killer Rye bread)
Optional greens like spinach or kale
Optional s&p
Instructions:
Pop your bread in the toaster while you follow falafel package cooking instructions (I usually opt for microwave for less dishes). Spread dill dressing on one side of the bread and hummus on the other side. Place cucumber and greens on one side, and cooked falafel on the other. Optional sprinkle of s&p- and your 3 minute sandwich is done!
A lot of us don't plan very well for our hunger.
It sneaks up on us every 3 hours like we haven't learned a thing since breakfast.
Moms especially. Yet we delicately plan for everyone else: every sip of milk, every cut grape, every clean high chair, every wiped cheek.
We've thought out every item in the backpacks. The water bottles are filled. The hats and gloves are accounted for.
And this time of year there's a little test on our turbo mode setting.
Presents are getting wrapped, teachers gifts are assembled, family gatherings are getting planned, the Christmas outfits are ready.
Meanwhile, even the dogs are fed.
We do these things easily, like we are effortless magicians of care-taking.
But feeding ourselves is hard.
Resting for ourselves is hard.
Scheduling a shower is hard.
Getting fresh air is hard.
Making time to see friends is hard.
Doing things that bring us joy is hard.
The body doesn't understand this. It doesn't understand why why are ignoring it. And eventually, it finds ways to scream that are louder than hunger.
Because, it's just a human body (same as the child's body we care so tentatively to).
It will always be hungry. And it will always crave nourishing meals to thrive.
That's why I am constantly creating plant based meals for myself, that are also fast and efficient for when hunger hits.
Because even though I don't have the time to chop up fresh vegetables and make homemade dressings, I still want give my body anti-inflammatory plant-based foods that I know are doing more healing than harm.
One of my favorite podcasters (and plant-based endurance athlete) Rich Roll says "pain drives change."
Most of us wait until we are in pain, to make a shift, reflect, and change ourselves.
Most of us wait to until we've ignored our bodies for years, before we realize it's actually talking to us.
Only when we are met with the loud challenges do we pause, and seek answers.
But it's also possible to listen to the softer noises our bodies make. And create changes in delicate and approachable ways.
Like listening to our own hunger cues and finding fast frozen food shortcuts like this easy creamy nourishing sandwich.
It is possible to take care of ourselves and others.
And we don't always have to wait for pain to change.