Effortless Should be My Middle Name

I have this idea that my life should be effortless. I don’t mean that I should never have to work or try hard at things, but my definition of “effortless” reminds me of the relationship between “simple” and “easy.”   Things can be very simple conceptually, but very hard to actually do. This relationship can appear to be a contradiction, but it isn’t! Effortless, to me, means going with the flow…and having the flow feel good no matter how much work it involves. I want to work hard, but I want those things I’m working hard on and for to just feel right (i.e. I’m not forcing it).

So that was my theme for yesterday evening’s meal.

The Other Lisa B shared that she found these awesome frozen roasted veggies at Wegmans, and so I thought I’d try them. Since I didn’t go to yoga last night, I decided to throw them together with some quinoa to see what would happen!

The result: Delicious.

Directions:

Boil 2 cups water, add 1 cup quinoa (reduce heat to low and simmer covered for 15 minutes till the water is all soaked in). Add a tbsp (or a few squirts) of Bragg Liquid Aminos (healthy soy sauce substitute) for flavor.
Set aside.

Dump veggies on baking sheet, drizzle with olive or coconut oil, sprinkle with kelp granules (you could use sea salt if you want instead). Bake at 400 for 15 minutes.

Add veggies to quinoa and Eat!

Why quinoa?

Quinoa is an ancient grain (technically it’s actually a seed), superfood extraordinaire!  It is high in fiber and protein. It is even rumored to crystalize when chilled (although you can’t tell by eating it) in a way that promotes weight loss. It’s a great alternative to rice or couscous. Try it—you’ll be happy!  I recommend buying it in bulk since it is usually a little cheaper than the boxed version.

Why Bragg Liquid Aminos?

Because it tastes like soy sauce but is way healthier!

Why Veggies?

Because they give you fiber, antioxidants, and other nutrients that help you feel good and prevent all kinds of diseases!

Today, I wanted to use the leftover quinoa, so I did the following:

Put quinoa in a bowl and added 1/2 can Great Northern Beans (why? Because they were sitting on the shelf in the pantry…). Next, I put about 1 teaspoon of whole grain mustard, 1/4 cup sunflower seeds, and a handful of baby spinach into the mix. Sometimes these throw-together meals end up to be just as good as the original!