When I found this image I smiled. As an ode to simplicity I wanted to write a post about keeping food simple even when you think it should be complicated. 

I was just sitting on the dock with my sister ( affectionately known as Little in my family) and we were talking about the book she is currently reading. The China Study compares Western and Eastern Diets showing how our (Western) high fat high animal protein based diets promote and accelerate a series of diseases versus that of a rural Eastern, mostly vegetarian based diet. We started talking about what we eat and how we are in control ( and other times not at all) of what we eat. She still lives at home with my parents and it can be a challenge at times to eat what she might alternatively choose not to eat because she is living with them. She (and I ) would be curious to know what she would cook and choose to eat if it was just her! She is an incredibly talented cook and every time we get in the kitchen to make something together it’s fun and spontaneous. No super accurate recipe following, just throwing things together we think work and eating it together. 

 It can feel intimidating to pick up a cookbook, purchase all the ingredients and really give the recipe a go. Sometimes it’s easier to say “if I had a personal chef I’d be the most nutritious person around”. Sure, wouldn’t we all like that from time to time! When I was researching for the 21 day Holistic Eating and Living Journey, I kept surprising myself. Every article I read, every book I picked up I was expecting to read something new and different. Each one was (basically) the same. Whole clean eating with a focus on maximum nutrients for growing mamas and babies! I kept thinking I was missing something, that it needed to be more complicated. We need to trust that with the information we have, we can purchase and cook delicious and nutritious things for ourselves!

Once you get in the habit of buying a few of the basics, things don’t need to be overly complicated. Everyday there are a million posts on Instagram about a new delicious juice with yummy things in it. Guess what? You can make one too. Once the ingredients are in your kitchen you are ready to rock. I’ll never forget when my best friend asked me about making home made nut milk. She sent me a text message saying “I know it must be super complicated but maybe you can show me sometime.” I texted her back with the instructions in three lines! The next morning she sent me the cutest picture of her holding her morning smoothie with nut milk she had made herself! It made me so happy!

Opening yourself up to keeping it simple is a motivating way to live. You don’t need to follow every recipe perfectly. Look in your cupboards and your fridge and if you’ve stocked it with delicious nutritious things then you can get inspired by a cookbook, instagram, pinterest or a meal you’ve had at a restaurant! Try your best to re-create it with whatever you’ve got, chances are it’ll be delicious! And if not, chances are it was a hilarious adventure making it 🙂