My coworker and I not practicing social distancing.

So if you follow me over on social media, you may have noticed I’ve been a bit quiet these past few days. That’s because as an extroverted introvert (someone who thrives on human interaction but also needs an ample amount of solo time to recharge), I thought I'd handle being stuck at home better than I have.

Initially I saw the opportunity as a great way to catch up on some business stuff that I'd been neglecting. My plan: publish a bunch of blog posts, read the pile of books I’ve been wanting to get to, get myself super organized and ultimately grow my business.

But then I turned on the TV. Got sucked into social media. And lost track of time. I found my motivation slowly go from good to bad to worse and I became truly overwhelmed. My anxiety went through the roof. And when my husband, one of the only people I know who still has to go to work (I’m not upset by that at all…), got home, I proceeded to take all my frustration out on him.

Thankfully this morning, I turned the news off before I could let it get to me. I shut down social media and forced myself out the door for a run. While running, I was inspired to share how I've been feeling with you to let you know it's OK if you aren't OK. It's OK if you aren't 'making the most of this time' and instead spending a chunk of the day on the couch binge watching your favorite show. It's a weird time. But as my husband reassures me every night: we'll get through it.

So instead of getting sucked into something that's out of my control, I'm committing to not wallowing in my fear of the unknown and instead am going to do my best to accomplish one thing everyday. The goal for the rest of this week is to share some of my favorite pantry friendly meal ideas to to help inspire you to create more with what you already have on hand.

But before I do that, let’s review what makes a balanced meal - important especially to ensure you are getting all the nutrition you can to support your overall health and well-being right now. First up: fruits and vegetables. Talk to any of the clients I work with and they’ll tell you - I drive this point home in each of our sessions. Make sure at least half your plate, bowl or cup (in the case of a smoothie) are fruits and/or veggies. All forms count! Fresh is great - but over the next few weeks that just may not be possible. Frozen is great as well as it’s picked and frozen typically within 24 hours. Look for veggies that are plain and fruits without added sugar. Canned works too! Our pantry is not complete without a couple cans of beans and tomatoes. Just look for no added salt when you can and/or rinse your veggies to remove some of the sodium. For fruits - look for those with no added sugar, packed in juice or water. Dried fruits are also a great way to sneak in a fruit to your oatmeal, homemade trail mix, or snack. Just aim for ones with little to no added sugar as well.

Next up is your grain or carbohydrate portion of your plate. This can be anything from a starchy vegetable like corn, potatoes, sweet potatoes or peas to rice, pasta or cous cous. Whenever possible, try to opt for a whole grain over refined or processed one (e.g., brown rice vs. white rice; whole wheat pasta vs. white pasta). A grain has 3 parts and when the 2 outer layers are removed to make processed or refined grains, you miss out on some of the inherent nutrition found in those outer layers—like the B-vitamins, protein and fiber. Try to make at least 1/2 the grains you eat each day from whole sources.

Last but not least is the protein. Protein should make up the final quarter of your plate. Animal foods like chicken, beef, pork and fish and vegetarian sources like eggs, tofu and tempeh are obvious options. But don’t forget about shelf stable options like canned beans, tuna or salmon, hummus, nuts or nut butter, or even protein powder. I regularly add unflavored whey to my oatmeal, overnight oats or smoothies to ensure I’m getting adequate amounts at breakfast.

In my next post I’ll share some of my favorite pantry items for runners - to have on hand year round - not just during the quarantine. But for now - enjoy this super simple lunch idea that is inspired by the pantry and that I make regularly (especially during high mileage weeks as it provides a lot of good quality carbohydrates in it for refueling those glycogen stores):

Black-Bean Stuffed Sweet Potato

Makes 1 serving

Ingredients:

1 medium baked sweet potato
1/2 a can of black beans, rinsed
~1/4 cup of your favorite salsa (I love Trader Joe’s Green Dragon Sauce and a couple diced tomatoes if I don’t have salsa on hand)
2 Tbsp shredded cheese (I prefer medium cheddar or monterey jack)
Garnish (optional): chopped cilantro, diced avocado, plain Greek yogurt, jalapeno slices

Directions:

To bake sweet potato: preheat oven to 425. Wash and dry potato. Prick all over with a fork. Wrap with aluminum foil and place on baking sheet (lined with additional foil for ease of clean up). Bake for about 45 minutes to an hour, or until a fork/knife inserted into the thickest part of the potato has no resistance. Let cool. Store in air tight container in the fridge until ready for use. (I bake 4 at a time to have on hand for during the week when things are a bit more hectic).
To stuff: Once cool, slice potato in half and smother with black beans, salsa and cheese. Microwave on high for about 2 minutes or until cheese is melted and beans are heated. Top with desired garnishes and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts per Serving (with cilantro and avocado garnish): 375 calories, 7 g total fat, 66 g carbohydrate, 13 g protein

I want to know: what's in your pantry? Share what you've got and I'll share my recommendations on how to make those ingredients into a nourishing meal that will help get us all through these tough times.

How I'm Handling the Quarantine and Pantry Recipe Idea #1