My secret weapon for saving time, eating healthier, and finding peace in a busy world
When it comes to diet, there is no panacea.
I tend to shy away from giving advice about specific diet plans when working with clients on lifestyle change. I refer to a licensed dietitian where diet may be used for the management or treatment of a disease, such as celiac or diabetes.
My primary focus is to foster an attitude of discovery coupled with the application of self-knowledge. This approach allows for individuals to take a deeper dive into their relationship with food rather than have them counting calories and fat grams.
Experiencing a lifelong personal struggle with my own weight as well as an eating disorder has helped me discover my own path. This is at the core of my desire to help others who are ready to transform their relationships with food. It is why I share the nutritional philosophies and strategies that have served me well on my journey.
My philosophy is simple.
- Eat clean, whole, fresh — local when possible — nutritionally dense foods.
- Enjoy a life-giving relationship with food. There is no time for self-defeating behaviors, such as beating myself up when I eat something that doesn’t exactly measure up to the ideal.
Honestly, both are easier said than done! A myriad of unexpected circumstances can derail efforts in a flash. The path of least resistance is a default to old behavioral patterns, resulting in the outcomes which initially inspired the quest for change.
I have experienced far more failed attempts at dieting than I care to admit. Yes, I lost a few pounds and even felt better for a while, but life always had a way of rolling in and turning everything upside down.
The great thing about all the failures — I learned tons about nutrition and developed a pretty good understanding of what I should be putting in my body.
What I lacked was the ability to sustain balance, or at least come close, amidst the curve-balls life was throwing me. Time and again the natural ebb and flow of life was completely disruptive.
One thing is for sure, waiting, expecting or hoping for life to change was an exercise in futility.
What was I missing? How was I going to stay on track EVEN when life was off kilter?
In reflection, for me, the lack of planning fueled by perceived time deficits created the perfect environment for ongoing setbacks. I needed a strategy.
Nutritional strategy is more about breaking barriers than food selection. While the quality of nutrients you put in your body is incredibly important, if you don’t make the time to plan, shop and prepare, any efforts to eat well will be crushed.
5 ways I use my dehydrator to outsmart time
- Protein packed crackers- You can’t buy these in a store! Eat alone or with veggies, fruit, cheese or nut butter
- Fruit & Fruit leather- The store bought version of this healthy treat doesn’t measure up! Satisfy a sweet tooth and eat this instead of stopping for that candy bar.
- Dried soup mixes- Good for light packing on the go…all you need is a vessel and hot water.
- Pet treats- Save the money you normally spend on store-bought …plus Fido will thank you for it!
- Homemade spice rubs- Create your own favorites and share with friends and family at holidays and get-togethers.
It will serve you to have a “go slow to go fast” mindset when it comes to dehydrating foods.
There is a bit of a learning curve. The concept of dehydration is really easy, but there are a few things (I wish I had known!) to consider before jumping in and purchasing a dehydrator.
The space.
Working in a separate area for blending and preparing trays is sufficient, but you will need a dedicated location for your dehydrator to run undisturbed for up to 12 hours for some recipes, especially breads and crackers.
The goal.
Knowing whether your intention is to dabble or go all out and make this a part of your lifestyle is going to help you identify which machine is in your budget.
- It is terrific to dabble! If you are only interested in making dried fruit and beef jerky, that’s great. It, however, doesn’t require a sophisticated 10-tray unit from Excalibur. You can just as easily make them with much simpler more cost effective machine available at Bed Bath & Beyond.
- You may even want to use your oven to try a few recipes initially before making any investment.
I started with a stack-able round machine. The day came I wanted to try a recipe that required a larger machine. I paid it forward and gave my old unit to a close friend. She had children and thought the dehydrator would be fun and give her kids the opportunity to make something healthy for themselves. One of her daughters still has the unit and uses it in her dorm room.
The right tools
- Silicon and offset spatulas are incredibly helpful for recipes that require spreading of ingredients.
- If ready-made liners are not included with your machine or you have a budget constraint, you can use unbleached parchment paper.
- It will also help to have a FoodSaver machine if you want to really get serious about building an “arsenal” of snacks, breads, crackers, desserts, etc.
Beginner Level Recipes
There are tons of recipes online to choose from, but this is a good place to start. The Excalibur site has a huge recipe collection to play with.
All in all, the end result is an abundant supply of healthy, nutritionally dense snack foods with a 6 month shelf-life up to a year if frozen properly. No additives or preservatives…just good food to grab on the way out the door to your busy life!
Looking back, purchasing a dehydrator simplified my life in ways I never imagined — a secret weapon in the game of balance.
Healthy snacking became the strategy that not only saved time and supported me in reaching my goals, but also served me in a few unexpected ways…
- Self-care. I felt better about what I was eating — the best nutrients possible.
- Savings on produce bought in bulk when it’s in season. Sometimes I picked my own berries and saved even more. Then I had the opportunity to use numerous recipes and stocked up.
- More savings plus serving size control. Why pay more for the convenience of prepackaged serving sizes at the grocery store?
Healthy eating feeds more than just my physical hunger. There is an element of mindfulness to it. I imagine all the unknown faces and hands that made what I am enjoying possible and a sense of the great abundance we experience in our world is really REAL for a moment. The noise of lack and uncertainty in my head becomes silent. I experience a deep sense of gratitude and satisfaction that I am doing something good for myself.
Working with a dehydrator also satisfies my insatiable curiosity and creative desires. The moment I share its snacks with friends and family — that is almost more delicious than the food!
GIVE time to GET time. FEEL inspired and GET MORELIFE!
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