I was stuck in a rut.

I was stuck in a rut.  A big, boring cooking rut.

Quinoa with black beans and kale once or twice a week.  Green smoothies almost every morning.  Almond butter and a banana if I had a rushed morning.  Homemade hummus and veggies pretty much every day.

As much as I love all of these foods, they get kind of boring when you have them all the time [variety is the spice of life].

So I decided to get out.  Getting out required a little more thought and planning, but it’s been glorious.  I bought veggies I’ve never used before.  I experimented with new recipes.  I tasted new flavors and combinations of foods.  I’ve found more creativity in the kitchen.  And it’s made cooking and eating so much more enjoyable.

We all end up in a rut at some point or another.  And that’s OK.  But I don’t think it’s a place to stay forever.

Are you in a rut?  Maybe it’s a cooking rut?  An exercise rut?  A social rut?  A spiritual practice rut?  Whatever rut you’re in, now is a great time to start climbing out.

So, go on, try something new today.  Spring is an especially great time to cultivate your creativity.  Maybe a walk outside will get your creative juices flowing?  Maybe a change in your work environment [standing desk or a pretty succulent] will stimulate new thoughts?  Maybe a vegetable you cannot pronounce will inspire a new recipe?  Have fun with it!

To get our of your food rut, try some of my old and new favorite things!

My old favorites:

Chopped Green Power Salad [but this is an easy one to spruce up and get creative with!]
Homemade Maple Coconut Granola
Beet and Berry Smoothie
Date Balls
Asparagus Date Millet Salad

My new favorites:

Pumpkin Bars
Chocolate Coconut Bark
Chia seed Jam [I haven’t tried this yet, but cannot wait to do so!]
Super delicious roasted veggies
Carrot Thai Soup

Cheers to climbing out of the rut!