During stressful times like the holiday season or finals, I used to find it difficult to keep up my healthy eating habits. I was always pressed for time, staying up late to do homework and filing through my to-do list. Choking under all of the work that had to be done, I would feel my stomach grumble. Shoot. I had forgotten, yet again, to plan for dinner. I’d hurry through my dinner prep, and end up making something less delicious than my usual dish. I never really struggled that much with eating healthy, for me it was more of an issue of finding the time to properly prepare something. So in my case, preparation is the key.
Now, I don’t have nearly the same problem with finding time to make healthy meals and snacks. I have grown accustomed to preparing my dinner ingredients beforehand and making sure I have my snacks with me (like the ones featured below) before I leave for school or start working on homework.
Here I have outlined a few simple recipes you can whip up quickly when you’re pressed for time. These are things I love to prepare that can make all the difference in your work productivity. When I do homework, I like to have a nutrient dense snack or meal to help fuel me through my work. All of these recipes are single serving, but feel free to double or even triple them to meet your needs. It really makes a huge difference in your mindset when you have a good snack, and after working non stop on school work for hours, I find it really helpful to take a quick break for a snack. It leaves my mind clear, fresh, and ready to work.

1. Avocado toast: Avocado is rich in healthy fats (mostly monounsaturated) and plenty of vitamins such as B6, B9, K, C, and E, as well as more potassium than a banana, and fiber. This is real brain food! This toast is so simple, all you need is three simple ingredients. I am always whipping this up on a stressful night of homework or when I need a simple but flavorful snack.

1 slice of bread
¼-½ avocado
a pinch of salt
a couple dashes spice of your choice (I also love to add cayenne for a spicy kick!)
Directions:

1. First, toast your piece of bread and slice open your avocado.
2. Scoop the avocado onto the toast, mash it and spread it across the toast or leave it in large chunks.
3. Add salt and any optional seasonings if you would like. Serve!

2. Simply Sweet Green Smoothie: Don’t be afraid of the color! Green smoothies can be a delicious and nutritious snack if you do it right – all you need is to get the sweetness to greens ratio right for an amazing flavor! Here I combined the sweetness of apples and banana to complement the grassiness of leafy greens.

1 cup almond milk
1 apple
¼ avocado
1 large handful spinach
1 frozen banana
a few dashes cinnamon
Directions:

1. Prep ingredients by chopping the apple (leave the core out) and freezing the banana.*
2. Combine all ingredients in a blender. Blend until green specks of spinach are gone and a uniform color appears.

*To freeze banana: Peel the banana, then chop into thick slices. Place in a ziplock bag and freeze overnight.
*For a thicker blend, reduce the liquid by ½ cup OR add in another frozen banana, but a non high speed blender might have a hard time blending this much.
I promise these recipes will leave you feeling energized and ready to take on any project you are working on! It always makes me feel better knowing I am feeding my body the very best I can, as well as provide myself energy to get my work done. I hope these simple recipes help guide or keep you on track for a healthy lifestyle. Sometimes it is something as easy as incorporating nourishing foods into your day in little ways.
By Grace Vance
Photos by Grace Vance