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Garden-friendly dinner: Fueled by plants

Do you live a busy lifestyle?
Do you stay active morning 'til night?
Do you have more on your plate than your mind can handle?
Do you need more hours in the day to tackle your never-ending to-do list?
Do you hate getting sick?
Do you love traveling?
Do you love pushing your body for fitness gains?
Do you love to compete in athletic events?
Do you love to use your brain?
Do you want to reduce your risk for disease/illness to live a quality-filled life?
Do you enjoy being spontaneous with your life?
Do you love your life, your family, your job, your friends, your children, your furry ones?

The only way you can function well in life is by having a functioning body and mind. You only have one place to live for the rest of your life and your body is your home so you have to take care of it. It is up to you to keep the foundation strong and to constantly tune-it-up to keep it in top-notch condition. You can ease up every now and then for what you do most of the time matters more than what you do occasionally.

There are many people who rely on a wake-up call to change dietary habits. There's nothing wrong with that for if life gives you a call to wake-up, consider yourself lucky that you have another chance at healthy living. For others, life doesn't seem worth it to change or change is just too hard, difficult and time-consuming.

Regardless of where you are in your life and your relationship with food and your body, find a way to make progress. No need to be perfect, just focus on yourself and what you can do to set yourself up for a better tomorrow.

For a plant-strong dinner to keep your immune system in optimal health, your muscles fueled, your GI tract happy and your brain thinking clearly, consider using your oven for an easy meal that needs little attention to prep. And the best part....it tastes great!!

Enjoy!


Roasted potatoes, grains and veggies


Whole grains of your choice - I used wild rice, barley and spelt berries (I made a big batch for leftovers)
Sliced mushrooms
Firm tofu (sliced)
Corn (frozen)
Red bell pepper (sliced)
1 extra large clove of garlic (thick slices, peeled)
White potato (large, sliced)
Sweet potato (large, sliced)
Sunflower oil
Spices of your liking - turmeric, salt (sprinkle), oregano, garlic
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Cook grains according to package (it took me 1.5 hours to prep my grains so you may want to do this the day before or on the weekend and plan for leftovers).
3. On a large baking sheet, drizzle oil (about 1/2-1 tbsp) to lightly cover baking sheet and toss white potatoes (sliced) in the oil and sprinkle with spices. Add mushrooms and garlic (cover garlic slices in the mushrooms so the garlic doesn't burn on the sheet).
4. Repeat the same thing on separate baking sheet with oil, sweet potatoes, mushrooms and garlic.
5. In a casserole dish, drizzle a little oil and toss tofu, corn and peppers (the casserole dish will keep the veggies soft without browning but if you like them brown, you can cook them on another baking dish). 
6. Bake items prepared for steps #3-5 in oven with potatoes on bottom rack and casserole dish on the top.
7. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until potatoes are golden brown. 
Toppings (optional): greek yogurt for dipping, shredded cheese on potatoes, nuts/seeds for a crunch, greens for a bit more color, salsa for spice.