Here at Create & Cultivate, we know how busy life can get. Amidst a hectic schedule, it is far too easy to forget to take care of yourself in the mix. However, therein lies the contradiction: if you do not properly nourish your body, you won’t be able to perform anywhere near your best. So, we sat down with food blogger Kenzie Burke, who gave us a few of her favorite quick, easy recipes, and explained why it’s important to make time for food.

Create & Cultivate: How can we food prep when we feel like there’s no time? What is a good hack?

Kenzie Burke: My mindset is that no matter how busy you are, there is always time to do things that matter to you. I understand what it is like to be insanely busy. Some days I cannot even manage to text one person back, but I know that I need fuel to perform at my best. It’s possible that you’ll have to stay awake 20 minutes later than usual to make tomorrow run smoother, or perhaps you swap out prep cooking in place of your evening Instagram scroll. Give yourself this gift. This probably isn't the answer anyone wanted to read but, where there is a will, there is a way. As mentioned before, I am a huge proponent of cook it once, eat it two or three times.

C&C: You are anti-diet—why? What is your food philosophy?

KB: My food philosophy is ‘make it a lifestyle.’ You’ve got to fall in love with your life. You have to wake up every day enjoying what you are doing or you just won't live a satisfying life. I believe this sentiment carries over into the foods we eat. You have to love what you eat and want to eat well. I’ve found that those who diet seem to fall off quite easily and feel limited and trapped. In my practice, I get to the root reasoning behind eating well. Why do you want to eat well? For your health? Body? Family? Taking care of your body is taking care of you.

You cannot show up as your best self for your friends, family, partner, and career if you don’t put your own oxygen mask on first. Find your why. To be more specific about what I love to put in my body, I really focus on whole foods. For lunch and dinner I try to make half my plate a veggie. I love to optimize digestion with food combining and plant-based food. I explore this concept further in my e-book as it has changed how I feel at an almost soul level. I feel like I vibrate on a whole new frequency.

3 Quick and Easy Recipes to Try This Week

Artichoke Heart Salad

Ingredients:

Romaine lettuce
Cucumber
Chickpeas
Olives
Artichoke hearts
Red pepper flakes

Ingredients for the dressing:

3 large lemons
3/4 cup olive oil
2 cloves of garlic
Salt and pepper to taste

Note: This makes a big batch you can keep in your fridge and use throughout the week.

Directions:

Chop romaine into fine pieces, peel and cut cucumber. Plate lettuce and cucumber with chickpeas, olives, artichoke hearts, and top with red pepper flakes. For the dressing place all ingredients into your blender and blend. This dressing stores well in the fridge. Finish salad with this simple salad dressing.

Tropical Bub Smoothie

Ingredients:

Cup of frozen mango
1 banana
Chunk of cucumber
Spinach or lettuce
Chunk of ginger
1 date
Coconut water
Spirulina powder
Shake of cinnamon

Directions:

Place ingredients in a blender and blend!

Simple Chickpea Pasta

Ingredients:

Chickpea pasta
Handful of cherry tomatoes
1/2 an avocado
1/2 of a lemon
Drizzle of olive oil
Salt and pepper
Nutritional yeast

Directions:

Cook the noodles by following the directions on the package they come in. In a sauté pan; sauté the cherry tomatoes on medium heat in olive oil until they are soft.

Once the pasta has finished cooking plate the pasta with the cherry tomatoes, sliced avocado, and finish the dish with a drizzle of olive oil, squeeze of 1/2 of a lemon, salt, pepper, and nutritional yeast.

This dish is ready to eat. It is also good cold.