3 Surprising Foods That Will Help You Stay Healthy in 2019
Welcome to our food series called Eat It Up, where we share the kitchen gadgets and foods that we can’t cook without.
Patagonia may be best known for its fleece zip-ups, but its Provisions line of foods absolutely deserves a spot in your pantry for quick, healthy meals that reheat in 10 minutes. Sure, we rely on dehydrated foods like these for camping, but after trying its line of Hot Breakfast Cereals ($7), Smoked Salmon ($14), and legume Soups ($7), we’re ready to keep our kitchen stocked with these items to whip up when life becomes too busy.
The organic hot cereals combine toasted buckwheat kasha, cracked whole barley, rolled oats, and flax seed for a take on oatmeal that will actually fill you up and keep you satiated for hours. Flavors include Red Raspberry, Creamy Banana, or Tart Apple, though we’re partial to the berry. The packages come with enough for two portions, so you can split it with someone or save it for another day. Each 1/2 cup serving contains 210 calories, 40 grams of carbs, 8 grams of fiber, 5 grams of sugar, 8 grams of protein.
Actually cooking it couldn’t be simpler. Just boil water, add the packet and cook for 1 minute, then allow to sit covered for 9 minutes until the water reabsorbs the grains. These wholesome cereals do not come sweetened and only have a touch of sunflower oil, so we recommend stirring in some nut butter (RX Nut Butter is our fave option) to give it the slight sweetness and velvety texture it needs.
The soups cook up in a similar fashion as the cereals and come in comforting varieties like Red Bean Chili, Black Bean, and Green Lentil. Each serving clocks in at around 210-290 calories with 13-16 grams of protein. Though the carb count can be high (40-53 grams), the legumes contain a ton of fiber (7-23 grams) to help offset that net carb load. We recommend doctoring the soups up a bit with a touch of salt and a tablespoon of ghee, butter, or olive oil to really enhance the flavors. You can finish them off with fresh green onions, shredded cheese, and diced parsley if you’re feeling fancy.
Though these dehydrated meals make it really easy to go veg, sometimes a hankering for animal protein comes about, and that’s when these foil-packed smoked wild salmon help you get your fill ethically. Each of the two pouches only sets you back 160 calories while offering 24 grams of protein. The salmon is skin-on (for added omega 3), but before you turn up your nose, it’s tender and so delicate, you can’t even taste it. We liked ours at room temp, but the foil packet can be dunked into a hot water bath for a poaching effect. Serve it over crackers, steamed rice, or a bed of greens.
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(Photos via Patagonia Provisions and Amy Kumler)
