Some comfort foods I eat in place of the usual ice cream/milk shakes/frozen coffee and supposedly fruity concoctions, etc. since I drastically flipped the script on my consumption habits.(I no longer eat meat, dairy, eggs, caffeine, alcohol, and avoid as much artificial stuff as possible) My body and brain have both benefited greatly, more than I ever imagined possible, and much more than the docs ever gave me any hope for, from making such drastic changes:
Freeze "over ripe" bananas (and other fruits) for "nice cream" or smoothies. I put some parchment paper of a cookie sheet and peel and break them into smaller pieces to freeze in a single layer, then add them to freezer bags to store until I use them. A high speed blender makes the best milkshake consistency, a food processor or Yonananas machine makes more of a soft serve nice cream consistency, and those nutri bullet machines make smoothie and milkshake-like consistencies, but you need to add more liquids to make them blend well.
Add things like cocoa powder and a little peanut butter, or some other frozen or fresh fruits, or some mint leaves and cocoa powder, or some soaked dates and a small piece of vanilla bean, etc., etc. Frozen watermelon makes the most delicious sorbet, especially if you add some fresh mint leaves. Berries make great additions to just about any kind of smoothie or nice cream. The possibilities are endless. Making them ahead of time is doable, but keep in mind the wait time for having to let the frozen things thaw once it freezes solid. I have little patience for that, so I make them fresh when the urge hits.
I found all of my machines, including a juicer, at thrift and consignment shops, and even found a used vitamix blender for under a 100 bucks on craigslist. (They sell for over $400 brand new) Otherwise, I wouldn't be partaking based on expenses alone. I often add hemp hearts, or flax meal, or chia seeds, and a couple handfuls of a variety of leafy greens to increase the nutritional content. I try to avoid ingesting anything made IN a plant and stick with whole food plant-based stuff that was grown on a plant as much as possible. My body is super sensitive to artificial anything, so I have little choice if I wish to have any quality of life. Otherwise, it just felt like I was extending my death.
Juicing is another way to pack healthy and easily recognizable by our bodies nutrients into one serving. Carrot/orange/ginger - or apple/celery/ginger with added greens/cucumber/celery, etc. are both quite tasty and incredibly nutritious and two of my favorites. They can be made in bulk for a couple days worth, but you don't want to leave them much longer than that.
That's the thing that sent my self-care and wellness potential to another level and brought about positive results I thought were way the hell out of reach, especially at my age and level of despair thanks to what I was being told by all the folks I was seeking help from at that time. I never realized just how deeply what I choose to consume, inwardly and outwardly, affects every other single thing in my life. Without choosing healthier input, no matter how much I tried to exercise it all away, I simply couldn't keep expecting a healthy output, no matter how badly I wished/prayed/hoped for it. Best wishes in helping your loved ones.
