The chaos of life is constantly knocking at the door, waiting to invite itself in. At times, there seem to be few escapes from the stacks of paperwork at the office and the ever expanding list of things to do at home. All the while, the more significant parts of life are swirling around us, forcing themselves – and all the critical decisions that they require – between  the boardroom and the laundry basket.  The truth is life will always be full of stressful moments, scheduling conflicts and important decisions. It becomes then ever more important to find the moments of peace in the day and the happiness in the chaos.

Adding eating well (from sourcing the best nutritional plans, to grocery shopping, to meal prep) can sometimes feel like the part of the day that can be easily modified for convenience and scrapped in order to save mental space for other, more pressing tasks. Sometimes this is true for all of us. I know that in the past I have certainly ate a bowl of cereal for dinner or chosen fast food because I was too tired or busy to cook a full meal. And perhaps sometimes there are moments in life when this really is the case – when a dinner out that requires no forethought or cleanup is truly the best option if it will help save our sanity– but more and more I have found that meals of convenience are only of benefit in the moment that I consume them, because all the moments after they are consuming me, by lowering my energy, mood and concentration.

So if life always promises to be full of periods of stress and busy schedules, then I must promise to always find time for slower moments and rituals of rest and relaxation. One of my favourite rituals is to go for a bike ride and then make dinner with my love. There are so many beautiful places in Vancouver to bike and discover, whether it be outside my front door with a ride along the False Creek seawall, or through the trees at Stanley Park, or by packing the bikes up in the truck for a ride on the Pacific Spirit Park trails of the UBC endowment lands. No matter where I am, it always feels liberating to pedal fast like we did on our childhood streets and to race among the trees, engulfed by the mass of green wildness and clear, fresh air. It’s amazing how these moments can invigorate the mind and allow me to see things more clearly and all at once. It reinforces that primal need for nature and how great it feels to just be outside moving our bodies and breathing in all the beauty of the world.

With muscles sore from cycling (and sometimes clothes soaked from rain) I return feeling relaxed and at ease. Burning so many calories, especially on gloomy or brisk days, creates a desire for a ‘comfort meal’. One of our favourites is our Paleo Shepherd’s Pie (recipe below). This creation comes from pulling ideas from several different recipes and making it Paleo-compliant for me. The result is unbelievably delicious. It would also work great for leftovers to serve up on busy work nights, but this is rarely the case as the dish is usually gobbled up in one sitting.

A day like this one is not always possible, but it is a priority to make it so. Making time for bike rides and meal prep pays off in the end by allowing me to feel more relaxed and for my body to feel stronger and healthier. There will certainly be days ahead that require compromises for convenience, but when a healthy lifestyle and good nutrition is at the foundation it makes it a lot easier to adapt to a change in the tide and return to healthy habits more quickly. Most importantly though, it just feels good and tastes even better.

Paleo Shepherd’s Pie

• 1 C. chopped carrots
• 1 C. chopped onion
• ½ C. peas (primal not paleo, can use alternate veggie)
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 Tbs. tomato paste
• ½ C. bone broth (I make my own and freeze for later use)
• 1-1 ¼ lb. lean ground beef or bison
• 1 ½ large sweet potatoes
• 1 Tbs. avocado oil
• 1/3 C. almond or coconut milk
• A generous amount of sea salt, fresh ground pepper, red pepper flakes and paprika

Directions

• Sauté oil, carrots, onions and peas until onions are translucent
• Add in ground beef, garlic, salt and pepper, and red pepper flakes. Cook until pink is gone in beef.
• Add tomato paste and broth. Simmer for 10 mins.
• While beef is cooking, boil sweet potatoes for 17-18 minutes and mash with almond milk once done.
• Add meat mixture to square baking dish. Cover with mashed potatoes and press down. Sprinkle with paprika.
• Bake at 400°F for 30 minutes.
• Serve and enjoy!