How was week one for you?
My highlights? Passing the minute plank with a 1 minute 08 seconds (thanks Katie Kirkpatrick for your awesome motivation), lifting one foot off the ground with peace grip on big toe and not losing it for the first time (I lost it shortly afterwards but that’s not the point!) and saving the best till last, seeing Turia Pitt speak – How amazing is she?
It’s important to realise that it’s not all shiny and ‘easy for some’. Everyone’s got their thing they’re a beginner at. Food’s easy for me. I’ve done the work to get to that place. Strength? Big challenge for me. For some of you it will be the food that’s really hard, but then you can plank your way into the sunset! It’s such an opportunity to lift each other up instead of feeling fear that we’ll ‘never be able to do that’ or worse, ‘it’s easy for some’ with that victim mentality… This week I want to support anyone who needs it with a few ‘sub’ tips or creative ideas to keep the taste buds happy the next 3 weeks of the challenge.
You must be missing that coffee by now? I know I am, and I’m even just a decaf drinker – psychology is everything, don’t laugh! If you need a hot drink fix, check out the beautiful nourishing warm spiced almond milk.
You could also make your own dandelion almond milk or check out the Masala Milk or other delectables at Orchard St for sugar free, caffeine free options. Try to focus on discovery, instead of deprivation.
Missing Bread?
The Spring Wellness Sprouted Quinoa loaf is made with sprouted quinoa, millet, coconut oil and veggies. Nothing else, so it’s a great ’30 days’ approved bread. Radley, the maker, has full list of where you can get it from on his site, so check it out here. Here’s another must-try recipe for super yummy bread.
Maybe you’re missing something like chips? These beet leaf chips are super delicious and what’s extra awesome about them, is that it means we don’t waste the beautiful leaves off a bunch of beets – So much nutritional and tasty goodness there. I made the call recently that I prefer them to kale chips. Up to you to decide. Here they are.
Missing sweet stuff?
A brilliant sweet breakky is the infamous healthy pancake that Natasha popped on the group page last week – 2 eggs blended with a banana = your pancake mix. Top with yoghurt, a few bits of your favourite fresh fruit and that should keep you happy.
Fruit is nature’s candy. A piece a day is a healthful, delicious thing to have as a treat during 30 days, so get creative. Head to a market and pick out stuff you haven’t tried / eaten in ages to keep it exciting. Humans need food excitement. It’s how we’re wired, so instead of fighting it and feeling deprived, find the excitement in nature.
If you were / are a Messina fan (seems like everyone is!) then this instant icecream is a great, creamy tasting substitute and is ready in about a minute.
If you like ‘breakky pudding’ type things, this pomegranate and cinnamon chia pudding is delicious and really filling. I’d add a tbsp of pure protein powder given we’re training hard this month (either the green pack of grass fed beef gelatin from Wholefood’s House queen St, or the body science protein powder from FLOW).
Maybe you’re having plain meat and veg type meals and you’re bored?
- Add fresh chopped herbs, always – to salads, to mash, to steamed veg. They add micronutrients AND big flavour.
- Add spice/ dried herb rubs, to roasts and lean proteins – try paprika + cumin, oregano + lemon zest, fennel + coriander seeds
- Add a squeeze of lemon to your dinner – great for digestion and adds a little tang.
- Add chilli – Fresh large red chillis or dried flakes. Heat creates excitement.
- Get slow cooking – It’s gentler on the meat proteins and therefore easier to digest. Plus, slow cooking means little effort and maximum flavour results. I don’t have a slow cooker, I do everything in a big crock pot / low oven. Here’s a lamb shoulder to try. 10 minutes before work to prep, and walk in the door with dinner ready.
- Want a mash without the big carbs? Try this super tasty cauliflower puree and chicken breasts with caramelised onions 30 minutes start to finish for the whole meal.
Finding it hard to get meals sorted every day with the time you have?
When you DO cook or prep, cook double and use leftovers for lunch or even breakky. Here are a couple of examples.
- If I’ve got to chop one onion, I’ll do 4 and put in a container for later in the week. Same with other veggies I use often.
- I always do 2 trays of roast veggies – some for that night, some for soup, some for salads, some to have in a breakky frittata….
- I roast two chooks when I do chook. The leftovers get used for making a stock, (amazing stuff for bone and joint health) then a soup, then a breakkie toastie with spring wellness bread and avo, then a quick post work out refuel, a stir fry with veggies, a salad ‘soup up’ for a good protein hit… It goes on and on and means very ittle work thereafter.
Caution on the chook’s provenance
For chicken, I caution against anything other than organic. If you buy them whole, it’s the same price as pieces of free range chook, plus you lose the styrofoam packaging. There’s the animal cruelty issue, and there’s also the issue of the non organic chooks being fed genetically modified corn and soya beans in their feed mix. Organic meat from ethical farms is better for us, the chickens during their life, and the planet, so get involved.
Any questions you can just pop in the comments here or Ben has asked me to help with the food questions on the group page, so ask away!
Keep inspiring everyone with your own pics and ideas – You never know what might be the answer that someone is looking for! The beautiful Lola Berry will have a bunch of inspiration for us on Wednesday night, too.
Real Food, Happy Bodies.
