(Latest photo of me)
This is the second edition of “What Liv is Currently Eating”. The first one was on 02/08/19, nearly one year ago!
We all go through phases of cooking the same meal, whizzing up the same smoothie, and reaching in the cupboard to pull out the same snack. A Nutritionist is no different. Habit removes the stress and time spent hovering around the fridge weighing up your options.
My go-to week-day meals and snacks favour balancing my blood sugar and keeping my gut happy. I am strictly gluten-free due to an intolerance, but I’m not too strict in other areas.
Breakfast:
Chocolate Almond Protein Smoothie
or
Raspberry Chocolate Protein Smoothie
Morning Tea:
1 banana or 2 mandarins, and a pottle of Greek yoghurt.
or
Nothing because my smoothie keeps me going for hours. Check out my blog ~How To Make a Filling Smoothie.
Lunch:
Leftover chicken (breast or thighs), ½ avocado, cherry tomatoes, basil (and sometimes boiled potatoes with butter).
or
Leftover chicken, pork or beef mince – cooked with chopped broccoli, grated zucchini, grated carrot, chopped tomatoes, and tomato puree or a can of tomatoes. With ½ avocado, cherry tomatoes, basil, parmesan (and sometimes boiled potatoes with butter).
or
Slow-cooked beef (my favourite is osso bucco – beef shin), ½ avocado, cherry tomatoes, basil (and sometimes boiled potatoes with butter).
Afternoon Tea:
2 mandarins and a piece of cheese and/or a handful of nuts (cashews or macadamias).
or
Nothing and just 3 Brazil nuts when I get home from work.
Dinner:
Salad – ½ a bag of kale massaged in 2 tablespoons olive oil and juice from 1 lemon, 1 carrot, ½ cucumber, 1 orange, cooked beetroot, ½ avocado, sprinkle of feta, 1 tablespoon sunflower seeds, and 1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds. Check out my Colourful Kale Salad.
With chicken breast, chicken thighs, mince, or slow-cooked beef (and sometimes boiled potatoes with butter or gluten-free/bean pasta with mince and parmesan a.k.a. spaghetti bolognaise).
I cook in olive oil and marinate my meat in turmeric powder, cayenne pepper, kelp, and Celtic sea salt.
Supper:
A dollop (or maybe two) of nut butter (peanut, almond, cashew or hazelnut) or a Banana Boat.
Weekend:
The weekends are slightly different because I am often at home in Auckland. Whereas, I am in New Plymouth at the moment during the weekdays tutoring at the Naturopathic College of NZ.
I always have a smoothie for breakfast, it’s my ritual. I am less inclined to have morning or afternoon tea, as breakfast and lunch are later. Lunch is one of these Work-From-Home Lunches (even if I’m not working). Dinners feature a little less kale and be more entertaining e.g. keto/Paleo pizza, chicken and avocado keto/gluten-free burgers, chicken or mince burritos, homemade chicken curry and brown/black/red/purple rice, or fish (tarakihi or snapper) topped with crushed walnuts and roasted veggies (potato, kumara, pumpkin, carrot, parsnip, zucchini, tomatoes) drizzled with olive oil.
Read more about some these dinner ideas in What Liv is Currently Eating 02/08/19 – a few oldies and goodies haven’t changed.
Supplements:
In the morning I take 50ml of kombucha (liquid), 1 teaspoon cod liver oil (liquid), natural B complex vitamins – extracted from quinoa sprouts (powder), and evening primrose (capsule).
In the evening I take 50ml of kombucha (liquid), 1 teaspoon cod liver oil (liquid), vitamin C (liquid), evening primrose (capsule), and DIM (capsule).
Before bed I take magnesium (powder), zinc (powder) and probiotics (capsule).
Kombucha is a functional source of probiotics and aids digestion. Cod liver oil contains omega 3, vitamin A and vitamin D – all superfoods for the gut. Vitamins B and C are for stress and energy. DIM supports hormone levels by encouraging liver detoxification of hormones (namely oestrogen). Magnesium promotes muscle relaxation, deep sleep, and prevents those nasty leg and toe cramps. Zinc is the most underrated mineral, check out my Top 10 Reasons Why You Need Zinc. I currently have some spare probiotics for gut health and immunity, but I may not replace them when they run out because I eat fermented foods.
Check out my blog Healthy Meals and Snacks Ideas for more inspiration.
Your Nutrition Mentor,
