My Unapologetically Boring Day on a Plate

A few ‘health gurus’ have come out lately telling the world what they eat on a daily basis to keep themselves healthy and there is no shortage of weird and obnoxious, bizarre, ridiculous wonderful ingredients. Their diet is full of superfood goodness, pixie dust and magical beans that no doubt will allow them to live till they are 162. In fact their superfood diet is SO powerful that just by reading about it you too will live till 162 because that’s how long it will take you to get through and pronounce all of the ingredients. If you want to feel inadequate and unhealthy about eating normal, everyday, healthy foods take a peek of their ‘day on a plate’ check it out here and here.

While their diets do look and sound totally unappealing very inviting I want to show you that my humble and significantly less complicated and less expensive diet with easy pronounce ingredients is just as wonderful, healthy, nutritious and full of super foods.

My day on a plate –

Breakfast:

When it comes to breakfast I am definitely a creature of habit. During the week my breakfast is always the same. I start the day with a super, duper delicious bowl of oats (well it’s actually in a tuppaware container because I eat it on the train on the way to work):

Oats  – I definitely consider oats as a super food. These guys are full of fibre (including beta glucans) which can help lower cholesterol, they are low GI to prevent blood sugar spikes and they help to keep you feeling fuller for longer. I use home brand oats because I know that the oats inside the home brand bag that costs me $1.60 are the same as the oats inside the hipster brown paper bag for $12.99.

I top my oats with a couple of big dollops of Greek yoghurt. Another super food as it’s packed full of protein which can also keep you feeling satisfied for longer, probiotics which are healthy bacteria for your gut as well as containing a good dose of calcium.

I throw on half a banana (with the goodness of fibre, potassium and carbohydrates) and frozen berries which are jam packed full of antioxidants (I buy the frozen variety because they are much cheaper and available all year round).

I stir in some natural peanut butter for some delicious and nutritious healthy fats (last week I bought 8 jars of it from the supermarket because it was half price – I love a good bulk buy!) and finally sprinkle on cinnamon – not only can it help stabilise blood sugar levels it is delicious too!

Morning snack:

If I have been bothered to make my homemade beetroot & chickpea dip then I would have this with a few grainy vita wheat crackers. I’m not a huge fan of spending hours in the kitchen, baking, making homemade goodies or even spending a long time preparing meals. This dip literally takes about 30 seconds to make – tin of chickpeas, tin of beetroot and some cumin whizzed in a blender, so usually I force myself to make a batch once a week knowing it only takes a second and it’s so delicious. Chickpeas are definitely a super food as they are full of fibre and phytochemicals, are low GI and may help to manage cholesterol and blood sugar levels. If I haven’t spent 30 seconds that week making the dip, it’s a piece of fruit.

Lunch:

Lunch varies but during the week I try and bring lunch from home to eat at work so it is usually a sandwich or some kind of salad. A sandwich would consist of –

My favourite grainy bread. This is definitely a super food bread. It is so dense and full of seeds, protein and healthy fats it really keeps you satisfied. And considering it’s only $3.00 a super good price too.

Salad. This is whatever is in my fridge. Most likely spinach (hello iron, fibre and phytochemicals), tomato, carrot and beetroot.

Slice of cheese.

Tin of tuna – I use the flavoured tuna because we all know flavoured tuna is so much more delicious than plain tuna. With a whack of protein and some omega 3’s tuna definitely ticks my superfood box.

If there’s not a long cue for the sandwich press at work that bad boy goes straight in till it comes out as a gooey, cheesy mess.

Afternoon snack:

So this depends how I’m feeling as to whether I’ll eat a snack in the arvo at work or wait till I’m on the train on the way home. For that reason I like to have an easy to eat, portable snack. This usually is a nut bar. Yep one straight from the packet, from a box, one that’s been processed and all. It contains 4 different nuts, it really satisfies because it’s so dense and full of healthy fats and it’s low in sugar too. Nuts contain things with big and fancy names such as plant sterols and phytochemicals so they definitely are a super food.

Dinner:

As mentioned previously I’m not a huge fan of spending a long time cooking and preparing meals so dinner has to be something quick and easy to prepare, as in 20 minutes max. Lately my ‘go-to’ dinner has been this mexi-bowl. Literally just a bowl full of chicken, beans (I’ve been using black beans lately, yes from a tin), mixed salad leaves, sweet potato, tomatoes and salsa (as you have probably guessed the salsa was bought at the store, not homemade). Definitely ticking some super foods off the list here: sweet potato, black beans, mixed green leaves and chicken.

After dinner snack:

Maybe, maybe not depends on how I’m feeling and what I choose could really be anything – chocolate, fruit, yoghurt, icecream. Last night I had cottage cheese mixed with frozen berries and cinnamon. Again I would consider any of these options superfoods because they are super delicious, they make me feel super good and I super enjoy eating them.

Drinks throughout the day:

Water (straight from the tap) and a coffee or two (instant straight from the jar, if I feel like spoiling myself I’ll get a ‘real’ coffee from the coffee shop).

So no need to spend your months wage on buying foods that you can’t pronounce to ensure you have a super food diet. Super foods can actually be cheap, everyday foods that you are probably already eating!

Whatever you eat make sure it’s super enjoyable, super delicious and makes you feel super good.