How to Make Healthy Eating Simple
The Truth on Healthy Eating:
Healthy eating doesn’t require ‘superfoods’ or expensive and fancy ingredients. Just simple food in its whole form.
Every ‘diet’ you see out there has 3 things in common:
- Lowering kilojoule (calorie) intake
- Cutting out junk food
- Eating more vegetables!
So ignore the diets, and just fill your plate up with more veggies!
Think fruits, vegetables, unsweetened dairy products, grainy bread, oats, lean meats, fish, nuts and seeds, and extra virgin olive oil.
Flavours can come from huge selections of fresh herbs and spices. And yes, a dash of sugar or honey on top of your breakfast is totally okay.
Here are some other healthy eating truths to make your life easier.
It’s okay to eat meat
just remember you only need a piece about the size and thickness of your palm and you also don’t need it every day.
It’s okay to eat carbs
Just make sure they are grainy brown varieties!
You can get enough protein from vegetarian sources
You don’t need to eat meat with every meal. You can easily get enough protein from dairy foods, eggs, chickpeas, beans, lentils, nuts and seeds.
Fat can be healthy
A small amount of healthy fat is extremely good for your heart and brain and keeps you feeling full and satisfied!
A Guide to Plating up your Meals:
Veggies
How much? half of your plate/meal – the more the better
Examples: leafy greens, cucumber, tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, pumpkin, carrot, zucchini, capsicum, asparagus, green beans, peas, potatoes
Wholegrain Carbohydrates
How much? quarter of your plate or one cupped handful
Examples: grainy brown bread, brown pasta, brown rice, chickpeas, beans, lentils, potatoes, oats
Protein
How much? quarter of your plate – about the size of your palm
Examples: lean red meat, chicken, fish, eggs, lentils, chickpeas, beans, low fat dairy, nuts and seeds
Healthy fats
How much? the size of your thumb
Examples: extra virgin olive oil, avocado, nut butter, nuts, seeds, salmon, tuna
Eat More veggies!!
We can’t preach this enough!…. Why?
Because veggies are the foundation to a long, healthy and happy life!
Aim for more Vegetarian meals
Try to increase your vegetable intake by making more vegetarian meals. Include more chickpeas, beans and lentils! Reducing your meat intake will also help the environment!
How much meat we recommend eating in a week:
Red meat: once or twice
Chicken: once or twice
Fish: twice
Vegetarian Meals: Try to make the rest of your meals vegetarian.
Fill up on chickpeas, beans, lentils, nuts, low fat dairy, potatoes, sweet potatoes and lots of veggies!
Download our family healthy eating plan to find a 7-day meal plan full of yummy healthy eating or login to download your personal nutrition plan to help create a healthier eating pattern. This is FREE to all members.
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Check out this week’s healthy meat free recipe jam packed with spring veggies.
Spring Risotto
Serves: 4 Time: 25mins Cost: $11.50 approx. (2.90/serve)
Ingredients
- 2 cups brown cooked brown rice (we used family sized microwavable brown rice, cook your own in advance to save $$)
- 1 cups of vegetable or chicken stock
- 2 tsp minced garlic or 2 garlic cloves
- 2 TBSP lemon juice
- ½ cup parmesan cheese
- 1 cup frozen peas (or fresh if you can find them)
- 1 bunch of asparagus
- 4 cups spinach (or any other leafy greens)
- 60g pine nuts
Method
- Prep: Chop asparagus, crush garlic, grate parmesan.
- Heat pan on low- medium heat, add pine nuts and cook for 2-3 mins until they are slightly golden. Remove and put aside.
- Drizzle olive oil in a pan, add asparagus and garlic, cooked rice, peas, parmesan, lemon juice, stock and a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Bring stock to boil then simmer for further 6-8 mins until the liquid has dissolved, stirring regularly.
- Stir through toasted pine nuts and spinach until spinach has wilted down.
- Serve with fresh parsley.
