STEPS 6 - Pump up the fruit and veg

Source:  www.heraldsun.com.au

Unless you have been hiding under a rock, or perhaps even a boulder for the last few years, you would have heard the old slogan, 'eat 2 fruit and 5 veg a day'.

And yet sadly only 15% of Australian men and 13-14% Australian women actually achieve this target*.  When I ask myself why the stats are so low, I think, is it taste? Cost?  Meat and carbs portions taking greater share of the plate?  The influx of 'snacks' on the market taking away share from good old fashioned fruit?.....

Basil, spinach, zucchini, macadamia and feta pesto

Pesto is a funny thing.  Most people buy it in a jar these days, and yet at the same time it is seen as quite a 'gourmet' meal.
Maybe its the Thermomix that makes me wonder why you'd buy it in a jar, and why anyone would consider it 'gourmet'!
This dish is what I would call 'fast food'!  Perfect for those nights when you have 30 minutes to get dinner on the table.  And yet it is so so nutritious - bursting with vitamins and minerals, enhanced by minimal cooking.

STEPS 5 - Reduce added sugar

C'mon, you knew it was coming didn't you??!!
And yet for most of us this one is probably already creating anxiety.  How am I going to be able to do this?  How can I possibly live without my chocolate or ice cream fix each night after the kids go to bed, bikkie with a cuppa at the office, two sugars in a latte to kick start the day.....

OK, I want to start this conversation with my personal experience with sugar.  Because before it, I don't think I really understood or believed the power sugar has on us.  I actually do think it is an addictive substance for many of us, and its not until you make the effort to 'get off it' that you realise the hold it had over you.

STEPS 4 - Make one dinner a week meat free

Originally launched during World War I in the States, revived in 2003, and since then developed into a global movement, Meatless Monday has taken the world by storm, including Australia who has set up a not-for-profit initiative, Meatless Mondays Australia.

Have you heard of it?

The reasons for 'meatless Monday' center around environmental reasons (high greenhouse emissions associated with livestock production), animal rights, and health benefits associated with a reduction in meat and consequently an increase in consumption of legumes and vegetables.

So why am I making this a part of our STEPS program?  I actually think meat serves a very important purpose in the diet, however I agree that we do eat more than we need to, and our serving sizes typically are much larger than they need to be too, reducing the amount of veggies on the plate.

Healthier nutritious homemade breakfast cereals

For a meal that is now widely known as the 'most important meal of the day', many food companies out there aren't really doing a great job of providing breakfast options that give a healthy start to the day.  For some reason it is actually quite difficult to find cereals that don't contain a high amount of sugar (and highly processed sugar at that), a multitude of 'numbers' (additives and preservatives), and a whole heap of over processed grains that need stuff added back into the mix to make it look healthy.

Actually I would say that apart from Weetbix, plain porridge, and maybe one or two others, the rest of the breakfast cereal aisle should be picked up and dropped into the confectionary aisle.

STEPS 3 - Add 2 tablespoons of seeds 5x p/wk

OK so we have good hydration sorted, and regular fish consumption well on the way.  So, what do I think is another important addition to our Small Tasks Equal Permanent Success plan?......
Seeds!!!!
Yes, these nutrient dense powerhouses will really pack a punch to your vitamin and mineral intake, and with such little effort!  Just a couple of tablespoons on most days of the week is all that you will need.
There are so many ways to use 2 tablespoons, but lets first briefly go through a few seeds and their nutrition benefits..

Breakfast loaf - gluten, nut and dairy free

After fasting for 10 or so hours, our body is craving fuel, and what better way to satisfy that craving than by a nutrient packed brekky?!  It is not only beneficial physically, but emotionally, having a good breakfast tends to pave the way for better food choices throughout the day. 

I have raved before about the base of this recipe in a previous post where I made it into a cheese and herb loaf, although you may notice a slight colour difference this time around??!!!  Cyndi O'Mearas Gluten Free Bread recipe, featured in the Thermomix GF recipe book, is the recipe I use exclusively now to make my weekly loaf of bread.  It is so easy and I love that a large percentage of the ingredients are freshly milled at the time of making the loaf.