Thanks for attending our seminar on optimising the 4 pillars of health presented by Alon Blumgart. As discussed in the seminar, here are some quick and easy meal options, including breakfast smoothies to keep your diet on track when you are busy. Each meal option and smoothie shows you how to combine protein, vegetables, fats and carbohydrates into one balanced meal. Remember to use your hands in order to judge the serving sizes of each nutrient.
As you will also see, there are a wide variety of healthy juice recipes, which is a great way to keep you hydrated and increase your overall fruit and vegetable intake for the day.
Healthy Smoothies
Vanilla Smoothie
Vanilla whey protein powder (1 scoop = 1 palm) - protein
1/4 avocado OR TBS coconut oil OR 1 TBS 100% pure nut butter - fats
Greek yoghurt (2 TBS = 1 palm) - protein
A hand full of spinach/kale - vegetables
Cinnamon - 2 tsp. - spice
1 x banana OR cupped hand of berries OR cupped hand of mango – carbohydrates
Water, milk, kombucha, coconut water, almond milk, soy milk (all unsweetened with no added sugar) - fluids
Spirulina powder – vegetables
Vanilla extract (optional for taste)
Mint Chocolate Smoothie
Vanilla whey protein powder
1/4 avocado OR 1 TBS coconut oil
1 tsp. cacao powder
1 x banana
1/2 cupped hand of mint leaves
Banana and Peanut Butter Smoothie
1 x banana
A handful of spinach
1 TBS of pure nut butter
Greek yoghurt
Vanilla whey protein powder
Top with cinnamon
Coconut Smoothie
Vanilla whey protein powder
1 TBS coconut oil
1 TBS coconut yoghurt or cupped hand frozen coconut
1 x banana
2 tsp. cinnamon
Spinach leaves
Top with shredded coconut
Other Healthy Choices Include:
Protein Pancakes
1 serve of vanilla whey protein powder
1 x egg
Cinnamon
Handful of spinach
1 x banana
1 TBS nut butter
1 TBS of coconut flour OR banana flour OR nut flour (e.g. almond)
Water, milk, almond milk or soy – a small amount to liquify the batter slightly
Put in a blender to make the batter and fry in a hot pan. Top with Greek yoghurt, honey, cinnamon and a cupped hand of berries.
Eggs
Eggs (fried, poached, scrambled, hard boiled) with fried vegetables (e.g. tomato, spinach and mushrooms) cooked in healthy oils (e.g. olive oil, coconut oil, butter) and add some salt, pepper, herbs/spices for flavour. Served on multi-grain toast (gluten free if needed) with avocado.
Smoothie Bowl
Greek yoghurt (mix with whey protein powder), nuts and seeds, cinnamon, honey, berries, passionfruit seeds. Serve with cut-up vegetables.
Stir fry
Stir fry lots of different colours of vegetables with a protein source (e.g. beef, chicken, lamb) and a healthy carb source (e.g. sweet potato, pumpkin, rice etc.). Cooked in healthy oils like olive oil, coconut oil or butter.
Salad with protein
Mixed vegetable salad with a protein source of your choice (e.g. meat, eggs, tuna). Added fats can be via the salad dressing (e.g. olive oil and balsamic vinegar), avocado, nuts or seeds. The added carbs can be things like beans/peas/lentils/legumes, sweet potato or grains like wild rice or quinoa.
Wraps with protein
Corn or rice wraps (carbohydrate) that contain protein (e.g. egg, tuna, meat), vegetables and fats (e.g. avocado).
Roasted protein with vegetables
Roasted protein (e.g. meat or fish) with roasted vegetables and starchy vegetables (e.g. potato, sweet potato, pumpkin etc). Cooked in healthy oils.
Snacks
Homemade popcorn, nuts, goji berries, dates, figs, vegetable sticks with hummus, fruit, tuna or hard boiled eggs with cut up vegetables, smoothie bowl, health bars (bounce, paleo bars, the bar counter), rice wraps or crackers with pure nut butter, dark chocolate (>70%).
Note: Soups are a great way to get vegetables and healthy carbohydrates into your diet (e.g. pumpkin, sweet potato, butternut).
Tip: Cook in bulk for leftovers that can be used for lunch the next day. Or, use Sunday’s for cooking and meal prep.
Healthy Juices
Beetroot Juice
¼ beetroot
A hand full of spinach/kale
¼ orange
1x ginger stub
Sprinkle of turmeric
1 x celery stick
¼ apple
1x carrot stick
Cupped hand of mint leaves
Water
Green Juice
Cupped hand of kale
1 x Lebanese cucumber
1 x celery stick
1 x ginger stub
¼ apple
Water
Green and Citrus Juice
Cupped hand of spinach
½ lemon
½ lime
¼ orange
1 x celery stick
Water
Cucumber and Pineapple Juice
1 x Lebanese cucumber
4 pieces of frozen pineapple
½ lemon
1 x stub of ginger
¼ apple
Water
Cucumber and Pear Juice
1 x Lebanese cucumber
¼ pear
Cupped hand of spinach
Mint leaves
Water
These recipes were prepared by Alon Blumgart, Melbourne Naturopath and Nutritionist at Melbourne Wellness.