My guess is that most people will say no and I hadn't really given it much thought either. That is until I saw a post on Instagram from a bodybuilder about how ice-cream deserves respect.
I immediately thought ‘oh intriguing let me find out more’. Well the bottom line from the bodybuilder was ice-cream can take a while to eat. One lick or spoonful at a time, you can’t really rush it. It can fill you up and it can be a source of protein and therefore it deserved respect.
Interesting don’t you think? I was almost tempted to have a bowl just to see how long it took me to eat and how full I felt but instead, I decided, I quite liked the idea of respecting the ice cream and leaving it alone in the freezer!
However, it did get me thinking about Mindful Eating and other foods that ‘deserve respect’ so applying the same rules as the ice-cream:
- Can fill you up
- Takes a while to eat
- Source of protein
I came up with a breakfast, lunch and dinner that in my opinion definitely deserve respect when eating and here's why:
Breakfast – Porridge
First off, its hot, which means you can't just eat it without sitting down and taking time. Each spoonful is a delight. Comforting, warm and full of flavour, it requires your attention, demands your respect and when done properly can nourish your very soul.
Pimping up a basic bowl by adding a source of protein like nuts, seeds or nut butter, some fruit or veg like berries, pear or carrot means you can tick off 2 of your 5 a day, get a good dose of your daily fibre requirements, keep your blood sugar balanced, feel full and have energy until lunchtime. And, if you feel like your soul needs an extra bit of nourishment a few squares of dark chocolate would not be out of place!
Here's a few of my absolute favourite toppings:
- I usually do the same basic porridge of oats with chia seeds, coconut flakes and coconut milk, sometimes I also add a spoon of ground almonds or ground linseeds.
- Blueberry Bliss - basic oats topped with blueberry compote, sliced pear, almond butter and cinnamon.
- Carrot Cake - basic oats but add in a grated carrot a small grated pear and some nutmeg before cooking then top with blueberry compote and almond butter
- Apple Pie - basic oats with a grated apple before cooking topped with flaked almonds, chopped pecans, cinnamon and a little maple syrup.
- Chocolate Heaven - basic oats add in a teaspoon of cacao powder and top with sliced banana or pear chopped chocolate and a little maple syrup (the cacao can be quite bitter so adjust sweetness to suite you)
Lunch or Dinner - Salad
Salad is sometimes one of those things that people think of as ‘boring diet food’ but that really is an unwarranted label. If done right salads can be filling, nourishing and exciting and really do tick all the boxes on the respect scale.
How to build the perfect supper/ lunch bowl
- Start with a base of cooked grains - quinoa, brown/wild rice or buckwheat.
- Add loads of fresh herbs - parsley, coriander, basil or mint. Add some extra virgin olive oil and season with salt & pepper.
- Choose your veg - raw like tomatoes, peppers, cucumber, avocado full of healthy fats or roasted like beetroot, carrots, butternut squash or courgette – these can be added warm in autumn and winter.
- Choose your protein - feta cheese, cooked chicken, boiled eggs, canned chickpeas, lentils, black beans, smoked mackerel or flaked cooked salmon.
- Add a crunchy or jarred punchy topping - toasted nuts and seeds like - pine nuts, pistachios, sunflower or pumpkin seeds, olives, sundried tomatoes, artichokes or capers.
- Add a yummy dressing - 3 parts oil to 1-part acid + seasoning. You can also add crushed garlic, dried herbs or mustard for extra flavour.
Lunch or Dinner – Soup
Soup is the perfect way to get a filling and nutritious meal into your day. The best thing is it's all cooked in one pot and you can more or less add whatever you like. It’s great reheated and is perfect for on the go too. Respect all the way!
Here’s a few simple tips to enjoy soup.
- Think protein – where is it coming from? The great thing about soup is that you can use leftover cooked meat, canned pulses or just add raw prawns or thinly sliced raw chicken breast and poach. 7-9 minutes for chicken and around 5 minutes for prawns. You can even add boiled eggs (an acquired taste).
- 2-3 portions of vegetables (80g) as a minimum but I like to aim for 4-5 varieties especially if you are including onions and garlic as a base for flavour.
- Including some wholegrains like a handful of brown rice, spelt or quinoa can add extra fibre and helps to bulk out the soup. Wholegrain rice noodles are great for noodle soups and macaroni or mini pasta shapes can be used in minestrone.
- Adding ginger, garlic, chopped chilli and fresh herbs can pack a powerful punch and change the direction of the soup from a simple chicken/vegeatable broth to an Asian - inspired bowl of yumminess, whilst adding immune boosting nutrients.
- To make ‘cream of soup’ without dairy can easily be achieved by soaking a handful of cashew nuts in warm water then blending to a paste. This also adds protein and a wealth of other vitamins and minerals. You can also use a can of coconut milk.
Whichever way you eat your porridge, salad or soup remember to take it slowly, enjoy each mouthful and to include some protein. Oh, and don’t forget the respect!