What nutritionists eat: 'my day on a plate' Libby Limon

Like most people I work busy and long days so don’t have as much time to cook as I would like to. During the week everything I do is quick, easy and convenient to prepare, however, I do make time to sit down and eat my meals. Nothing is off limits but I tend to stick to the 80/20 rule, 80% healthy 20% of what I fancy. At the weekend I spend more time preparing more adventurous meals which often contain more ‘treat’ foods such as a healthy brunch and then maybe some red meat or afternoon tea treats.

This is what I eat on a typical weekday.

Rise and shine

I wake up pretty early most mornings and start the day off with a green tea. I love the stuff, its slow release of caffeine gets my metabolism going without disrupting my blood sugar levels. It is also fantastic for liver detoxification and hormone balance. Many people are put off because they make it with boiling water or over steep it. This makes it bitter. If you brew it for less than a minute with 75°C water it has a lovely, smooth flavour.

Breakfast

Either smoked salmon or egg with avocado on omega-3-rich German-style rye bread with a green juice.

It is important to start the day off with a balanced, nutrient-rich meal. A combination of protein, complex carbohydrates, fibre and healthy fats will keep your energy levels up and keep you fuller for longer. This helps you to avoid those mid-morning hunger pangs or sugar cravings. Omega-3s are the healthiest of fats, essential for heart health, the immune system and healthy skin but something we don’t often get enough of from our diet.

I make my green juice with 100% vegetables. I include cucumber, celery for hydration, parsley, spinach for liver and skin health, then lemon juice and ginger for flavour, plus their anti-inflammatory and alkalising effects.

Mid-morning snack

Matcha cinnamon almond milk latte. I have commandeered the Nespresso milk frother for my own non-coffee means. Matcha, another form of green tea, gives me a second burst of antioxidants and energy. The cinnamon is a natural, safe, non-sugar sweetener which actually helps blood sugar balance by mimicking insulin. Almond milk is rich in minerals such as magnesium.

Lunch

Salad of beans or pulses, (organic from a can – life is too short to cook pulses regularly!) leftover roasted or steamed veggies, sometimes with some leftover grains such as brown rice or quinoa. I add lots of herbs such as basil, parsley, mint and healthy oils, lemon juice or apple cider vinegar. If I want a creamy dressing I whizz the olive or avocado oil and lemon juice up with either some hummus or cashew nuts. I often add raw sauerkraut to my salad as I love its ‘pickley’ flavour and it is fantastic for gut health.

Mid-afternoon snack

I usually have some fruit, preferable a low GI fruit such as apple or nectarine with some nut butter - cashew, almond or peanut.

Dinner

Typically I have fish or tofu with plenty of veggies. One of my favourites is my healthy twist on fish and chips, made with organic baked salmon, spicy cayenne pepper sweet potato wedges and lots of peas. I love Asian-inspired food too. Oriental mushroom, miso, garlic, chilli and ginger broth with almond tofu is a favourite in the winter to boost the immune system or cauliflower egg-fried ‘rice’, made by grating the cauliflower, is a firm favourite too.

If I’m feeling like a treat with my meal I have kombucha, a drink made from fermented tea which tastes a little like cider. Kombucha is high in probiotics.

I’m addicted to chocolate so some quality organic dark chocolate makes it into me most evenings.

Photo credit: Libby Limon