Journalist and author, Sami Lukis, 48 shares her day on a plate.
Sami Lukis.
9am On a girls' weekend away, one friend prepares a breakfast feast. I have been vegetarian for 40 years, so I stick to the haloumi, mushrooms and kale with fresh chilli, garlic and avocado.
10am It's a hot day, so I grab a can of Coke.
1.30pm A slice of fresh bread with goat's cheese and cherry tomatoes.
5pm I've had two litres of water during the day, and now I drink a chilled glass of pinot grigio.
7pm My favourite homemade salad of four-leaf mix, carrot, tofu, avocado, feta cheese, beetroot, corn and brown rice, plus another glass of pinot grigio.
8pm
I take my dog Lolli for a walk and grab one scoop of salted coconut and mango gelato on the way home.
Dr Joanna McMillan says…
Top marks for … Adding tofu to salad for dinner. As a vegetarian, meeting iron requirements can be tricky, and tofu is one of the best plant sources of iron. By consuming it with vitamin C-rich salad vegies, you also improve iron absorption.
If you keep eating like this you'll … Nourish your body nicely as you are eating lots of whole plant foods and boosting protein intake with the addition of cheese and tofu. Just be careful not to overdo the cheese. You do well to only have one scoop of gelato, but watch the soft-drink habit. An occasional can will likely do no harm, but imbibing regularly is a disaster for health, including dental health.
Why don't you try … Getting more legumes and nuts into your day. These would boost plant protein and add essential nutrients including iron, magnesium and folate. Perhaps also try a low-sugar kombucha when craving a soft drink.
Sami Lukis will appear at All About Women at Sydney Opera House on March 10.
This article appears in Sunday Life magazine within the Sun-Herald and the Sunday Age on sale March 3.
Source: Read Full Article