Liquid Polymeal

I was at the library a couple of weeks ago and picked up a copy of Jonny Bowden's The Healthiest Meals on Earth. In it he talks about 'polymeals' (ideal meals that maximize intake of anti-inflammatories, antioxidants, fibre, good fats, protein, vitamins and minerals). The book has a range of recipes, including a template for creating a liquid polymeal (smoothie).

Liquid Polymeal Formula

1 cup (235 ml) milk, such as cow, almond, or rice

1 scoop protein powder (whey, egg protein, hemp, rice); 1/3 cup (75 g) silken tofu; or 1/3 cup (80 ml) pasteurized egg whites

1 cup (140-170 g) fruit or vegetable, such as fresh or frozen berries, melon, kiwifruit, cherries, papaya, guava, mango, or peaches, or 1 to 2 tablespoons (13 g) cranberries (with a sweetener), or 1/3 cup (75 g) cooked pumpkin or skinned baked sweet potato

1 to 2 tablespoons (15-30ml) great fats, such as avocado, flaxseed oil, coconut milk, coconut oil, almonds, pecans, cashews, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, or nut butters, or 1 teaspoon fish oil

1 to 2 tablespoons (7-14 g) extra fibre, such as ground flaxseed or flax meal, raw whole oats, wheat germ or bran, or a fibre supplement

Optional extras, to taste, such as dried coconut, dried goji berries, prunes, maca powder, fresh bee pollen, raw cacao, cinnamon, cardamom, pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg, nutritional yeast, powdered ginger, ginger juice, 1/3 banana, 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon (20 g) agave nectar or raw honey, sprinking xylitol, or 1 packet or 2 drops stevia

Place all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth.

Yield: 1 generous or 2 small servings

---

This morning I made a smoothie for my breakfast based on the polymeal template. I put in rice milk, rice protein, blueberries, almond butter, chia seeds, maca powder, cinnamon and banana

It was tasty and filling - a good combo!

Powered by Hot Cross Buns

Last night I prepared some gluten-free hot cross buns. When I got up this morning I just had to preheat the oven, pop them in, then make coffee when they were nearly ready.

I ended up having two hot-cross buns and two cups of coffee. I very rarely have coffee these days (usually one cup with Rob on a Sunday morning), so, fueled up with carbs and caffeine, I decided to tackle the area down the side of our house. It was a mess when we moved in nearly two years ago, and has barely been touched since, apart from Rob occasionally going in with a weed eater.

I pulled out bricks, roof tiles, sticks and weeds, and a few hours later it looked much tidier

There’s still a pile of broken bricks near the ducted heating unit, but I think I’ll need a wheelbarrow to do any justice to it.

---

Thought I’d throw in a few pics of some other food I’ve enjoyed eating this week…

Leftover roasted veges with hummus

 

Green Goddess Smoothie

 

Spanish eggs with tomatoes and chorizo sausage. (Our friend Luke stayed on Friday night and made us all breakfast on Saturday morning.)

Enjoy the rest of your Easter!

Treadmill Fails

Got to thank my Dad for sending me this. Has sound so you may want to mute if you are watching at work.

New Shoes

I had to go to a podiatrist recently because I was developing a lump near the ball of my foot. It was uncomfortable to walk about the house in bare feet. And I was starting to feel it towards the end of long runs.

In addition to needing new shoes, I was told that I needed some with more cushioning in the forefoot, and that I would also need switch to non-weight bearing cardio (cycling or swimming) for a while to give my foot a chance to recover. Just after seeing the podiatrist I got a bad cold, so was unable to train. That gave my foot a bit of a break, and this weekend I felt well enough to venture into town to get some new shoes.

I've worn Brooks runners for a few years now, but after trying on some Brooks and some Asics at Athletes Foot, I decided on a pair of Asics Gel Nimbus. My first reaction on trying them on was that it was like wearing a pair of slippers - very soft!