Consciously selecting food/ingredients and what you cook with, considering the environment/sustainability and considering your wellbeing. 

As a Nutritionist, I am passionate about inspiring and empowering as many people as possible to make more conscious choices, starting in the kitchen!!

Taking a total lifestyle approach to health, as opposed to targeting just a single area, results in more long-term sustainable beneficial outcomes. A lifestyle approach also encourages you to make decisions which have a greater impact outside of your own wellbeing, such as the environment.

When it comes to the kitchen and cooking, every single day we must make choices, the result of which can either positively or negatively impact our wellbeing and the environment.

Here I am sharing my “cheat-sheet” to draw awareness to the conscious choices you can start making today, which will create a positive impact, both for us, our planet and those around us — our people. 

Choose organic or spray-free or wash fresh produce well to reduce toxin and chemical load.

Shop local – food that has travelled less to each us is not only more nutritious but also better for the environment. Supporting your local community also helps us to make healthy connections and supports mental wellbeing.

Buy in season – educate yourself on what’s in season, go to the markets and talk to farmers.

Eat root to stem and nose to tail! Some examples:

• carrot tops and garnish soups or make into pesto.
• Beet leaves and stems: use just like silverbeet.
• Celery leaves: stir into soups, add to smoothies
• Cauliflower and broccoli stalks: add to stir-fry’s and soups.
• Pumpkin skin – toss in oil, salt and spice and roast until crisp to make chips.
• Cheese rind – add to stocks and soups for added flavour.
• Use bones to create stock and soups.

• Not much space is needed, you can grow vegetables in milk crates with a breathable sack – ability to move crates around yard to follow the sun.
• Grow herbs on your kitchen bench – last much longer than store bought.
• Community farms – go to classes on farming/gardening and connect with the community

• Adopt Meat Free Monday in your household – enjoy my Wild Rice, Millet and Almond Pilaf recipe below!
• Replace meat in curries or stews for chickpeas or cannellini beans.
• Swap bacon at breakfast for tofu, beans or lentil bolognese on toast .
• Make legume and veggie patties to have in salads or on wraps for lunch

• This provides greater control over food consumed, cuts down on unnecessary takeaway plastic and waste and helps you to take ownership over your health.
• Cooking is also a great activity to go as a family to bond and have fun together!

Take steps to cutting down on plastic, waste and chemicals: 

•         Avoid excessive use of plastic wrap – use glass jars/containers with a reuseable lid to store leftovers.
•         Buy in bulk at health food/bulk stores – take own glass jars or paper bags to fill up instead of purchasing food in plastic wrap.
•         Take resuseable coffee cups to your local café to cut back on takeaway containers.
•         Reusable beeswax wraps – washable and reuseable available in health food stores.
•         Invest in good quality cookware, which will stand the test of time, rather than be used a few times before the coating starts to flake off.
•         Select cookware which is free from Per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) such as non-stick cookware. PFAS can leach into our food and when ingested overtime can build in our body potentially leading to ill health effects and can remain in the environment. Blu. Cookware is completely free from all PFAS chemical compounds and free from harmful heavy metals such as lead and cadmium, making it a healthy pick not only for you, but also the environment.

No matter where you are in your conscious lifestyle journey, you can start making different choices from today, and each small change over time will add up to make a greater impact.

Wild Rice, Millet and Almond Pilaf

Serves: 2-4

Prep: 15 minutes

Cooking: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

1 small onion, roughly chopped

2 cloves garlic, crushed

4 tbsp. EV olive oil

½ cup millet (hulled)

½ cup wild rice

2 cups water

Sea salt to taste

½ cup slivered almonds

½ cup sunflower seeds

½ cup pepita seeds

1 large leek, thinly sliced

1 large zucchini, thinly sliced

1 cup mushrooms, thinly sliced

1x400g tin crushed tomatoes

2 tsp. ground black pepper

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

Method

1. Add the millet and 1 cup of water to a small saucepan, cover and bring to the boil for 5 minutes, turn down the heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes until cooked, drain if necessary. Repeat same process for the wild rice. 

2. Heat 2 tbsp. of the oil in a saucepan and add the onion, leek and garlic. Sauté

for about 3 minutes until tender but not brown. Add the millet, wild rice and cook

for another 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Place the almonds and seeds on a baking tray and place under the grill and toast

until lightly browned, turning frequently, set aside.

4. Add the mushroom and zucchini, cook for about 7-10 minutes. Add the tinned

tomatoes and stir-fry for a further 2-3 minutes.

5. Add cinnamon, salt and pepper.

6. Remove from the heat and stir in the almonds and seeds.

7. Drizzle with olive oil.