Plant-forward eating in 2020
Tips for introducing more plant-based foods into your diet
Since the start of the year, several members of the Nirvana Spa fitness team – aka our resident wellness gurus – have adjusted their diets to include more plant-based foods
Just like you, good health ranks high on their list of priorities but so does ease, practicality and taste when it comes to what’s on the menu.
Adopting a ‘plant-forward’ diet doesn’t have to mean veganism or vegetarianism, it just means eating a wide range of fruits and vegetables as part of your diet; as well as beans, pulses, whole grains, nuts and seeds for protein. The benefits can include a reduced risk of heart disease and inflammation; easier weight loss; improved digestion and even reduced stress.
Ginny, our Wellness Manager says “I have much more energy since incorporating a lot of plant-based foods into my diet; and the meals I’m eating have significantly reduced my stomach bloating. I was surprised how easy it was to create such a varied menu incorporating all of the nutrients I need, and even the family are enjoying some of the new meals ”
For those interested in trying some plant-forward meals that don’t compromise on taste, we’ve got two mouth-watering recipes to share with you.
First up, it’s the delicious Jack Fruit Spring Rolls created by our head chef for the restaurant menu:
Ingredients:
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 1 large bulb of ginger
- 2 red chillies
- 2 large carrots
- 500g jack fruit
- 5g Chinese five spice
- 1 mooli
- 250g mangetout
- 1 pak choi
- 100g bean sprouts
- 20ml sauce manis
- 10g palm sugar or soft dark brown sugar
- 20ml lime juice
- feuilles de brick (pastry) – similar to filo pastry
Preparation:
Chili, garlic & ginger paste
Peel the cloves of garlic, ginger and de-seed the red chillies. Next, blitz together in a blender until smooth. Top tip: add a drizzle of pomace oil to help the mixture combine.
Julienne carrots and mooli
To do this, peel your veg and slice off the ends. Chop your veg into 3, slice off 1 side and lie the veg flat on your chopping board to prevent the veg from rolling. Next thinly slice the veg lengthways. Arrange the veg slices into a stack and then cut into matchsticks.
Method:
Drizzle 20ml of pomace oil and 20ml of sesame oil in a heavy based saucepan. Place your carrots into the pan with the jack fruit and Chinese five spice and gently fry for 3 minutes.
Add 1 tablespoon of the chilli, garlic and ginger paste to the mix and cook for a further 2 minutes.
Mix in the mooli, mangetout, pak choi and bean sprouts and cook for a further 5 minutes.
Finish by adding the sauce manis, palm sugar and lime juice.
Let the mix cool and drain the liquid.
Place a sheet of feuilles de brick on a clean surface and place the mix into the middle of the pastry. Wet the top edge with water and roll into a cylinder shape.
Bake in the oven for 12 minutes at 200 degrees C (fan assisted oven). Check and turn and cook for a further 3-5 minutes.
Serve and enjoy!
If that’s whet your appetite, why not also try our fitness team’s favourite plant-forward breakfast; Quinoa Super-Charged Porridge:
Ingredients:
Serves 4
- 70g quinoa
- 100g oats
- 1 tbsp chia seeds
- 1 tbsp flax seeds
- 500ml soya or almond milk
- 500ml water
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1 banana
- 2 tbsp pumpkin seeds
- A handful of berries (to serve)
Method:
Combine the quinoa, oats, chia seeds and flax seeds with the water, milk, banana and vanilla extract in a saucepan and gradually bring to the boil.
Reduce the heat and stir regularly. Continue to cook for a further 20 minutes until the mixture is soft. If you prefer a creamier texture, add a splash of milk.
Dish-up into bowls and sprinkle a handful of berries and pumpkin seeds over the mixture.
Happy cooking!
And if you’d prefer someone else was doing the cooking, discover the wide range of options available in our spa restaurants here
