30 plant-based foods a week, so hard

[ILookAtTheFloor]

I'm really struggling with getting 30 plant based foods a week as per Tim Spector's advice on gut health.

I've counted last week and I can only get to 17! It's hard as I tend to batch cook for both ease and budget.

How can I get more in? I already include lentils, wholegrain rice, quinoa etc. Any tips welcome! Anyone else trying it?

Spector is a geneticist not a nutritionist, right?

Yep, Spector is professor of genetic epidemiology specialising in gut microbiome but for an extra £127 he could become a nutritionist.

@Postdatedpandemic

Spector is a geneticist not a nutritionist, right?

Yep, Spector is professor of genetic epidemiology specialising in gut microbiome but for an extra £127 he could become a nutritionist.

I suppose he's something of a gut microbe nutritionist - isn't at least part of his focus on diet diversity for their benefit? (Caveat - I've not actually listened to/read Spector, but DH does, and rates him - hence kimchi and kefir in our fridge. So take anything I say with a pinch of salt... not literally, obv.)

Seeing all those mentions of pomegranate, anyone found a good way to get the seeds out without juice splattering all over the kitchen?

A runcible spoon is what you need! (Which is a spoon with a serrated edge, mine is a grapefruit spoon I believe)

@HandOfBananas

Sugar in whole fruit is not a problem Because the fibre makes the body process it differently. I know some people view all fruit as sugar but it's just not true.

My blood glucose meter will tell you differently.

@HandOfBananas

That is interesting and worrying. I still don't see that it means eating less fruit is better though. I mean - sure, if we were exclusively eating fruit all day long and nothing else like the monkeys in Melbourne it would be a big problem, but most sane humans would not do that. Arguing that fruit for breakfast is unhealthy is not a winner imo.

You can get all the nutrition you get in fruit, from plants. If you aren't diabetic (T2 diet controlled) it's ok, but it does hit your system the same as sugar, it just has other benefits (but no more so than vegetables). I stick to low carb fruit (berries) with the occasional treat of passion fruit in my natural yogurt or a small apple with cheese. But we dont need it in our diet.

@JS87

Seeing all those mentions of pomegranate, anyone found a good way to get the seeds out without juice splattering all over the kitchen?

I use a big salad bowl and whack the back with a wooden spoon. The big bowl is the key part really..

@Postdatedpandemic

Spector is a geneticist not a nutritionist, right?

Yep, Spector is professor of genetic epidemiology specialising in gut microbiome but for an extra £127 he could become a nutritionist.

Right, I've added to my list:

Carrots
Brown (?) onion
Sweetcorn
Grapefruit
Wholegrain rice
Quinoa
Sweet potato
Coconut.

I'm thinking about my shopping list for next week:
Tofu
Avocado
Bulger wheat
Mixed seeds
Radishes
Some kind of sauce for the tofu? Need to look it up again.
Tin of mixed beans as I'm sick of lentils
Endemame beans (spelt wrong whatevs)
Will keep adding

You can fry tofu in cubes and use it like anything else in a stir-fry sauce. Or do it teriyaki style. I like silken tofu added to vegetable rice at the end or just as a side dish in a wobbly chilled lump with something like a pickled plum or chopped spring onions and a bit of soy sauce on top.

This is the recipe I'm thinking of going for...
www.skinnytaste.com/sriracha-tofu/

Although the squeezing out juice sounds a bit intimidating? It seems American, not sure what tofu selection we'll have in Tesco! The recipe refers to different types!

JS87

I buy frozen 🥶 as it irradiates the problem, also less waste as I can have a couple of helpings a week and a bage will last a month

I really like the brand Tofoo co. Their tofu is firmer than others and lovely in curry and stir fry. Another trick for firm tofu is to freeze it then defrost overnight in the fridge. I've done it before when I want to cook it on a bbq.

If you don't already meal plan, i'd make a list of meals you normally cook and then put the veg/ plant products next to them. You can use it to help plan meals with the best variety.

Out of just 4 dinners I get this:
Chow mein (carrots, mange tout, baby corn, white onion).
Thai panang curry (coconut milk, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, tofu, red chilli, shallots, Thai basil, peanuts, tender stem broccoli, lime, spices)
Green fritters with roast tomatoes, goats cheese, flatbreads and lemon harissa yoghurt (courgettes, spinach, rocket, watercress, tomatoes, harissa, chives, lemon)
Bean chilli (celery, red onion, mixed beans x4, green pepper, red pepper, more spices)

That meal plan looks fab @FloBot7.

@ivykaty44 I'm looking on the Tesco site now, frozen would be good for me although space in my freezer is prime real estate haha! Wish I had a chest freezer.

@ILookAtTheFloor

This is the recipe I'm thinking of going for... www.skinnytaste.com/sriracha-tofu/

Although the squeezing out juice sounds a bit intimidating? It seems American, not sure what tofu selection we'll have in Tesco! The recipe refers to different types!

Nice recipe! I use an extra-firm tofu - the Tofoo one mentioned - and not much water comes out really. I just put it between kitchen towels and stick my stone chopping board on top for a while. I saw a Japanese video where the cook said their tofu was more liquid-y so maybe that's the case in other countries too.

That recipe does look good! 😋

As mentioned above, the Tofoo brand tofu is firmer and doesn’t need to be pressed. I personally prefer Cauldron tofu, which is much more spongy if left unpressed, but has a better texture if pressed (obviously this is personal taste and others may disagree!).

To press it, wrap the tofu in kitchen towel, put it between two chopping boards and put a heavy book on top for around 10-15 minutes, depending on how firm you want it.

The other benefit of Cauldron tofu is that it is calcium set, which makes it a great source of calcium, unlike Tofoo which is practically calcium free. It’s worth bearing in mind, if you don’t eat a lot of dairy products.

ILookAtTheFloor It’s a small bag from Tesco, I was in there tonight

Just going to throw a recommendation for Clearspot tofu if you come across that brand when shopping. - I tried it the other week and it’s lovely

I’ve just totted up the different types of plant based food I’ve had since Sunday - 41. Quite pleased with that. Greatly assisted by the ‘clean out the veg drawers’ curry I made at the weekend

Supper tonight was celeriac soup
celeriac
Shallots
Garlic
Carrot
Celery
Topped with toasted nuts and rocket
Sunflower seeds
Walnuts
Almonds
Rocket dressed in garlic oil

@ILookAtTheFloor

Thanks to everyone for their ideas on here.

Am I overly anxious? Probably! Haha. Secondary infertility is definitely addling my brain.

My main concern now is expense! I have lots of ideas including stocking up on seeds, I'll go to Aldi but I foresee it's going to be an expensive week for shopping!

Regarding Buddha bowls, does anyone know if its safe to put cooked rice in the fridge for 4 days? As in, cooked on Sunday and I eat it on Thursday? I'm thinking about my batch prep of work lunches.

I wouldn't recommend eating cooked rice 4 days after cooking, even if kept in the fridge. Personally I wouldn't eat it any later than 1 day after it's cooked.

I've ended up throwing my current pack of tofoo in the freezer, anyhow. DH has covid and is pulling faces at food he normally enjoys so won't waste my energy .

I'm making the most of not being afflicted yer, so went on a cooking frenzy. Enough of the home cooked stuff for today and tomorrow.

Breakfast, usual granola (eat natural - not opening fresh packets of anything else in case I get the lurgy) banana and coffee.

Chamomile tea through the day.

Lunch: chunky soup made with psncetta, dried herbs, onion, celery, carrot, leek, potato, cannellini beans, savoy cabbage and a a little frozen parsley

DINNER: fridge clear out curry with free range chicken thigh, cold 9ressed rapeseed oil, onions, lots of onions, garlic and ginger, turmeric, garam masala, coriander powder and cloves, tinned tomatoes, coconut milk, butternut squash, red pepper, chillies, broccoli, spinach, frozen coriander.

Wine and a bowl of crisps, this evening!

Forgot the chickpeas in the curry. And served with with white rice as more appetising for bloke who currently hates food.

This thread inspired me and i have beem counting - only 3 days and I’m already at 21 different plant foods (not counting spices or herbs) so shouldn’t have any trouble doing 9 in 4 days. I am gf vegan with mainly unprocessed diet so I guess it’s easier than many. Nice to know I have variety though, it was fun, thanks OP!

@ILookAtTheFloor I've just remembered this bit from the eat more, live well book. Hope it helps.

Thank you @FloBot7 I'm going to buy this book tomorrow!

What's fermented dairy? I'll go to Google this...

Adding more to my shopping list!