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?

fermented dairy = yoghurt, cheese, kefir, quark, sour cream etc

'pre-digested' if you will. easier for our bodies to absorb the nutrients. less sugar.

Only 1 extra today. I’m at 25.

Today -

frozen raspberries
clementine juice
apple
tomatoes
beetroot
savoy cabbage
fennel
red onion
potato wedges with skin on (do they count?)
wholemeal stone ground bread no sugar added - does this count?
sugar-free granola with oats and almonds

I didn't add anything new today! This time of the week I've run out of different things. I do need to add all mine up though. I'll do a top up shop on Saturday too.

I typed out all the ingredients then lost it 🤯
walnut and mushroom stew
Lentil stew for lunch with ginger, carrots.
Stew with couscous raisins toasted almonds.
So easily another 20

@hivemindneeded

Today -

frozen raspberries
clementine juice
apple
tomatoes
beetroot
savoy cabbage
fennel
red onion
potato wedges with skin on (do they count?)
wholemeal stone ground bread no sugar added - does this count?
sugar-free granola with oats and almonds

Yes potatoes and whole meal flour count. They're plant based. The whole idea is that different plants feed different microbes. It may well be why I'm more sold on this tactic compared to 5 a day. I'm Irish and love potatoes

1.25 extra for me yesterday so I’m on 26.25 I think. I really thought I’d hit 30 but now I don’t!

@FloBot7 - thank you!

Yesterday
mixed leaf salad
watercress and rocket salad
blood orange
aubergine
peppers
onions
walnuts

I like this way of looking at plant-based eating because you don't have to have a whole 80g portion every time - just a bit of lots of different things.

I havent added much more.

Gherkins
Walnuts

Otherwise all the same! Although I went to Holland and Barratt and bought a can of Kombucha and it was really nice, so I've added a pack of 4 to my tesco shop! Will be a nice sub for my Diet Coke.

Going to Tesco later to buy my ingredients for my lunches, going to try and do 2 different lunches for my 4 days. Stocking up on mixed seeds and nuts!

I keep umming and ahhing around buying pomegranate seeds as I'm not sure what I'd do with them, and they look like they'd get stuck in your teeth!

I make the mob kitchen Pearl barley salad which uses pomegranate (I buy frozen and frozen mango for this) you could also buy frozen avocado if you want to add it - I don’t usually add the avocado

The salad is delicious

They have a TikTok page so you can search and watch the video

Ooh thank you!

I do have some frozen avocado but I've not found much use for it, unfortunately. It's not as nice as fresh I've found.

@ILookAtTheFloor

I keep umming and ahhing around buying pomegranate seeds as I'm not sure what I'd do with them, and they look like they'd get stuck in your teeth!

I think they're "alright" and wouldn't avoid something that had them. My DH thinks they're awful. Very pretty but a strange texture.

Pomegranate is lovely on cereal and porridge and in couscous.

@ILookAtTheFloor

Ooh thank you!

I do have some frozen avocado but I've not found much use for it, unfortunately. It's not as nice as fresh I've found.

Would it make guacamole?

So I've made my work lunches.

2 different ones, one is:
Spicy tofu
Endemame and mung bean pasta
Brocolli
Radish
Spring onions
Seasame seeds

2nd is
Spicy glazed salmon
Spring onions
Brocolli
Asparagus
Seasame seeds
Endemame beans

And I have two pre cooked 'super grains' packs for the microwave which I'll do on the day.

Quite a lot of repeats again but trying my best! Tesco delivery arrives tonight and I'll start thinking about dinners.

I have ordered dry porcini mushrooms with something in mind, but I've forgotten what. Are they versatile? Thanks everyone!

Sounds lovely OP. I'm just after having a lovely lunch. Wholemeal sourdough, poached eggs, vine tomatoes, rocket, avocado. And a pink lady apple and banana 🤤

If you have Instagram follow "thefoodmedic". She has a tab on her page at the top called "lunch boxes". Would give you even more ideas for lunches.

Not a stellar day today:
2 clemintines (1)
Peanut butter bagel (1)
Apple (1)
Bombay mix (has some dried lentil things so 1)
Tonight will have;
Pototoes (1)
Brocoli (1)
Carrots (1)
Nut roast (3 nuts)
Some strange experimental traybake with rhubarb and oats (2)
So 12, not counting coffee or herbs.

I just added some chickpeas to my lazy pasta sauce from a jar dinner.

I force myself to eat them as they're bland, bland, bland to me - but they count so

Going to start following that account @QueenLagertha

I went and brought some mixed grains in packets ready cooked, cranberries, quiona, Puy lentils

had those this week with broccoli, cauliflower and carrots and fish

have made a maylasian curry this morning, has a few spices in, turmeric, chilli, lemon grass, cumin, garlic and coconut milk, with cucumber, mint and red onion salad on the side

last nights supper was a bean chilli with 3 different beans incorporated

so im thinking thats around 25 for the week
also made my lunch salad with pearl barely, mango, cucumber, tomato, fresh mint and coriander,

breakfast is still porridge oats, but going to have buckwheat tomorrow, with linseed, sunflower seeds, blackberries, strawberries red currents, black currents

Well I managed it this week, and it was easily achievable!

1. Olives
2. Peanuts
3. Sesame seeds
4. Flaxseeds
5. Pumpkin seeds
6. Apricots
7. Hazelnuts
8. Cashews
9. Almonds

10. Blueberries 11. Tofu 12. Brocolli 13. Endemame beans (also soy? I didnt know this, albeit a different form?) 14. Mung beans 15. Radishes 16. Spring onions 17. Mango 18. Cabbage 19. Carrots 20. Beansprouts 21. Red onion 22. Mushrooms 23. Asparagus 24. Spinach 25. Sweetcorn 26. Garlic 27. Onions 28. Tomatoes 29. Quinoa 30. Wholegrain rice 31. Pineapple 32. Melon 33. Buckwheat 34. Pearl Barley.

I'm chuffed! Also drinking Kombucha daily. Next week will be hard though, as I'm off work. But I'm determined!

I’ve been trying to track too off the back of this thread. Thanks @ILookAtTheFloor. It’s really made me think differently about what I’m eating and how to get variety.

I’m way older than you and post menopause but very overweight. I’m trying an approach of eating really healthy foods rather than any weight loss diet where I’m obsessing about calories or carbs etc.

I’ve bought the Tim Spector book and the Megan Rossi book and I also have a Deliciously Ella and a few Amelia Freer.

I think I’m up to 26 different plant based items this week so far.

That's excellent @Peridot1!

I have the Megan Rossi book on my birthday list!

It has definitely changed my perspective around food. I used to have disordered eating as a teen, luckily I've not had that most of my adult life-- it feels good that I don't have to cut things out but add things

I thought the 3 included herbs and spices? So make a good curry abs that usually adds about 5