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?

Brilliant op. What kombucha are you drinking? I'd like to try it too

Think I've managed it this week:
carrots, celery, leeks, ginger, garlic, spices, onions, potatoes, tomatoes, red and yellow peppers, olives, beetroot, cauliflower, radishes, lettuce and mixed leaves, sweetcorn, green beans, peas, baby broad beans, blueberries, blackcurrants, raspberries, melon, blood oranges, tangerines, apple, pear, red and green grapes, mushrooms, broccoli, cavolo, parsley, chicory, fresh thyme, chickpeas, clementine juice, oats, walnuts, wholemeal bread, seedy rye bread.

They wouldn't all count as one of your five a day - not all 80g or anything like it, but at least there's variety.

Megan Rossi’s book is being featured in the Daily Mail today, tomorrow and Monday if anyone is interested. With some recipes.

@ILookAtTheFloor

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

Look up chole. Chickpeas are so notbblsnd with some spice.

Or you can turn them into houmous (or just buy some!)

Not bland.

chickpea curry is delicious, add some lentils and spinach or black kale, along with sweet potato and its heavenly, serve with fresh coriander on the top and you've got 5 plant based foods, 6 for the tomato in the curry and serve with quinoa for 7

Has anyone doing this found that their digestion has really improved ?

I found it quite easy to get to 30 in terms of variety if eating reasonably healthy however often it is small quantities not 80g of each item.

Have you registered for her website? Once you get the book you can do that and print off a sheet to help you count up. Making some of her recipes helps - we like the raspberry and white choc muffins and the chicken and veg burgers

*healthily

I’m on the Zoe website mailing list by Tim Spector

@ivykaty44 drastically! I can now eat lots of beans etc without any side effects 💨 (tmi 😳) it took a while building my tolerance up. The difference is amazing

Back from supermarket this am 34 plant based foods bought, so hopefully will all be eaten. Although some are variations on a theme eg: cherry tomatoes and tinned tomatoes, brown and red onions- do they all count separately ?

cherry tomatoes and tinned tomatoes, brown and red onions- do they all count separately ?

they only count once, a tomato is a tomato whether in a packet to tin

I only count rice once, whether its purchased lose in a brown bag or in a microwave packet - white rice doesn't count though

ive managed

1 tomato
2 oats
3 buckwheat
4 sunflower seeds
5 linseed
6 cocoa powder
7 cinnamon
8 turmeric
9 coriander
10 chickpeas
11 peppers
12 kale/black kale/ spring greens
13 cabbage
14 beansprouts
15 spring onions/onions
16 quinoa
17 carrots
18 brocoli
19 peas
20 coconut milk
21 grapes
22 oranges
23 melon
24 pineapple
25 banana
26 almonds
27 brasil nuts
28 hazel nuts
29 blackcurrants/redcurrents
30 blackberries
31 blueberries
32 strawberries
33 apple

I have oats buckwheat, frozen berries daily at breakfast with yogurt, made a fruit salad of the fresh melon, pineapple, grapes orange etc to have after supper

been buying the microwave packets of wild rice and quinoa grains to have with fish and stir fry vegetables - as its easier to get the different grains this way

I could do with adding in garlic and ginger, not brought those this week

though I made a curry that included star anise and stick cinnamon

my digestion is used to plenty of lentils and beans but found the variety of different foods in a week has had a positive affect, double normal

Back on it this week after half term!

Getting the Megan Rossi book for my bday, I've already had a flick through it in Waterstones!

Someone above asked about improved digestion-- definitely!

I need to get back onto kimchi. I find it hard to shoe horn in cos I'm not that keen on it with salad, can I add it to something hot? Or does it ruin it?

Great thread. Placemarking !

I use kimchi for lunch with cooked packet rice, prawns, spring onions and seaweed on top. Its nice with nuts as well - peanuts work well.

And sauerkraut in various wraps with prawns or chicken or tuna/salmon and salad.

I love kimchi on peanut butter on toast 😋

@ILookAtTheFloor

Back on it this week after half term!

Getting the Megan Rossi book for my bday, I've already had a flick through it in Waterstones!

Someone above asked about improved digestion-- definitely!

I need to get back onto kimchi. I find it hard to shoe horn in cos I'm not that keen on it with salad, can I add it to something hot? Or does it ruin it?

Jamie Oliver adds it to a cheese toastie. Not exactly weight loss friendly but a good way to convince yourself a toastie is almost healthy.

I have been aiming for this too after listening to TS podcast about it. I’ve just counted up and seem to have achieved it. Things I find help are having frozen fruit in the freezer eg berries to add to things like yoghurt & smoothies. I always have frozen green beans, spinach and cabbage in the freezer too and I add these to those Asian super noodles for a quick lunch. I try and add nuts and seeds to cereal/yoghurt in the morning. I’ve had a salad twice this week for lunch plus a stir fry one night which really helps so maybe next week won’t be as good!

Raspberries
Banana
Berries
Pear
Satsuma
Pomegranate
Broccoli
spring greens
pea shoots
Spinach
Gem Lettuce
Tomato
Carrot
Cucumber
Onion
Green beans
Herbs
Spices
Garlic
Ginger
Rocket
Red lentils
Chickpeas
Avocado
Oats
Mixed Nuts
Peanut butter
Seeds - chia & sunflower
Red pepper
Miso
Sweet potato
Baked potato
Baked Beans

I’m not a huge fan of kimchi or sauerkraut. I did some attempts at lacto fermenting vegetables last year, and while I didn’t hate the results, I didn’t like them enough and eating them felt like chore so I stopped. I’ve had kimchi dumplings and a kimchi cheese on toast at restaurants and I still wasn’t onboard. I love miso and gochujang so eat both of those regularly, and I make kombucha which I like. I also like kefir, but I don’t know if the one I buy at the supermarket is actually any good. Even if I bought kimchi with good intentions I know I’d just end up throwing it out.

How are you getting on now @ILookAtTheFloor?

I did this in lockdown and have started counting again as we've had a bit of stress plus I've been I'll a couple of times so doing anything I can to try and keep healthy.

I really like Lidl's fruit & nut muesli and that gives you about 5 of your 30

Grains count towards the 30,

I understand. People have already mentioned beans, peas, nuts, herbs and spices.

Yes, all different plant foods count, not just fruit and veg, so wheat, oats and rye for example count as 3. And different nuts or seeds, so having almond butter some days instead of peanut butter counts as 2, we have cashew butter which is so delicious as well.
Tea also counts!

Tea counts? Really? It's a shame you can only count it once otherwise I'd do the 30 in the first morning day.