I wasted my 20s asking myself, ''Does my bum look big in these jeans?''.
When I thought of food intake years ago, I would always focus so much on the aesthetics and relate it back to my weight. Now I view food as a way to fuel my happiness. It's a game-changer.
Certain foods can help to fuel a good mood, while others can send your energy levels crashing. Some foods support immunity and can help with weight loss. Some foods, or drinks, can end up ageing you faster or sending your body into an obese and potentially diseased state.
Eating has become confusing, and people are right to feel overwhelmed. But it should be simple, really. Just eat real foods that grow in the ground or on trees. Add some meat if you are not a vegetarian. Some processed things are actually OK, like canned tomatoes, for instance, but stay away from the highly processed stuff as much as possible. You don't need to be a rocket scientist to know that too much sugar and alcohol is not ideal.
Being mindful of the quality of food you eat is one thing. But remember that how much you eat, and what you eat, depends on the individual.
It can be built around an ''energy in'' (food you eat) and ''energy out'' (how much you exercise) equation. For example, if you are really active, you can eat a bit more than if you are sedentary, i.e. sit at a desk all day.
One thing I do really back is the Blue Zones. This is a handful of regions where people generally live longer, happier lives, like Okinawa in Japan.
Some common themes in the Blue Zones are a high ratio of plant materials to meat, quality clean air, locals live an active lifestyle, i.e. move lots, and there are wonderful social support networks.
Ultimately, no single diet will suit everyone. Eat what fuels your body (and mind) for optimal performance.
Remember that chewing your food slowly is also important. This aids digestion and will help you to realise when you are full (and so hopefully avoid overeating).
I eat by the 80/20 rule. I eat mostly good, nutritionally rich, plant-based foods that fuel my body and mind. I eat some meat, fish and dairy, but I opt for the vegan options sometimes, too. I'm not afraid to have some treats occasionally - a favourite is chocolate - and the very occasional glass of wine to celebrate with others when I'm a social butterfly. I'm a girl who lives life in balance rather than striving for some unrealistic ''perfection'' when it comes to eating.
My approach might change as more science comes to light in different areas but, overall, I'm not perfect with my diet; that would be boring and annoying. I care about buying local and buying foods that are in season because they are fresh and not crazily expensive.
I grow lots of vegetables, fruits and herbs in my garden in Auckland. Most days, I'm out in the garden picking a bunch of greens and herbs to add to my family's meals. You can't get any fresher than that.
Another tip is to mix up the foods you eat so you mix up your nutrient intake. One mistake I made in the past was eating the same foods day in, day out. I had a thing for oat porridge years ago, and then an expert advised me to change things up. So now sometimes I have eggs, salmon and salad for breakfast (which keeps me fuller for longer), while other days I'll have amaranth porridge with blueberries and yoghurt and a drizzle of manuka honey.
I tend to drink water or good medicinal-grade teas, rather than reaching for sugary drinks that have zero nutritional benefits. It's something that I've just got used to, and this is normal for my kids, too - well, most of the time. Like I said, my family lives in balance, and we all enjoy treat foods sometimes.
Oh, and when it comes to coffee, I love it. I have one or two daily and feel amazing. Again, it's up to the individual. Some people feel it makes them too anxious and so should avoid it.
Photos: Aimee Finlay-Magne
Hazelnut bliss balls
Ingredients
½ cup hazelnuts
½ orange (juice and grated zest)
1 cup fine coconut
1 Tbsp coconut oil
½ tsp cinnamon
1 Tbsp dark cacao powder
1 tsp vanilla essence
pinch salt (kelp salt preferably)
Optional
chunks of your favourite (store-bought) dark chocolate for the centre of each bliss ball.
I like to sift cacao powder over the balls after they are made for an added taste of cacao and that fancy-pants styling factor.
Method
Place all the bliss ball ingredients (except the chunks of chocolate) into a bowl and mix well. Then roll balls out of the mixture.
For added wow factor, push a chunk of chocolate into the centre of each bliss ball while shaping them in your hands. You can choose how big you make the bliss balls.
I generally make them quite large so they can go in my kids' lunchboxes. This is good energy food!
I sometimes put these bliss balls on a platter when guests come around along with wedges of chocolate, a bunch of grapes, strawberries and other dessert-style treats.
Raspberry and apple crumble
Warm desserts in winter are a heart-lifter. There's something just so comforting about a traditional crumble.
This one has a lot of crumble on top of the fruit, which stops fights over there not being enough topping in my household! I bet this doesn't just happen in my house, right? Everyone loves the crumble, I'm sure.
Ingredients
6 apples
1 cinnamon stick
squeezed lime juice
2 cups raspberries (I use frozen ones generally)
1 cup whole oats
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup coconut flour
½ desiccated coconut
½ cup coconut sugar
¼ cup ground hazelnuts
100g butter
Method
Turn the oven on to 180degC. Slice the apples and then place them in a pot with water and the cinnamon stick.
Boil these for 10 minutes roughly and then take them off the stove. Leave this to the side while you make the crumble.
To make the crumble, place all the dry ingredients into a bowl, chop the butter into small pieces and use your fingers to rub the butter through the mixture.
Now leave this to the side.
Go back to the cooled apples and cinnamon. Blitz this in a blender after adding the lime juice (or feel free to leave the apple in the sliced form if you prefer, along with the cinnamon stick).
Place the cinnamon apples into a baking dish and then add the frozen raspberries, scattering them on top. Next place the crumble on top and place this in the oven for about 20 minutes, until it browns slightly on top.
Serve this with yoghurt or whipped cream. My kids love it with French vanilla ice cream. Enjoy!
Home-made chocolate coffee and hazelnut mocha
I first started making nut milks after meeting my husband, who is dairy intolerant.
He grew up on a dairy farm and had to help with milking the cows every morning while growing up. But his intolerance meant he could never drink the fruits of his hard labour. In fact, as a baby he had to have goat's milk because he reacted so badly to the cow's milk.
So sometimes some things do not agree with our bodies. Tune in and eradicate anything from your diet that doesn't help you to feel well, and talk to an expert if you're unsure about any allergies.
I've come to love making nut milks for drinking because they are so delicious as well as being full of goodness. This chocolate version is divine. I have to stop myself from drinking the lot in one sitting.
Serves 2
Ingredients
1 cup hazelnuts (soaked overnight in water)
2 cups filtered water
¼ cup cacao powder
6 Medjool dates
2 pinches of vanilla bean powder
Optional
shot of coffee
Method
Place the soaked nuts in a blender with the rest of the ingredients (except the coffee). Blend until smooth and then put it through a muslin cloth (or sieve) to separate the milk from the pulp.
Place the silky-smooth milk in the fridge to drink when you wish and leave the nut pulp to the side for now. You can choose to use this to make Hazelnut Bliss Balls.
We love zero waste. For grown-ups, an option is to warm some of the milk and add a shot of coffee. I love it this way, just as much as drinking it cold from the fridge with the kids.
