Optima Health

Fibre • We all need it, but many of us just aren’t hitting the mark! Fibre wears many hats and is important for so many reasons. Perhaps it’s most notable role is that it promotes the efficient elimination of waste from the body. It also plays a part in lowering cholesterol, weight management, keeping our gut bacteria happy and assists us to feel full and keeps our blood sugars balanced throughout the day. So how can you increase your intake? Firstly, eating a large variety of plant based foods will help you get to your daily target with ease.⁣
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My tips include: ⁣
✖️Opting for wholegrain or wholemeal sources of cereals/grains such as bread and pasta.⁣
✖️Opting for wholefood based grains to bulk up meals such as quinoa, oats, rice, buckwheat and barley.⁣
✖️Consuming the recommended 2 fruit and 5 vegetables daily of different colours. This can include frozen veg too. ⁣
✖️Ensuring something ‘green’ with every meal. Perhaps add a handful of spinach to your sandwich at lunch, sautée some Asian greens to have as a side at dinner time or try making Mexican inspired tacos with iceberg lettuce cups.
✖️Bulking up your meal with legumes is a wonderfully cheap yet nutritious way to increase your fibre intake too.⁣

Here I’ve got one of my fave meals - spaghetti bolognaise with brown rice pasta and a simple side salad. To boost the fibre of this meal and help it to go further, I always add veggies to my sauce too (carrots, celery, zucchini, capsicum and tomatoes - any combo of these with whatever is on hand at the time). Happiest Monday - I hope you’ve had a good start to the week! 🌸

Market goodies from the weekend 💫 Here are some ways that I’ll use this fresh fruit & veg this week.
Oranges - These are blood oranges and I am obsessed with them at the moment. I have one sliced with my breakfast most days.
Apples - Always make for a great on the go snack with some nuts.
Carrots - I am making a spag bol this week, and I always add carrots to my mix, amongst other veggies. I also just love them raw and tend to find a way to put them in other cooked meals.
White sweet potato - My fave! I like to slice into wedges and roast them with olive oil, sea salt & some rosemary.
Potato - Again, I’ll use them for homemade chips, or simply steam and enjoy with butter, salt & pepper. I also love to slice them into discs and bbq them (so delish!).
Broccolini & asparagus - We’re having a bbq this week, so I’ll do some of each on the bbq. Otherwise, I love them steamed & panfried with some olive oil, salt & pepper and sometimes a drizzle of lemon.
Eggs - Eggs are my go-to breakfast!
Brussels sprouts - I like them sliced in half and then drizzle with some olive oil and whatever seasoning you like and roast or air fry them into chips.
Avocado - On toast, on crackers, guacamole…need I say more.
Capsicum - Sliced raw as a snack or in salads. It is also great on the bbq, which I will be having too.

Building a healthy platter 💫 I love a platter, especially one full of colour like this that doesn’t compromise on taste. Here are some things I always aim to add:
~ Bulk up your platter with fresh fruit and veg. Veggie sticks make great dippers and fresh fruit, like apple and pear slices can be paired with cheese/quince whilst berries just add a yummy touch. I also quickly made a simple guacamole by mashing avocado together with fresh lime, salt & pepper.
~ Add a protein source. Here I’ve got some cheese and some cashews.
~ Choose wholegrain crackers. Here I’ve got some rice crackers and also some corn chips, because an essential with guacamole!
Small balanced tweaks like so can keep you on track when it comes to your health goals. A healthy life need not be boring, there’s plenty of room for the things you enjoy most when you consume with balance and love. Happiest Monday 🌸

Salmon vermicelli salad 💫 This bowl has featured a few times of recent for dinner in our house, but today, I’ve made it for lunch. It’s very quick and easy - I air fried the salmon pieces which makes it even quicker too.

What’s in my bowl:
~ Spinach & butter lettuce
~ Brown rice vermicelli
~ Carrot, cucumber & capsicum
~ Salmon pieces
~ Avo
~ Chilli
~ Sautéed greens
~ Miso & ginger dressing

In a bowl add spinach & butter lettuce combo. Slice the fresh veggies (capsicum, cucumber & carrot) thinly and layer in the bowl too. Cook the brown rice vermicelli, drain and layer in the bowl. Slice the salmon into small pieces and pan fry. If it has skin, start cooking skin down, turning once crispy. If you have an air- fryer, cook the salmon pieces on 200 degrees for 6 minutes. In a heated pan with olive oil, add broccolini (or greens of choice, I also used asparagus & Brussel sprouts). Season with salt and pepper. Once cooked, layer the salmon & greens into the bowl. Add avocado and fresh sliced chill. Dress with dressing of choice, I used miso ginger dressing which I had sourced from Peko Peko or can buy a very similar dressing by Marian’s Kitchen at the supermarket. Alternatively, you can make your own dressing. This can be adapted very easily to your liking or what’s in your fridge/pantry too, which is always a bonus.

Mini Veggie Frittatas 💫 These little frittatas make a perfect quick breakfast, lunch or snack option - any time of the day really. So versatile and super easy to make too. The best part is that they can be adapted to what is in your fridge, just keep the egg base the same. These had a bit of an Italian flavour to them, but you can make them exactly to your liking.

MINI VEGGIE FRITTATAS:
Makes 12 frittatas.
~ 8 eggs
~ Dash of milk
~ Grape tomatoes
~ Mushrooms
~ Cheddar cheese
~ Basil leaves
~ Red onion

Preheat the oven to 180deg. Lightly spray or brush a muffin pan with olive oil. Crack 8 eggs into a mixing bowl and whisk together with a dash of milk. In each muffin cup, add a small amount of the egg mixture, perhaps about 1/3 full. Slice your choice of fillings (in this case: basil, tomato, mushrooms, red onion & cheddar cheese) and add divide a little of each filling to each cup. Add salt & pepper. Pour the rest of the egg mixture over each cup so it fills to the top. I sprinkled some mixed sesame seeds on top of mine. I like the ‘Everything Bagel’ seasoning. Bake for 20 mins or until cooked. Enjoy!

These were our two salads from Christmas Day, a few weeks back now.
1. Steamed broccolini & asparagus salad with goats cheese & slivered almonds.
2. Bocconcini on Roma tomatoes with basil & balsamic.

Both so tasty and easy to make, even festive in colour! They don’t have many ingredients either, allowing those in them to shine and they both pack a punch. Which one would you choose? 🥦🍅

One beautiful year married today 💫🤍 So very grateful to be by your side

As the sun sets on 2023, I am entirely grateful for a week of beautiful family time these holidays. Plenty of nature, games, yum food, beach time, a caving adventure and the enjoyment of a slower pace. May 2024 be all that you wish it to be. Happy New Year 💫

MANGO, BROCCOLINI & BLACK RICE SALAD • A simple summer salad that packs a punch 👊 We had this with pan-fried salmon and it was oh so tasty.

Ingredients:
- Spinach
- Broccolini
- Mango
- Red onion
- Black rice
- Avocado
- Goats cheese
- Pepitas

In a bowl, add spinach. Thinly slice the onion and slice the mango into wedges. Add to the bowl. Heat a sachet of black rice or cook your own from scratch (quinoa would work nicely too). Once cooked, add to the bowl too. Pan fry broccolini in a pan until cooked to liking. Add to bowl. Top with avocado, goats cheese & pepitas. Dress with olive oil, squeeze of lemon and salt & pepper. Enjoy!

An original Optima salad ⚡️Pumpkin, asparagus, halloumi & pesto. Perfect for a warm summers day! This one has lentils for protein, but it would also work well with chicken if you preferred a meat option. Yummy as a lighter meal or side option.

PUMPKIN, ASPARAGUS, HALLOUMI & PESTO SALAD
~ Spinach
~ Pumpkin
~ Asparagus
~ Lentils
~ Halloumi cheese
~ Basil pesto
~ Parsley

Cut a wedge of pumpkin into thick slices, drizzle with olive oil, s&p and roast until cooked. Cut asparagus in half, pan fry in olive oil, s&p until cooked. Do the same with halloumi in thin strips. In your salad dish, assemble spinach at base, then layer all the salad ingredients. Dollop with basil pesto and sprinkle parsley et voila!

What a beautiful day ☀️ Fave Saturday morning routine featuring markets, coast walk, home cooked breakfast & coffee. We even saw a whale! What a special gift indeed. Happy weekend 🌸

Coffee in this beautiful sunshine! Squinty eyes and all 💫☀️ The good old elbow has had a tough little time of recent, but is coming good with lots of persistence and hard work. Good things take time after all friends! Happy Friday to you, sending all the positive vibes!