ThinkingSlimmer.com 2

Wonder foods toboost your body

Thinking Slimmer asked women’s health and fitness expert Wendy Powell, the founder and CEO of MuTu System, for her guidance based on over 15 years experience in helping women transform their bodies.. In this book she tells you everything you need to know about the foods that can give your body a vital boost..

ThinkingSlimmer.com 3

The transition to healthy foods may seem like a big leap or a small step, depending on who you are. If you’re a devout foodie who loves cooking, then tweaking ingredients may be all you need to do. If you’re the type of person that goes headlong into a new project, you may want to get stuck into juicing, smoothies and raw food straight away.

But if you’re neither of these, my advice is to keep it simple. Buy fresh vegetables and fruit every week and eat them! Go to a good health food store once a month and stock up on just a few of the foods on my shopping list below.

Rethink your shopping habits and try at least one thing that’s new and healthy every week.

• Seasonal, fresh vegetables. Dark greens and bright colours are best!

• Fresh fruit, local and organic where possible

• Wheat and sugar free oatcakes

• Rye and pumpernickel breads

• Free range eggs

• Fresh, unsalted seeds (pumpkin, sunflower, sesame and golden linseed)

Making the change tohealthier foods

ThinkingSlimmer.com 4

• Fresh, unsalted nuts (almonds, pecans, hazelnuts, brazils, cashews and mixed nuts)

• Frozen berries (blueberries, summer fruits, forest fruits and raspberries)

• Sugar-free peanut, cashew, almond or hazelnut butter

• Organic oats (try small rather than jumbo oats)

• Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah)

• Coconut oil (buy in a jar)

• Organic green tea, Matcha green tea, Rooibosch (red bush) tea

• Miso soup (buy in sachets)

• Spelt flour and yeast (if you want to make bread)

• Cold pressed, extra virgin olive oil or hemp oil (don’t heat it!)

• Coconut milk or water

• Sea vegetables such as Kombu, Nori or Wakame (in packs from health food stores or the specialist aisle at the supermarket)

ThinkingSlimmer.com 5

Simple swops thatmake a big difference

Eating healthily is about knowing what’s in your food and where it came from. If you routinely eat foods with little nutritional value, or an unidentifiable natural source, then try to stop yourself in your tracks and think about healthier alternatives.

Here are a few easy switches you could try. If you normally eat or drink…

Any processed or sweetened breakfast cerealTry this: Home made unsweetened muesli with fresh berries and yoghurt

Biscuits or cookiesTry this: Oatcake or wholegrain crispbread, spread with nut butter

Crisps/chipsTry this: Roasted root vegetable chips or kale chips

Salted snacksTry this: Unsalted nuts and seeds

ChocolateTry this: Dark, organic 70% cocoa solids chocolate

DessertsTry this: Smoothie made with fresh or frozen fruit and natural yoghurt

White riceTry this: Wholegrain rice or quinoa

ThinkingSlimmer.com 6

White pastsTry this: Wholegrain pasta, spelt pasta

White/wholemeal breadTry this: Wheat free bread or rye bread

Vegetable oil (for cooking)Try this: Coconut oil

Olive oil (for dressings)Try this: Cold-pressed olive oil or hemp

Low fat spreadTry this: Organic butter

Sausages, bacon, processed deli mealsTry this: White meat or beef – organic and preferably grass-fed

White potatoTry this: Sweet potato

Low fat sweetened yoghurtTry this.: Natural organic yoghurt – nothing added

Cows milkTry this: Unsweetened almond milk

Sugar (added to hot drinks, desserts, baking)Try this: Stevia, or raw organic honey

Tinned soupTry this: Homemade soup, or miso soup

Tea/coffeeTry this: Herbal tea, green tea or rooboisch tea

Diet fizzy drinksTry this: Very diluted fruit juice or cordial, or water

Wine, beer or spiritsTry this: Elderflower cordial diluted with sparkling spring water, organic ginger beer, tonic water with a twist of lime

ThinkingSlimmer.com 7

Breakfast is definitely not to be missed, so power up with a meal that gives you energy for the day ahead.

Try something like eggs and grilled tomatoes on toast; muesli with fruit and yoghurt; porridge with ground flax, blueberries and honey; boiled eggs and marmite soldiers; fruit salad followed by wholegrain toast with crunchy peanut butter; smoked salmon and scrambled eggs with spinach.

Here are some more healthy start suggestions…

Super SmoothieBlend fresh fruit with natural, unsweetened live yoghurt and a handful of mixed seeds (such as pumpkin, sunflower, sesame and linseed). Combos that work include:• Mango and apple and plums• Strawberries and kiwis and apple• Frozen or fresh raspberries or blueberries and nectarine and pear

Tip: Add fresh apple or orange juice to make your smoothie thinner; banana to make it creamier; or a spoonful of ground flax, other seeds or even peanut butter to thicken. A dollop of coconut oil is a great addition to a smoothie but you need banana as well otherwise it’s a weird texture!

Rye With a TopperToast a slice of wholegrain rye bread and add something you fancy: spread it with nut butter (almond, cashew, hazel or peanut); add cream cheese topped with wild, or organic, smoked salmon; add a boiled, scrambled or poached egg; or top it with a dollop of baked beans. If you’re not keen on rye bread, try corn cakes or oatcakes.

Breakfast is the timeto get super-charged

ThinkingSlimmer.com 8

Turbo MuesliMix a handful of oats in a bowl with live natural yoghurt. Top with pieces of chopped fresh fruit and a handful of chopped nuts and ground flax seeds.

Porridge PlusCook porridge in water, milk, or a dairy-free milk alternative like unsweetened almond milk, with grated apple and a teaspoon of cinnamon. Tip: If cooking in water, soak the oats for 10 minutes beforehand to bring out the creamy flavour

Brekky OmeletteWhip up an omelette. I love to keep it simple, just adding mixed fresh herbs, but I sometimes throw in extras: grated cheese and red onion, chopped tomatoes and peppers, garlic mushrooms and watercress, or smoked salmon.

Oats ‘n’ MoreMix together 2tbsp rolled oats, 1tbsp oat bran, 1tbsp chia seeds, 1tbsp mixed ground seeds (like flax, sunflower, pumpkin and sesame), 1 chopped apple and a few berries. Add a dollop of natural yoghurt and a drizzle of maple syrup. Mix together 2tbsp rolled oats, 1tbsp oat bran, 1tbsp chia seeds,

SUPER SNACKSYou shouldn’t be hungry! If your energy dips, or your tummy’s growling in between meals, top up with a healthy snack. Here are some suggestions…

• Fruit – anything you fancy. Raid the fruit bowl.• Apple and handful of pumpkin or sunflower seeds, or nuts• Pear/peach (or other seasonal fruit) and a few fresh almonds• Mackerel, salmon, or mushroom pâté on crispbread• Rice cake with sugar-free peanut butter• Carrot and celery sticks with hummus or guacamole• Berries stirred into a small pot of natural yoghurt• Cup of Miso soup with pitta bread• 2-3 oatcakes with nut butter• Fruit smoothie

ThinkingSlimmer.com 9

Enjoy real food. Don’t get hung up on weighing it, or counting calories. All you should think about are tasty ways to cook it. Here are some of my favourite ways to make simple, clean food incredibly appetising.

Roasted Vegetables With Pesto Crusted Chicken Or FishCoat an organic chicken breast or fillet of organic salmon or cod with pesto and add to a baking tray of part-roasted vegetables (such as new potatoes, cherry tomatoes, courgettes, onions, garlic, red and yellow peppers). Cook for a further 10-20 minutes, then serve.

Salmon With Wholegrain Or Wild Rice and GreensGriddle or grill a couple of salmon steaks until slightly charred on the outside and just cooked through. Stir-fry or steam some fresh broccoli florets, tenderstem broccoli, beans, or any shredded greens, with a little ginger, or soy sauce. Pile the wilted greens on the plate, put the salmon on top and serve with cooked wild rice.

Spanish OmeletteAdd whisked eggs (one per person, plus one) to a pan of lightly roasted diced potatoes and vegetables (like peppers, broccoli, onion, green beans). Swirl around to cover with the egg and

Quick and easy mealsevery time

ThinkingSlimmer.com 10

cook until just firm. Slide the pan under the grill to brown and serve with tomato salad.

Baked Sweet PotatoBake a sweet potato and top with a healthy filling, like these: Hummus or guacamole (homemade if possible); ratatouille; cottage cheese with chives, mixed with chopped peppers, cucumber, or prawns; roasted vegetables and pesto; tinned or smoked salmon, mixed with cottage cheese or crème fraîche; cannellini or butter beans mashed with anchovy fillets and black olives, with lemon juice and black pepper; hard boiled egg, chopped and mixed with cottage cheese, or crème fraîche, and chopped parsley. Mexican Eggs TortillaScramble eggs, with kale, mushrooms and cheese, and mix in a little quinoa. Scoop the mixture into a wholegrain tortilla and top with salsa.

SaladsA simple salad of mixed leaves and chopped raw vegetables becomes a nutritious and tasty meal in moments if your fridge is kept well stocked with fresh salad vegetables and delicious deli provisions. Some combinations to try…

Fishy Numbers• Smoked organic trout fillet with flageolet or cannellini beans, or lightly steamed broad beans mixed, with lemon juice and black pepper.

• Hot smoked or smoked organic trout/salmon/mackerel, flaked through whole grains, like quinoa, brown rice, millet or couscous. Add chopped raw vegetables and season with lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, black pepper and fresh herbs.

ThinkingSlimmer.com 11

Veggie All The Way• Marinate tofu chunks in soy, ginger, garlic and sesame oil. Stir-fry for a few minutes, until golden and fairly crisp. Toss through whole grains, or stir into buckwheat noodles, with finely sliced cucumber and seaweed (available dried in packets at supermarkets). Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve warm or chilled.

• Add peppers, cherry tomatoes, red onion, sweet baby peppers and chopped hard-boiled egg to a mixed bean salad. Dress with a tomato and basil dressing.

• Dress chickpeas with a blend of paprika, lemon juice, black pepper and a sprinkle of sea salt and parsley. Serve this simple salad with quinoa.

• Make a taboulleh of couscous, bulgar wheat, millet or quinoa, combined with chopped cherry tomatoes, spring onions, cucumber, parsley, mint, a slug of olive oil, a generous squeeze of lemon juice and seasoning to taste.

• Add passata to a warm potato salad and dress with a mixture of olive oil, paprika, chillies and crushed garlic.

Simple vinaigretteMeasure 1 cup cold pressed olive oil, add 1 cup of red wine vinegar and 1 cup fresh lemon juice. Add 2 tbsp of Dijon mustard, 2 crushed garlic cloves and freshly ground black

ThinkingSlimmer.com 12

The Organic Question

It’s no secret that I’m a fan of organic food. Buying organic means you avoid consuming chemical additives and pesticides, as well as GM crops and ingredients. Organic farming is also kinder to the environment and to animals.

However, organic food comes with a bigger price tag. So if you can’t afford to completely convert to organic food, there are some foods that are worth buying organic if you possibly can; and others where it’s not so important.

Seasonal, indigenous and locally grown small-scale farmed crops are likely to need minimal amounts of chemicals and fewer food miles. Organic may be less of an issue if you are able to buy local and seasonal.

There are some fruits and vegetables that typically absorb large amounts of pesticides during their production, with apples, sweet bell peppers, celery and peaches among the worst offenders.These items, along with many salad vegetables and soft fruits, are the ones you want to choose organic if at all possible.

However, produce with very thick skin, or skin that is removed before eating, such as onions, grapefruit, pineapples or avocados are less likely to contain nasties by the time you eat them.Cabbage, eggplant, mangoes and asparagus are also considered pretty ‘clean’.

It’s worth opting for organic when your budget and your shopping choices allow, but when they don’t, go for the lower risk produce and choose local and seasonal, and ‘free range’ or ‘grass fed’ meat, dairy and eggs.

ThinkingSlimmer.com 13

‘Essential fats’ really are essential. Their benefits include speeding up your metabolism, strengthening your immune system and helping your body fight degenerative disease.

Don’t avoid these foods because they’re ‘fattening’. They are healthy, real foods, full of nutrients. Processed fats, on the other hand, offer your body no nutritional value.

The ‘Goodies’• Oils found in avocado, nuts, seeds, eggs and oily fish.

• Extra virgin olive oil (Must be cold pressed i.e. not heated during production, which kills its nutrients).

• Coconut oil is an incredibly nourishing oil and its nutritional value is unaffected by being cooked at high temperatures.

• Other great oils are cold pressed rapeseed oil and hemp oil.

The ‘Baddies’• All the fats in processed foods, pastries and cakes.

• Hydrogenated fats, also known as trans-fats, which are very highly processed and a threat to your health (their carcinogenic effect is well documented).

How To Use Good Fats• Extra virgin, cold pressed olive, rapeseed, or hemp oils are best used cold – drizzled on salads, bread, pasta, or vegetables. They are not ideal for cooking – when you heat them, you destroy their taste and most of their health benefits. Buy the best you can afford, looking for a dark coloured bottle (so light doesn’t damage the oil).

• Coconut oil is the healthiest cooking oil, brilliant for pan frying or stir-fries. It’s not compromised when heated to high temperatures and doesn’t make food taste ‘coconutty’. You can also dollop it in a smoothie, spread it on toast, or use it as moisturiser.

Good fats v bad fats

ThinkingSlimmer.com 14

Seeds are rich in essential fats, as well as protein, vitamins and minerals! An easy way to get their goodness into your family’s diet is to grind them up (which releases their nutrients) and add a heaped tablespoon each day to cereals, yoghurt, soups or salads.

I buy fresh, unsalted seeds – pumpkin, sunflower, sesame and golden linseed (also called flaxseed). Using a coffee grinder, or a food processor with a grinding attachment, I grind a mixture that’s 50% linseed and 50% a blend of pumpkin, sunflower and sesame. For convenience, I fill a small glass jar and store it in the fridge.

1. Stock up: Fill your cupboards and fridge with good food: fresh fruit, nuts, seeds, dried fruit, oatcakes, small pots of natural yoghurt, and scrubbed carrots and washed cucumber all set with a tub of hummus.

2 Remove temptation: If you have a ‘treats cupboard’ filled with candy/sweets, cakes, and chips/crisps, get rid of it! If it isn’t there, you won’t be tempted. Don’t use your kids as an excuse.

3 Involve the children: Let them whisk an egg, pop a pepper, or wash vegetables; or give them a blunt-ish knife so they can help chop salad bits.

4 Eat the same meals, together: Don’t prepare separate meals for yourself, or talk about your ‘diet’. Help them avoid food hang-ups by sharing meals together.

5 Breakfast rules the day: If you do nothing else, please do this: Get up a bit earlier and start the day right with a good breakfast.

6 Plan ahead: Think in advance about meals and make sure you have the ingredients at hand, helping you to avoid ready meals or takeaways.

More about ground seeds

Six super tips

All original material copyright Wendy Powell, MuTu Systems Ltd 2015