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I've been so busy in the last week putting together a free program to help us get food on the table faster so that we can have more time for ourselves. Does that sound like something you need? 4 Days of Simple Suppers & Self Care is up and running but I'll definitely let you know the next time it runs.  One of the meals that we are making this week is Baked Sweet Potato with Thai Green Curry Sauce (recipe at the end) Why did I choose sweet potatoes? Firstly, they are packed full of vitamins, minerals and fibre. Almost 800% of your vitamin A daily value is in a 200g serving of sweet potatoes. Plus the amount of fibre that you get in that serving is a whopping 6.6g The ideal amount of fibre for women is 25-30g per day and for men 30-35g. Most of us only eat about 14g There are two different types of fibre - soluble and insoluble. Soluble fibre absorbs water and softens your stool. Insoluble fibre adds bulk. Both are necessary for good elimination. Fibre is also a source of fuel for the cells in your digestive system because the fibre ferments and this feeds the cells. Having healthy gut bacteria means that your risk of IBS and infectious diarrhea is reduced. The high daily value of vitamin A is from beta-carotene. This is what makes a plant yellow/orange in colour. It is the precursor to vitamin A and helps to form light detecting receptors in your eyes. Which is why we were told as children to eat our carrots! Vitamin A is also important in building a healthy immune system, it is key in maintaining healthy mucous membranes which is especially important in your gut. A lack of vitamin A increases gut inflammation and reduces your immune system's ability to fight infection.  Sweet potatoes are also a good source of vitamin C. In a 200g serving they provide 2/3 of your daily value. Vitamin C is good for boosting your immunity but it also helps to support collagen production so it keeps your hair, skin and nails strong. Here are some ways that you can add sweet potato to your meals -
 Baked sweet potatoes with Thai curry sauce Servings: 4 Ingredients 4 sweet potatoes [cut into chunkey cubes] 1 tbsp sunflower oil 1 onion [sliced] 400 g button mushrooms [quartered] 4 tsp green curry paste [more if you like it hot] 400 ml coconut milk 1 tsp fish sauce [optional] 1 lemon [zested and juiced] 1 red chilli [deseeded and finely chopped - optional] 30 g fresh basil [roughly chopped] 30 g fresh coriander [roughly chopped] Instructions 1. Preheat the oven to 200°C 2. Toss potatoes in oil and roast for approx. 30min. 3. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a pan, add the onion and mushrooms, cover and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. 4. Remove the lid, stir in the green curry paste and cook for 30 seconds, then add the coconut milk. Bring to a gentle boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the roasted potatoes and toss to coat. 5. Add the chilli (if using) and herbs, reserving some herbs for serving. 6. Just before serving, stir in the fish sauce (if using), lime zest and juice of half the lime. 7. Serve with the remaining lime cut into wedges to squeeze over. (This is important, it really lifts the flavour - if you don't have limes replace with lemon). Looking for ways to add more fibre & vitamins to your day?Try adding these 5 powerful foods - https://bit.ly/2ZkPAhQ
The scale is NOT your friend. It can be misleading and leave you feeling like you're not on track to reach your goals. Having other numbers that you can check in with on a weekly or monthly basis help you to stay on track towards a healthy lifestyle.  Here are 5 numbers to track: 1) Waist measurement Aiming for a waist measurement of 80cm or less as a woman is, I believe, the # 1 to track. A waistline over 80cm can put you on the road to a number of lifestyle diseases, like type 2 diabetes, heart disease and cancers. 2) 150 minutes This is total number of minutes of exercise you can aim for during a 7 day period. It's roughly about 20 minutes per day or break it down into two 10 minute sessions. My top tip is to choose 3 songs that you love love love to dance to and play those while you're preparing breakfast in the morning or before the madness of bathtime and supper in the evening. These are my top 3 songs -
3) 10,000 steps The American Heart Association recommends that we aim to walk 10,000 steps per day for good health. Now for those of us sitting behind a desk or spending a lot of time in the car this can seem like a mammoth number to reach. But it ties in nicely with #2 above. And if you break it down then 10,000 steps over a 12 hour period say 6am to 6pm works out at about 830 steps an hour. This is 14 steps a minute. Setting your timer to get up and walk for 5 minutes every hour can certainly see you racking up more than 80 steps in 5 minutes! You could probably do close to 600 steps. Put your mind to it and walk like you mean it in the parking lot, the corridor or the stairs. 4) 30g of fibre The average person probably only eats about 1/2 this amount each day. Fibre helps to slow down digestion and balance blood sugars. It helps to lower blood pressure and gives you a feeling of fullness. Eating fibre also helps in eliminating waste from your body. Aim to eat fibre at every meal and snack. Include vegetables, fruit, nuts, seeds or legumes to whatever you are eating. Article about fibre...  5) Fasting Blood Sugar
Aim to have a fasting blood sugar of less than 5.6mmol/litre. When blood sugar is high it is an indicator that your body is not making enough insulin or is not using insulin properly. Having too much blood sugar in your blood can damage your blood vessels, nerves and organs. Make it a priority to reduce your blood sugar to a safe level by including unprocessed foods into your daily meals. This means preparing meals from scratch and choosing foods that will nourish you not soothe a craving. Do you want to start tracking these 5 numbers but not sure what you need to eat? Let me help you - book your FREE Strategy Session and get a plan of action to move in the direction of good health and loads of energy. How would you like to start your day? Do you wake up with a groan and a list of things to do that is longer than your arm? Do you wish for another 15 minutes under the duvet? Here's a checklist to create magical mornings so that you are ready and in the right frame of mind for the rest of the day... Don't think of these as chores that you should do. Consider them acts of selfcare to look after yourself so that you know that your health and wellness is important. Afterall, if you are not well then all is not well for your family. 1) Drink Water - Hydrate When you wake in the morning the best thing to give your body is a drink of water. Your body has been working while you sleep and it is dehyrated. Drinking water first thing in the morning helps to wake you up. It flushes toxins from your body and helps your joints and muscles to move more smoothly.  2. Focus on Your Breathing - Meditate By focusing on your breathing you soothe your nerves and reduce stress. Deep breathing balances your nervous system. Meditation can help support your immune system and fend off illness. Get in a comfortable position, close your eyes, and inhale slowly through your nose. Hold the breath for a pause and then exhale it through your mouth again slowly. Download this meditation & breathing audio 3. Motion creates emotion. This is because endorphins are released by the brain when we move. So when you engage in movement those chemicals are released and you begin to feel good. Try this speedy workout or flow with these Yoga poses.  4. The Gift of Gratitude When you take some time to appreciate all that you have and all that you are able to do then your focus turns to abundance. When you take for granted all the good that is in your life you begin to think that you are lacking. And what you think becomes. By taking time to write down what you are appreciative of, you become aware of how much you have. That awareness creates an outlook of abundance. And that in turn brings more of what we appreciate into our lives. Take time to write down 3 things that you have in your life that you are grateful for.  Would you like to get your free guide to easy meditation? Click the button below to receive your guide.
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