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Simon Hill is a qualified expert who is passionate about making nutritional information simple and accessible so that people can make informed decisions about the food they feed themselves and their families.
Simon completed a Plant-Based Nutrition certificate course at Cornell University and a Master's in Nutrition Science. During this time, he set up theproof.com and began hosting world-renowned doctors and public figures in the plant-based realm on The Proof podcast. Through these channels, Simon hopes that consumers will take control of their health by becoming more informed, mindful & conscious about the choices they make.
Check out his book, "The Proof is in the Plants", where all proceeds are donated to charity, Simon’s goal is to help bring genuine, agenda-free nutritional information to people looking to improve their health and quality of life.
Here is a sneak peek into what fuels Simon’s busy days!
Morning
My day typically starts at around 5.30 am when I naturally wake up. As soon as I wake up, I drink 2-3 glasses of water and meditate for 15 minutes before heading out for a workout or swim in North Bondi. When I finish my workout, I listen to my body to decide whether I need breakfast, and if I’m not particularly hungry I’ll sometimes hold off until lunchtime. If I do decide to have breakfast, this usually involves a big bowl of overnights oats with protein powder topped with berries and hemp or chia seeds. This type of breakfast is loaded with dietary fibre, plant protein, omega-3 fats, micronutrients and antioxidants, whilst being low in saturated fats and free from cholesterol - so it ticks all my boxes! On the weekends, if I’m not heading out for breakfast in Bondi, I might swap this out with a tasty tofu scramble with mushrooms, kale and avocado.
Lunch
For lunch, I usually cook something fresh. Lately, I have been enjoying legume-based pasta - they are loaded with protein, fibre and unrefined carbohydrates. My favourite is chickpea fettuccine which I have been having with diced tempeh, cherry tomatoes, spinach, mushroom, basil, lime & chilli. (FYI: Conscious Feast in Bondi makes a great version of this!). On top of this, I add nutritional yeast and some dulse flakes (a great source of iodine which is important for thyroid health), salt and pepper. While I’m not as fussy when I eat out, when it comes to buying groceries I try as much as possible to purchase organic food products from the local markets in my area. In so doing, not only am I reducing my exposure to harmful herbicides and pesticides, but I also help support the farmers who are doing their part in protecting biodiversity and preserving soil health which is very important to me.
Snacks
If I feel like a snack mid-afternoon, I’ll often blend up a quick smoothie packed with fruits, protein and the occasional almond butter dollop. At the moment, my favourite snack is making a few tofu or tempeh rice paper rolls - they are so fresh and bursting with flavour! Other snacks I’ll often have are hummus with carrots, a handful of walnuts or cashews, some grapes or avocado on rice crackers - pretty much anything that is simple yet packed with nutrition!
For more nourishing snack ideas, be sure to check out our amazing range of healthy snacks online at GoodnessMe!
Dinner
What I have for dinner comes down to what I ate during the day. During the week, my go-to dinner is usually a veggie-packed Buddha Bowl. I love making it with a blend of chickpeas, sweet potatoes, greens, quinoa, avocado, brussels sprouts, and baked cauliflower with a sprinkle of nutritional yeast and hemp seeds - a variation of my Plant Proof Salad Bowl. A lentil dahl with a side of brown rice and salad is also a big favourite of mine: not only is it rich in protein, dietary fibre and macronutrients but it is delicious. During weekends, I’ll probably make something a tad more elaborate - like my vegan mac and cheese or my protein-packed cottage pie (I have included the recipe below!).
If I feel like ending my dinner on a sweet note and I’m still hungry, I might make a banana ‘nice cream’ by blending 1 frozen banana with a scoop of vanilla pea protein, 2 dates and some plant milk. Easy and delicious!
Vegan Cottage Pie Recipe
Ingredients: Serves 4
- 300g tempeh *I love Organic Village but feel free to sub any block of organic tempeh available in your area.
- 1 onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 celery sticks
- 2 carrots
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- bunch Thyme
- 1 tbsp Vegan Worcestershire sauce
- ½ cup Vegetable Stock
- 1 can chopped tomatoes
- 1 cup peas
- 1 large sweet potato
- 1 cup vegan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C.
- In a frying pan with olive oil, sautee onions, garlic, carrots and celery until soft and fragrant.
- Crumble in tempeh and stir well. Add the can of tomatoes and stock and keep on the heat until cooked through and the liquid has reduced. Next, add the peas
- In a separate saucepan, boil water with a dash of salt, add chopped sweet potatoes and boil until soft.
- Once the potatoes are cooked, drain the water and return them to the pan. Using a masher, mash the potato to a smooth texture. If you'd like an extra smooth consistency, feel free to add a tad of olive oil or vegan butter spread or a dash of dairy-free milk.
- Pour the tempeh mix into a baking dish. Layer on the sweet potato mash and smooth it out.
- Sprinkle on cheese and season with salt and pepper.
- Place in the oven until the cheese is melted and golden
Make sure you follow Simon on Instagram @theproof and @simonhill for more tips and look out for his book "The Proof is in the Plants" which he published in 2020 globally with Penguin.