This weeks My Day On A Plate comes from Sophia Fisher. Sophie is a 21-year-old food blogger from Sydney with a love of health and nutrition. Her instagram page @coconutandbliss is abundant with completely healthy yet indulgent alternatives, proving that deprivation is not necessary. One of the most common misconceptions is that eating healthily means restriction- Sophie proves that is certainly not the case!
6.30 am
I wake up and have a mug of hot water with half the juice of a lemon.
7am
Breakfast time! My go-to breakfast is ‘Banoffee’ porridge- gluten-free oats cooked over the stove with a mashed banana, cashew milk, cacao, mesquite, nut butter and a tiny bit of coconut nectar. I love topping with a dollop of coconut yoghurt and some activated seeds and nuts. If I know I have a busy day ahead, I will add in a scoop of 180 Nutrition Coconut protein powder. Delicious!
8am
Herbal tea is always necessary to start the day! At the moment I am loving herbal chai tea. The aroma is incredible!
9am
Time to hit the gym! I usually do about 30 minutes of interval training on the treadmill (alternating between jogging, sprinting and walking). I then do around 20 minutes of resistance exercise. Abs are my favourite by far. I love doing a combo of ab bikes, mountain climbers, toe touches, Russian twists, plank, side plank and commandos. I ensure to drink a lot of water afterwards to rehydrate myself.
10.30am
I’m someone who gets hungry every 2-3 hours throughout the day- eating regularly is a great way to keep that metabolism going! Usually I have an acai smoothie around this time, made with frozen acai, frozen banana, frozen raspberries, a date and coconut water. I love topping with a sprinkle of seeds and buckinis. I mix it up with a green smoothie from time to time. If I can’t have a smoothie, I love having a few dates filled with almond butter.
1.30pm
Lunch time! My absolute FAVOURITE would have to be smashed avocado on two slices lightly toasted spelt sourdough or gluten-free bread with a side of spinach leaves. If I know I have a full-on afternoon ahead at Uni or work, I will add a poached egg for some extra fuel!
4.30pm
Time for an afternoon treat! My favourite fruit is strawberries! I LOVE making a healthy fondue by mixing 1-2 tsp tahini, 1 tsp cacao, ½ tsp coconut nectar and a dash of hot water. I dip the strawberries in the mixture and it is crazy delish! If I’m out, a piece of fruit and a handful of tamari almonds is another go-to.
7.00pm
Dinner ALWAYS involves a lot of roast vegetables and leaves! I love having grilled fish or chicken with spinach, quinoa, roast pumpkin, roasted beetroot toasted walnuts and some goat’s cheese or haloumi with a delicious lemon honey dressing to add some zing!
10pm
About half an hour before bed, I begin to shut down. I close my laptop, turn off my phone and relax. Almost every night, I make my famous thick, hot cacao using coconut milk. So decadent and warming.
THICK ITALIAN HOT CHOCOLATE
(Serves 2)
Ingredients:
- 2 cups coconut milk
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 generous sprinkle of cinnamon
- 3 tsp coconut sugar
- 2 heaped tbsp cacao
- 1 heaped tsp tapioca flour/ arrowroot (optional, increases thickness)
- ½ tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp mesquite (optional)
- 4 squares of quality dark chocolate, (I use loving earth 2 ingredient dark chocolate)
Method:
- Bring the coconut milk, vanilla and cinnamon to a simmer in a small to medium sized saucepan, over medium heat.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, place the coconut sugar, cacao, tapioca flour and mesquite (if using) and the salt.
- Pour a small amount of milk into the small bowl with the cacao mixture and stir until smooth.
- Transfer this smooth chocolate mixture into the saucepan with the rest of the milk. Stir well and add in the chocolate.
- Bring the mixture to the boil and allow to bubble for about 3-5 minutes or until it reduces to your desired thickness, stirring occasionally.
- Pour into 2 cups.
- I love mine with a dollop of coyo!