HAWMC: 10 Things I Couldn’t Live Without…

1) Peanut Butter. Okay, you shouldn’t get all of your nut intake from roasted nuts. The fats in nuts are fragile and some people think they are damaged sorely by roasting. In reality, the damage is relatively minimal and you can taste it if dramatic rancidity has occurred. I try to just eat a mix of raw nuts (favourite cashews!) and my beloved nut butters. Current obsession: Trader Joes Flaxseed Peanut Butter. Oh my!

2) Brussels Sprouts. Yep…. they are number TWO. Roasted and covered in maple syrup mustard dressing … so good. (I’ve learned it’s even better if you add the dressing at the end, rather than as a marinade). I’m also a big fan of brussels braised in some olive oil and chicken stock, or simply steamed and covered in butter. Best thing about winter, I kid you not.

3) Organic Fuji Apples. Crunchy, refreshing, filling and delicious. I actually have a sort of problem with apples, as in I slightly freak out when we are out. I have therefore now resigned myself to buying 20 (yes 20) per week. It could be worse.

4) Mojito’s. Alcohol can be part of a health diet too! These cocktails should be heavy on the mint – for all those herbal health benefits – and very light on the sweetener. My current obsession is homemade Mojitos with agave, and the teeeeniest pinch of chili.

5) Coffee. Fuelling my workouts since 2005. And before you roll your eyes, please read this! Admittedly, you’ll want to stick to one coffee … two is dehydration overkill. Also, you must make sure you get plenty of calcium and magnesium in your diet to offset any mineral depletions. I like to have an espresso for my weekly workouts and a giant (extra hot, whole milk!) latte as my weekend treat.

6) My I Phone. So I can keep my Instagram exciting with endless photos of everything I eat … and keep my runs exciting by blasting out terrible music.

7) Lemon Poppyseed ….. My favourite flavour for any baked good treat. I’m currently working on perfecting the almond flour lemon poppyseed muffin (with coconut butter and greek yogurt frosting – oh yes!). Until I get that recipe perfect, you might want to entertain yourself by making these biscuits, or by tracking down some lemon poppyseed ice cream. I tried it and it was life changing.

Ice Cream. Okay, ice cream full stop is just amazing. And, as far as desserts go, I consider the good quality stuff to be not so bad. There’s a little protein in there! Ice cream is also the definition of soul food; grabbing your partner/ friend/ dog (or ideally all three!) and walking to the ice cream shop on a warm summers evening? Leisurely picking out your flavours and swapping little bites? It’s the little things.

9) Caramelised Red Onions. Another vegetable in my top ten! The perfect caramelised onion takes time (and I ruin more batches than I perfect) but boy are they worth it. It’s also true what they say about extra sugar not being neccessary … although sometimes I like to add a little balsamic reduction. I eat these onions by the spoonful, with extra fresh black pepper and some basil from the garden.

10) Fresh Raw Goats Cheese. Baked lightly in nuts and herbs, tossed in a light vinegaratte and served on a green salad? Scooped into endive leaves with pomegranete seeds and black pepper? Or just served on the occasional piece of sourdough levain, with plenty of caramelised red onions and a tall glass of white wine. No words.

* Please note I left Wine and Butter off this list. I thought I’d avoid talking about the obvious.

How about you? What completes your healthy foodie picture at the moment?

The Health Activist Writer’s Month Challenge is hosted by WEGO Health. I will be writing a post a day for all 30 days. If you want to join me in the challenge (at any point) all you have to do to join is sign up here.