Bec Gawthorne  aka @nourish_naturally is a Dietitian and Nutritionist from Sydney and is the perfect person to get some healthy eating advice. 

Bec, your instagram feed is so inspiring and healthy, you make it look so easy. How did you get into healthy eating and why is it so important?

I fell in love with healthy eating during my food tech studies at school when I realised how much of a difference healthy eating made to my everyday living. I felt healthier, more energetic, could concentrate better and perform better at sports. I decided I wanted to be a Dietitian, so I studied a Bachelor of Nutrition & Dietetics at the University of Wollongong and completed a Honours research thesis in childhood cancer. I’ve helped thousands of clients with their eating but it never ceases to amaze me how important healthy, nourishing food is to our bodies. Food physically becomes you! It makes up every cell in your body – your muscles, hair, skin, heart. We need to nourish our bodies with healthy, real, wholesome foods to ensure our bodies function healthily, to feel energetic and live the life we were created to.

Bec’s Healthy Eating Hacks

Freeze fresh fruits, veg, nuts and herbs to extend shelf life. Fruits and veg that can be frozen include:

• Potato, sweet potato, pumpkin, carrot – wash, peel, chop, freeze
Broccoli & cauliflower – wash, chop into florets, blanch for 1 min, freeze
• Beans – wash, remove ends, freeze
• Avocado – peel, remove seed, freeze (add to smoothies)
• Nuts – place in airtight container & freeze upto 6months
• Berries – wash, freeze
• Bananas – peel, chop, freeze
• Passionfruit – scoop pulp out, freeze in ice-cube trays
• Mango, papaya – peel, remove seed, slice, freeze
• Fresh herbs – wash, place in icecube trays with olive oil, freeze

Enjoy legumes – legumes include beans, lentils and peas. You can buy tinned lentils and beans like black beans, red kidney beans, chickpeas, baked beans etc. You can get dried lentils and peas too.

Cook and freeze meals – lasagnes, lentil patties, pasta dishes, soups and curries all freeze well.

Bec’s Sweet Treats

All sweets can be enjoyed as part of a healthy balanced diet – you just want to ensure you’re not having them every day in large amounts. 🙂 But I do have some “health-i-fied” sweet treats that are very nutritious but still incredibly delicious! Below is the recipe for my “Best Banana Bread” and “No-Added Sugar Strawberry Roll-Up Bites”.

Method:

• Preheat oven to 190C. Line a loaf tin with baking paper.
• In a large mixing bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, cinnamon and hemp seeds.
• Add remaining ingredients into a blender and blend for a few minutes until light and fluffy.
• Note: If you don’t have a blender, use a separate bowl, beat eggs and add in mashed banana. • • Mix in oil, vanilla and honey. Combine well.
• Add wet mixture to dry mix and fold through until combined. Pour into loaf tin and bake for about 30minutes or until cooked through.
• Remove from oven and allow to cool out of tin on a cooling rack. Slice and enjoy!

No-Added Sugar Strawberry Roll-Up Bites

Method:

• Preheat oven to 120C and line a large baking tray with baking paper.
• Place strawberries, lemon juice and seeds into a high speed blender and puree.
• Pour strawberry puree onto baking tray. Evenly smooth out with a spatula to make a thin, even layer.
• Cook in oven for 3 hours*. Once cooked, transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool until firm.
• Carefully remove baking paper and slice into pieces with a sharp knife.
• Store in an airtight container in the pantry. Enjoy!

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My Nourish Naturally Program is my 10 Week Nutrition E-Course that will teach you how to eat healthy, boost your energy, control your portions, overcome emotional and stress eating, eat intuitively, save time and money in the kitchen and form healthy eating and lifestyle habits that actually stick. With weekly practical challenges and guides, this course will help you live your healthiest life and love living it!