Firstly, Introduce yourself! Who are you, what do you do, and what are your
passions?
Hello! My name is Gené, and I am a lover of holistic health and wellness. I am a recipe developer, (BHSc) Naturopathy student, and Pilates instructor. My passion is to create healthy and nutritious dishes with my knowledge of nutrition, naturopathy and health in mind. When I’m not in the kitchen experimenting and having fun with food, or studying my Naturopathy degree, you’ll catch me at a yoga or Pilates class, immersed in nature, or simply enjoying an iced matcha in the sunshine.
What are your beliefs and philosophies around healthy eating? Why do you
believe eating a nutritious diet is important?
I believe food can be medicine, but it can also be fun! Healthy eating and food in general can look different to everyone, and I’m mindful of that when it comes to creating recipes. My biggest belief around food is to eat the rainbow - A diversity in our diets is a diversity in our gut microbiome! A lot of health issues and illnesses can be both prevented and treated when we look at our gut health, that’s why it’s important to nourish and support this area.
How do you stay on top of eating healthy and nutritious foods when life gets busy?
Go back to basics! It’s easy to overcomplicate health and eating, however when times get stressful or overwhelming, I like to stick to a few key points. Making sure I eat enough (aiming for 3 meals per day, with at least 30g of protein per meal, a source of healthy fats and complex carbs), meal prepping or bulk cooking meals (I have a few recipes I love to rotate), meal prepped snacks (both savoury and sweet – I love a sneaky way to get extra veg in!) and lots of fruit!
What advice would you give to someone who wants to start eating
consistently healthy meals but struggles to find the time and motivation to
cook?
Meal prep and get inspired! There are many quick and easy recipes on the internet (hi Instagram and Pinterest!). My favourite ways to add some extra nutritional value to meals is through grated veg (into mince, fritters, loaves etc.) and bone broth (I add this to my rice, quinoa or complex carbs for an extra nutrient dense hit of protein and minerals). I also always have a few containers of prepped roast veggies, boiled eggs, quinoa or rice, chickpeas/ lentils and fresh leafy greens ready to go for the week ahead.
What are 3 of your go-to quick, easy and nutritious meals to have on busy
weekdays?
a. Nourish bowls – This is where my prepped roast veg and legumes come handy! Simply throwing together some quinoa, veggies, avo and tuna is delish and nutrient dense. I love experimenting with my protein sources to keep it exciting as well.
b. A salmon (or protein of choice) and veg bake – Adding everything to a baking dish, adding some herbs and checking on it 40 minutes later is easy, convenient and delish (also makes for the best leftovers!)
c. Vegetable pasta – If I have any leftover vegetables like beetroot or pumpkin, making it into a pasta sauce and adding some white beans or silken tofu for a protein hit!
What are 3 of your go-to snacks for throughout the week?
a. Brown rice cakes (or seeded sourdough) with avo and a boiled egg (and some
sprouts if I’m feeling fancy) – A hit of protein, complex carbs and healthy fats in one!
b. Banana, date and oat cookies – They are the best 3pm pick-me-up!
c. Smoothies – I add absolutely everything to my smoothies, it’s an easy and quick way to get nutrients!
d. And an extra for good measure (I love my snacks!), Chia pudding – Packed full of
fibre, healthy fats and a little protein, I loveeeee chia pudding anytime of the day!
What are some easy, actionable and sustainable changes we could make to
start eating healthier today?
a. Diversify your microbiome and experiment with your food! What’s a vegetable you
havent tried before? Try adding that into a dinner/lunch and do that each week (this
will help with inspiration too!).
b. Meal prep! Get those containers ready, and set up your prepped veggies, protein
sources, complex carbs and leafy greens. You’ll have plenty of meals ready to go!
c. Save fun recipes you see on social media. Don’t be afraid to get messy and enjoy
making recipes – food is allowed to be fun and functional!
Anything else you'd like to add? Where can we find you on social media?
You can find me on my Instagram (@geneschesser), or my website www.geneschesser.com!
Comments