Introduction to Veganuary Month with Zerlina Mastin
The first month of the year is often filled with fresh goals and new year resolutions, and our diet, lifestyle and overall health is often on the top of the list! Hence the Veganuary campaign, which encourages individuals to try a vegan diet for a month, focuses on the health benefits linked to plant based diets whilst supporting the environment and caring for animals.
Dancers do not need to follow an exclusively vegan diet to enjoy the same health benefits and help the planet, however the Veganuary campaign does highlight some very important facts - that we should all be including far more fresh, wholesome fruits and vegetables, wholegrains and plant oils in our diet, particularly crucial for dancers in terms of boosting energy and fighting fatigue, managing our stress levels, optimising our health and avoiding injury.
So, this month’s recipes are all about plants! Each recipe will be released every Monday and will contain balanced and adapted recipes to suit the unique nutritional needs of dancers, in particular protein and micro nutrients such as iron, calcium, vitamin C and the B vitamins.
Breakfast - Granola and Yogurt Bowl
There are so many healthy ways to throw together a granola and yoghurt bowl (even a peanut butter and raspberry jam version!). As a general note, dancers should opt for low sugar muesli/granola and a natural/plain yoghurt (for this month I am choosing coconut or soya yoghurt) as sweetness will come from fruit and a little honey. By adding some ground or whole nuts (e.g. walnuts, cashews) and/or seeds (e.g. flaxseeds, sunflower seeds etc.) it truly is a breakfast rich in nutrients! Delicious and packed with micronutrients, protein, healthy carbohydrates and fats, granola and yoghurt bowls are a brilliant start to a dancer’s day. Add some spices (e.g. cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger) to taste.
In-season fruits this time of the year include apples, pears, satsumas and tangerines (frozen berries are also a great addition).
GRANOLA FRUIT BOWL
Serves 1
150-200g natural yoghurt (e.g. coconut/soya)
1 small apple
1 satsuma
Small cup of granola/muesli mix
1 tablespoon of ground nuts, seeds or whole nuts/seeds (some granola mixes already contain mixed nuts/seeds)
1 teaspoon of honey
Optional additions:
Pinch of a favourite spice (cinnamon, ginger, allspice, nutmeg, vanilla etc.).
Handful of plain cornflakes/branflakes mixed into the granola mix.
The next Recipe blog by Zerlina will be release on Monday 22nd January 2018.
