Make it a Plant Power Day today

No matter what choice of diet or way of eating you follow, there is one thing everyone can agree on: increasing our plants (fruits and veggies) is always a good thing.

Plant Power Day is celebrated in March in various places across the world and encourages us to focus on our veggie intake and shine a light on the feel good energy we receive when we up our daily plant-based foods.

Regardless of when you are reading this, you can make any day a plant power day!

The question I am often asked is 'how do I increase my plant foods without spending more time in the kitchen?' Here are my 5 tips:

1. Add berries to your breakfast. Whether it's a smoothie, muesli or eggs on toast, throw in a big handful of fresh or frozen berries to get a boost of nutrients and antioxidants first thing in the morning.
2. If you snacks op for apples, carrot and cucumber sticks (dipped in almond butter for a seriously delicious snack!) Veggie sticks can be prepped on the weekend and kept in an airtight container to grab and go during the week.
3. Instead of a 3pm coffee, tea, or soda pick me up, opt for a fresh pressed juice. Packed with only nutrition, not empty calories, a fresh pressed green or pineapple juice is sure to give you a boost to get you through until dinner.
4. For main meals, add a different vegetable for every meal to your plate. Note I suggest add, not exchange. If you routinely eat a meal with 1 fresh vegetable in it, add another that';s in season. Eating a variety of vegetables is important for our bodies to receive a wide spectrum of nutrients and micronutrients.
   For example:
   Tuna pasta bake can be packed with any vegetable you have on hand such as corn, broccoli, beans, spinach...
   Steak, potatoes and peas can be made colorful and nutrient rich with carrots and zucchini or eggplant.
5. Swap out ingredients of traditional recipes for veggies. Check out Fed for Wellness , <span>Cauliflower Tabouli</span> (which is also gluten-free) where the burghul is swapped out for cauliflower rice. It's seriously delicious!

Remember, plants are a complex food providing total nourishment to our bodies. They are packed with an abundance of vitamins and minerals, as well as antioxidants and fiber. Add a few extra to your day and feel the difference!

About our contributor:
Sally Douglas, Fed for Wellness founder, is a passionate Living Foods Chef, Plant-Based Educator and Wellness Coach, supporting people to put their health back on the agenda through her simple approach and unique methodology - reconnecting you with how you want to feel, not just how you want to look and eat.
Sally provides interactive plant-based cooking workshops in and around the Sunshine Coast, empowering people to fall in love with cooking and looking after themselves. One-to-one coaching with Sally is also available for life-changing results of sustainable weight loss, increased energy and vitality, reduction of bloating and digestive issues and feeling happier and confident in yourself. Learn more about working with Sally and her upcoming cooking workshops.