A true foodie, fitness-freak and lover of summer and life, nutritionist, Rebecca Gawthorne (also widely known as @nourish_naturally) motivates, empowers and inspires others to live healthier lives.
If you’re not familiar with Rebecca Gawthorne’s name, you may find that you have stumbled across her vibrant and colourful food photos while scrolling Instagram without even realising.
With a nutrition and dietetics degree behind her, Rebecca has amassed a following of more than 148k and attracted a community of like-minded individuals all centred around her simply philosophy of “eat more natural wholefoods – vegetables, fruits, wholegrains, nuts, seeds, legumes and fish.”
“I eat intuitively, which means what I eat day to day can differ. I don’t count calories or macros. If I’m hungrier one day, I will eat more, and if I’m not as hungry on other days, I’ll eat less. I listen to my body and don’t have any “rules” when it comes to eating. There aren’t any foods I want to eat that I don’t,” says Rebecca.
We caught up with Rebecca to see how she approaches a typical day of eating – and what we discovered is that she loves her veggies! Oh, and keep scrolling for one of her favourite recipes by The Grounds Group Executive Chef, Paul McGrath.
Breakfast
I wake up early; usually around 5am. I have some water, a coffee with my husband and then it’s workout time! After my morning training session, which could be anything from stairs session, HIIT workout, weights or beach run, I come home and demolish a big bowl of cooked veggies (e.g. baby spinach, tomato, broccolini, mushrooms and sweet potato) with some salmon/ocean trout/tuna and a piece of fruit. If I’m heading straight out, I’ll have a quick smoothie made with mango/banana, soy milk, some muesli and a scoop of protein powder.
Lunch
Lunchtime I’ll usually have a salad made with lots of colourful wholesome vegetables like pumpkin, zucchini, onion and sweet potato, along with some chickpeas, salmon or tofu. I’ll often make big salad with a yummy and healthy dressing.
Snacks
Between my main meals, I’ll often snack on fresh fruit, left-over baked veggies, coconut yoghurt or a homemade protein smoothie.
Dinner
My dinner usually consists of a protein source such as tofu, legumes or fish, ½ a plate of rainbow veggies and a healthy carbohydrate source like quinoa. My favourite dinner of all time is a Poke Bowl!
After dinner
I like to finish with something sweet like my favourite homemade mango ice-cream!
RECIPE: MOROCCAN BOWL
“This vegetarian bowl is rich in plant iron, found in chickpeas, brown rice and almonds. Iron is an essential mineral needed by your body to form new red blood cells, transport oxygen to your muscles and your immune system function. The vitamin C found in the tomatoes and pumpkin help boost the absorption of this plant iron.
This dish is also high in fibre from the chickpeas and brown rice. Fibre aids healthy digestion and will help keep you feeling fuller for longer, which can assist weight loss efforts. This Moroccan Bowl is also a good source of plant protein, found in the chickpeas, and contains antioxidants and essential vitamins in the colourful veggies and pomegranate seeds.” – Rebecca Gawthorne
Serves: 6
Ingredients:
Salad:
● 9 cups cooked brown rice
● 350g roasted, diced pumpkin
● 150g smoked cherry tomatoes
● 100g pomegranate seeds
● 50g toasted, crushed almonds
● 50g softened sultanas
● 100g fried chickpeas
● 150g poached chickpeas
Garnish:
● 6 tbls labneh
● Dusting of mild paprika and cayenne pepper
● Small handful of edible florals
● Small handful parsley leaves
● Small handful picked mint leaves
Dressing:
● Juice of 3 lemons
● Zest of 1 orange
● ½ tsp cumin powder
● ½ tsp coriander powder
● ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
● 100ml olive oil
● 100ml grape seed oil
● 50ml chardonnay vinegar
● 1 tbls honey
Method:
1. Combine all dressing ingredients and set aside.
2. Mix all salad ingredients (excluding a small handful of toasted almonds and pomegranate seeds) together and dress with lemon and honey vinaigrette. Season with salt & pepper to taste.
3. Divide salad between 6 bowls and top each with a tablespoon of whipped labneh, dust with mild paprika and cayenne pepper and sprinkle with remaining almonds and pomegranate seeds.
4. Finish with edible florals, mint and parsley leaves.
