DAY 1: Rocky road, not the ice-cream

Whole-wheat pasta with a tomato base, baby spinach and mushrooms.

It’s the first day of my Six-day Superfood Challenge and I‘m already navigating a rocky road, and not the good kind that involves ice-cream. I was supposed to wake up at 10am for a good ol’ gym session, but only rolled out of bed at around noon. Then I realised I was hungry. And then I discovered I had NO superfoods whatsoever in my house.


So I made a list, checked it twice and set out in search of some of my favourite superfoods. I found almost everything I was looking for, but geez, does healthy food come at a price. Usually, I’d splurge on a new handbag, a dress I’ve been eyeing at Woolworths or some make-up I don’t really need -- but groceries?!



As a result of my morning “delay”, I only ended up eating my first my meal at 2.30pm and was really too ravenous to prepare anything that involved long cooking times. Here’s what was on the menu today:

Breakfast/lunch: A whole avocado on two slices of whole-wheat bread.
Snacks: Some pumpkin seeds and a small sweet potato with a tablespoon of light cream cheese.
Dinner: Seared tuna and wholewheat spaghetti with tomato sauce, mushrooms and spinach.

For me, the standout superfoods today were all packed in my dinner -- tuna, tomatoes, mushrooms and spinach. Mushrooms are one of my favourite vegetables and I was really pleased to discover that it is packed with nutrients, including selenium, which exists in very few vegetables.

As the base for my pasta, I used canned tomatoes, one of the few foods that increase with nutritional value as it is being cooked. Canned tomatoes also trump the fresh variety (Yay! No chopping) because they have more lycopene, a powerful antioxidant.

I also added some spinach, which I’ve seen described as the “supreme superfood”. Just one cup contains more than your daily requirements for vitamins K and A, and it is believed to have over 20 nutrients that is good for everything from your eye sight, skin and brain function to your body’s cancer-combating mechanisms.

I paired my pasta with seared tuna. This fish is not only delicious, but low in fat, packed with protein and omega-3 fatty acids, which fights heart disease, certain cancers and can lower cholesterol levels.

And I’ve left my favourite superfood for last -- avocado. It’s one of those you-love-it-or-hate-it foods; very seldom is there middle ground. And if you hate them, consider this: while avos are loaded antioxidants and, yes, with fats, these are “good fats” that give you a great complexion and prevent wrinkles. Nobody likes wrinkles, whether they’re on your best linen pants or your glowing face.

My favourite superfood, avocado, on toast. I'm pretty heavy-handed with the  black pepper!