Processed food and Cancer and how to change your diet for the better . . .

This month I would like to give you some ideas on how to easily displace calories from processed food by incorporating more fresh and natural food into your diet.

There are no guarantees in life, and we all know of someone who seemingly lived a healthy life but still went on to develop cancer. However, the evidence is convincing that by eating more fresh food we are placing the odds in our favour. Not to mention feeling better on day to day basis with more energy and vitality.

You may have seen the study in the media a few months ago linking a diet high in processed food to a higher risk of developing cancer. ('Consumption of ultra-processed foods and cancer risk: results from NutriNet-Santé prospective cohort') With this in mind I'm hoping to give you some inspiration - read on for some simple breakfast and lunch ideas.

Breakfast Inspiration

Overnight Oats

1 cup porridge oats

1 tbsp flaxseed

2 cups milk or almond/coconut milk

1 grated apple

handful of berries

Place oats and flaxseed in a bowl.
Grate apple into bowl.
Pour over milk of your choice. (At this stage you could add 1 tsp of cinnamon or powdered ginger)
Leave oats to soak for at least 20 minutes or overnight.
Top with berries and enjoy!

Eggs

2 boiled or scrambled eggs

Served with half an avocado on a piece of sourdough or rye toast.
Optional extras: blanched asparagus or sautéed spinach.

Greek yoghurt & fruit

Full fat yoghurt with 2 pieces of fruit

Sprinkle over toasted pumpkin or sunflowers seeds.
(Tip: toast plenty of seeds and store them in jars)

Lunch Inspiration

Most of us grab a sandwich at lunch, but if you think ahead there are lots of other tastier and more imaginative options...

Sweet Jacket Potato

Fill with tinned salmon, combined with a spoonful of yoghurt, a squeeze of lemon juice and a little cumin powder.
Top with fresh chives

Romaine Lettuce Wraps

Simply use the leaves as a wrap and fill with prawns, chilli, ginger and red pepper. If taking to work, place the filling in a plastic container and assemble them just before you eat them.

Spinach Omelette

Just add spinach to your regular omelette for a quick and nutritious lunch

Cold Potato Salad

Cold potatoes contain a type of fibre that your gut will love (so that's cooked potatoes that have been allowed to cool). Keep them as a staple in the fridge and you will always have the base of a salad to hand.

Add rocket leaves, avocado, red peppers, beetroot, boiled eggs or feta cheese...
Finish off with a really tasty dressing (see recipe below)

Lentil Salad

Recipe as above, but use cooked lentils instead of potatoes. I like the Merchant Gourmet ready to serve which you can find in most supermarkets.

Everyday salad dressing

I think that people who don't find salad very interesting haven't used a good dressing. Try this one, double the quantity and store in a jar in the fridge - that way you will always have some and can throw a salad together very quickly.

4 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 tsp runny honey

1 tsp English mustard (from a jar)